Two years after the Bud Light controversy that cost Anheuser-Busch millions in lost sales and customers, the company is now taking a major step back from LGBT activism.
According to KSDK-TV, Anheuser-Busch has officially withdrawn its support for the St. Louis Pride festival—ending a 30-year sponsorship streak. The move has left Pride St. Louis reeling, with organizers calling it “especially painful” and admitting they’re over $150,000 short of last year’s fundraising totals.
After more than three decades of sponsoring PrideFest, Anheuser-Busch will not be backing this year’s festival in St. Louis. The decision leaves Pride St. Louis scrambling to fill the funding gap. Organizers are calling on the community for support.https://t.co/XTZCVVykqi pic.twitter.com/n70EOo69xg
— KSDK News (@ksdknews) March 25, 2025
Following the 2023 marketing backlash, which saw nationwide boycotts and a brand crisis, the company has clearly reassessed its public image strategy. Dropping the Pride sponsorship is being seen as a course correction aimed at rebuilding trust with the customers they lost.
With fundraising now falling flat and public sentiment shifting, it’s clear that corporate activism comes with a price—and Anheuser-Busch is finally doing the math.