USCE 2023: Please let them shove a camera up your butt

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USCE 2023: Please let them shove a camera up your butt

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Gyges: Aug 4, 2004; NOW NO ONE
RECOGNIZE HULK

Mellow Seas posted:

Worth noting that although we consider Florida to be a complete irredeemable disaster Biden only lost there by 3.5 points.

There are, presumably, millions of Democrats in Florida, and I assume at least some of them have to have political skills. Hell, Andrew Gillem almost beat DeSantis while addicted to meth and hookers. DeSantis has also had his approval rating go underwater since his reelection.

A large part of DeSantis' dominating win is the his opponent was Charlie Crist. 5 people voted for Charlie Crist, everyone else was voting for the "most electable" candidate in the primary.

# ? Jul 10, 2023 23:05

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# ? May 25, 2024 18:03

BiggerBoat: Sep 26, 2007; Don't you tell me my business again.

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1678485872897847311

Chic Fil A owners?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 00:14

Kammat: Feb 9, 2008; Odd Person

Tommy Tuberville continues to hold up military promotion nominations, now leaving the Marine Corps technically without a commandant.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/politics/marine-corps-tuberville-nominations-hold/index.html

CNN posted:

A major branch of the US military does not have a Senate confirmed leader for the first time in more than a century, as a result of a Republican senator refusing to lift his block on military nominations.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger relinquished command on Monday after holding a private retirement ceremony, after more than 40 years of service. His successor, Gen. Eric Smith, has not yet been confirmed to take over due to the hold on senior military nominations by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

Speaking at Berger�s relinquishment of command ceremony on Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a point to mention the hold and its impact on �stable and orderly leadership transitions,� and military families.

�We have a sacred duty to do right by those who volunteer to wear the cloth of our nation,� Austin said. �And I remain confident that all Americans can come together to agree on that basic obligation to those who keep us safe. I am also confident that the United States Senate will meet its responsibilities. And I look forward to welcoming an outstanding new commandant for our Marine Corps, and to adding many other distinguished senior leaders across the joint force.�

Berger agreed just moments later, saying �we need the Senate to do their job so we can have a sitting Commandant that�s appointed and confirmed.�

�We need that house to be occupied,� Berger said in reference to the Commandant�s house. �We ask the Senate to do that.�

Tuberville reiterated that he would not back off of his hold in a conversation with CNN�s Manu Raju on Monday, saying he doesn�t buy concerns about the impact on military readiness �whatsoever.�

�I told y�all all along if I thought this was a risk, I wouldn�t be doing this,� Tuberville said. �This is not a risk. We got people that can get the job done, and not just get it done, can do it the right way, and do it the best way for the American people.�

In his last interview as commandant, Berger argued military officers should be left out of the hold, which is being maintained as a protest of Pentagon reproductive health policies announced earlier this year.

Is there any way to tell Tuberville to gently caress off or is it just a matter of finally losing patience and rewriting Senate rules?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 00:15

Willa Rogers: Mar 11, 2005

Surely they must have deputy or acting commandants for the Marines, or Austin the power to order Berger to not resign, if the Marines can't fight for right and freedom and to keep their honor clean.

Speaking of Marines:

quote:

A 14-year-old girl who was reported missing from her Spring Valley home last month is back home after she was found at Camp Pendleton, authorities said today, while a Marine has reportedly been taken into custody in the case, which is being investigated by human trafficking authorities.

The girl, who has not been identified because of her age, was reported missing by her grandmother on June 13, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff's officials said the grandmother told them the girl, who had run away before but always returned home quickly, went missing on June 9.

The teen's information was entered into multiple missing person databases, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Military police at Camp Pendleton located the girl on June 28 and informed the sheriff's department. Detectives interviewed her and the family was offered services, authorities said.

"When a minor runs away, there is usually an underlining of trauma associated. Free counseling and social service programs to help the girl and her family to deal with trauma and personal issues are being offered,'' Lt. Carpenter, a watch commander for the SCSD, told City News Service.

The girl was not hospitalized, but it was unclear if she sustained any injuries.

Since Camp Pendleton is federal property, Naval Criminal Investigative Services is handling the investigation. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force are supporting NCIS with the investigation, sheriff's officials said.

On June 28, a Marine was taken into custody by military police on the base and questioned by NCIS personnel about his involvement with the girl.

Meanwhile, the girl's aunt, Casaundra Perez, posted a video to TikTok in which she said that her family was afraid of retaliation from the military and from the man she believes trafficked her niece.

"Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS does not comment on, confirm details relating to, or confirm the existence of ongoing investigations,'' the agency said in a statement.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 00:22

Kammat: Feb 9, 2008; Odd Person

Willa Rogers posted:

Surely they must have deputy or acting commandants for the Marines, or Austin the power to order Berger to not resign, if the Marines can't fight for right and freedom and to keep their honor clean.

Speaking of Marines:

The assistant commander was to be promoted and will be acting as full commandant, but until he's formally promoted he can't have his own assistant commandant as he's occupying the position already.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 00:29

FLIPADELPHIA: Apr 27, 2007; Heavy Shit; Grimey Drawer

Kammat posted:

Is there any way to tell Tuberville to gently caress off or is it just a matter of finally losing patience and rewriting Senate rules?

That would be rude, so I very much doubt the Democratic senate majority will do so.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 00:33

AvesPKS: Sep 26, 2004; I don't dance unless I'm totally wasted.

Kammat posted:

The assistant commander was to be promoted and will be acting as full commandant, but until he's formally promoted he can't have his own assistant commandant as he's occupying the position already.

Can't they just make a stuckee the "Senior Official Performing the Duties of Asst. Commandant" or some such.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 02:15

Shrecknet: Jan 2, 2005

Kammat posted:

Is there any way to tell Tuberville to gently caress off or is it just a matter of finally losing patience and rewriting Senate rules?

it makes perfect sense that a guy who lost by 20 to Vanderbilt and lost to an unranked UConn would be the one to fail to provide for our nation's defense

# ? Jul 11, 2023 02:42

Discendo Vox: Mar 21, 2013; We don't need to have that dialogue because it's obvious, trivial, and has already been had a thousand times.

I've not got time atm to provide a full summary, but... the GOP had claimed to have a witness who was supposed to corroborate the Hunter Biden laptop poo poo, but who was oddly unavailable. This guy, Gal Luft, released a video to the New York Post a couple days ago saying he had been arrested to prevent him from testifying before the House Oversight Committee on Biden corruption, and was on the run.

The FBI just revealed the actual basis for his arrest.

quote:

Gal Luft, a Dual U.S.-Israeli Citizen, Allegedly Evaded FARA Registration While Working to Advance the Interests of China in the United States and Sought to Broker the Illicit Sales of Chinese-Manufactured Weapons and Iranian Oil to China

[...]Federal Bureau of Investigation (�FBI�), announced today the unsealing of an eight-count Indictment charging GAL LUFT with offenses related to willfully failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (�FARA�), arms trafficking, Iranian sanctions violations, and making false statements to federal agents. LUFT, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was arrested on February 17, 2023, in the Republic of Cyprus based on the charges in the Indictment. LUFT subsequently fled after being released on bail while extradition proceedings were pending and remains a fugitive.
[...]

For years, LUFT, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who serves as the co-director of a Maryland-based think tank, engaged, along with others, in multiple international criminal schemes.

First, LUFT conspired with others in an effort to act within the United States to advance the interests of the People�s Republic of China (�China�) as agents of China-based principals, without registering as foreign agents as required under U.S. law. As part of this scheme, while serving as the co-director of a Maryland-based non-profit think tank, LUFT agreed to covertly recruit and pay, on behalf of principals based in China, a former high-ranking U.S. Government official (�Individual-1�), including in 2016 while the former official was an adviser to the then-President-elect, to publicly support certain policies with respect to China without LUFT or Individual-1 filing a registration statement as an agent of a foreign principal with the Attorney General of the United States, in violation of FARA. Among other things, in the weeks before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, LUFT and a co-conspirator (�CC-1�), who is a Chinese national and worked for a Chinese nongovernmental organization affiliated with a Chinese energy company, created a written �dialogue� between CC-1 and Individual-1, in which LUFT wrote Individual-1�s responses and included information that was favorable to China. The dialogue was then published in a Chinese newspaper online and sent to, among others, individuals in the United States, including a journalist and professors at multiple U.S. universities. When LUFT was writing the dialogue, CC-1 told LUFT that �[i]n these articles, we do not want to spill all the beans yet, just enough to let �people� know he [i.e., Individual-1] is in the corridor of power to be. Just broad stroke policy consideration that leaves plenty of room for interpretation and imagination to be filled in later.� After the purported �conversations� were published, LUFT told CC-1 that certain information, favorable to China, had been �tucked between the lines.� Shortly after the 2016 election, LUFT and CC-1 also discussed possible roles Individual-1 might have in the incoming U.S. administration and discussed Individual-1 taking a �silent trip� to China. LUFT responded that �[w]e are debating about his role in the new admin. There are all kinds of considerations . . .We should talk ftf [i.e., face-to-face] as there can be a supremely unique opportunity for china.�

Second, LUFT conspired with others and attempted to broker illicit arms transactions with, among others, certain Chinese individuals and entities. In his role as a broker or middleman, LUFT worked to find both buyers and sellers of certain weapons and other materials, without a license to do so as required under U.S. law, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. Among other things, LUFT worked to broker a deal for Chinese companies to sell certain weapons to Libya, including anti-tank launchers, grenade launchers, and mortar rounds (which LUFT and his associates referred to in coded language as �toys�). LUFT also worked to broker deals for certain weapons to be sold to the United Arab Emirates, including aerial bombs and rockets. LUFT further worked to broker deals for certain weapons to be sold by a Chinese company to Kenya, including unmanned aerial vehicles (�UAVs�) � and specifically �strike� UAVs, which LUFT acknowledged �[t]he US doesn�t want to sell[, . . .] hence the opportunity.� LUFT also discussed brokering a deal for weapons to Qatar and told CC-1 that Israel was �not a good fit� as the middleman for the deal because it had the �[s]ame problem the [] Q [i.e., Qataris] have w uncle [i.e., the United States]. Need a third party. . . . I will activate.�
[...]
Third, LUFT conspired with others and attempted to broker deals for Iranian oil � which he directed an associate to refer to as �Brazilian� oil in an effort to conceal the activity and evade sanctions � in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In his role as a broker or middleman, LUFT solicited buyers and passed on pricing and other information. One offer letter for Iranian oil that LUFT received noted that the �origin� of the oil was �Iranian / It can be presented as UAE origin without Iranian papers.�[...]

Luft's think tank is the very serious, very legitimate Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, here.

Even better, he appears to have a twitter account and is tweeting through his international manhunt, here. There's a pinned link to send him money. I do not recommend doing so.

It should be pretty straightforward to identify Individual-1 from the charges.

Discendo Vox fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Jul 11, 2023

# ? Jul 11, 2023 02:46

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

Kammat posted:

Tommy Tuberville continues to hold up military promotion nominations, now leaving the Marine Corps technically without a commandant.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/politics/marine-corps-tuberville-nominations-hold/index.html

Is there any way to tell Tuberville to gently caress off or is it just a matter of finally losing patience and rewriting Senate rules?

They could just move things forward via normal votes. He's not actually blocking these promotions, he's just blocking the expedited fast-track processes that can only be used if literally the entire Senate agrees to use them. It might take a while to move a hundred-plus promotions through normal Senate processes, but a few of them shouldn't be a huge deal. And it's not like the Senate's busy with actual legislation right now.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 02:49

Leon Trotsky 2012: Aug 27, 2009; YOU CAN TRUST ME!*

_{*Israeli Government-affiliated poster}

Tuberville on an interesting roll today.

- Says the military is discriminating against white people who have "white nationalist beliefs."

- Says that racism is bad, but white nationalists have "varying beliefs" and they aren't all the same. So it is wrong to flatly make white nationalism punishable.

- The host says that white nationalism is explicitly racist and Tuberville says "that's your opinion."

- He thinks "most white people" are white nationalists and that white nationalism is not inherently racist.

https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/1678579897709518849

Leon Trotsky 2012 fucked around with this message at 03:03 on Jul 11, 2023

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:01

Fork of Unknown Origins: Oct 21, 2005; Gotta Herd On?

Willa Rogers posted:

Surely they must have deputy or acting commandants for the Marines, or Austin the power to order Berger to not resign, if the Marines can't fight for right and freedom and to keep their honor clean.

Speaking of Marines:

Any chance it�s his daughter and it�s a custody thing?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:02

Willa Rogers: Mar 11, 2005

Shrecknet posted:

it makes perfect sense that a guy who lost by 20 to Vanderbilt and lost to an unranked UConn would be the one to fail to provide for our nation's defense

What do you anticipate will threaten our nation's defense as a consequence of non-confirmation for the time being?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:05

Willa Rogers: Mar 11, 2005

Fork of Unknown Origins posted:

Any chance it�s his daughter and it�s a custody thing?

He's been released from custody so who knows.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:08

Leon Trotsky 2012: Aug 27, 2009; YOU CAN TRUST ME!*

_{*Israeli Government-affiliated poster}

Willa Rogers posted:

What do you anticipate will threaten our nation's defense as a consequence of non-confirmation for the time being?

It's a football joke.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:13

Gatts: Jan 2, 2001; Goodnight Moon; Nap Ghost

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Tuberville on an interesting roll today.

- Says the military is discriminating against white people who have "white nationalist beliefs."

- Says that racism is bad, but white nationalists have "varying beliefs" and they aren't all the same. So it is wrong to flatly make white nationalism punishable.

- The host says that white nationalism is explicitly racist and Tuberville says "that's your opinion."

- He thinks "most white people" are white nationalists and that white nationalism is not inherently racist.

https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/1678579897709518849

Ah yes. Openly defending white nationalism. I don�t imagine it�ll hurt him where he�s from. But it should hopefully cause a stir.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 03:30

Edward Mass: Sep 14, 2011; 𝅘𝅥𝅮 I wanna go home with the armadillo
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I'd like to imagine Tuberville thinks there is a comma in the term "white nationalist".

# ? Jul 11, 2023 06:10

Judgy Fucker: Mar 24, 2006

Any time Tuberville does or says anything just remember he took another coaching job quite literally in the middle of meeting a recruit and their family at dinner. Went to the restroom, climbed out a window, and ghosted them.

And now he's a U.S. Senator.

And this is nothing in the annals of Senatorial depravity, but it's still lame and funny as gently caress.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 12:55

haveblue: Aug 15, 2005; Toilet Rascal

Edward Mass posted:

I'd like to imagine Tuberville thinks there is a comma in the term "white nationalist".

white nationalist?

white, nationalist!

# ? Jul 11, 2023 13:09

AvesPKS: Sep 26, 2004; I don't dance unless I'm totally wasted.

Judgy Fucker posted:

Any time Tuberville does or says anything just remember he took another coaching job quite literally in the middle of meeting a recruit and their family at dinner. Went to the restroom, climbed out a window, and ghosted them.

And now he's a U.S. Senator.

And this is nothing in the annals of Senatorial depravity, but it's still lame and funny as gently caress.

Who amongst us could have more integrity than Nick Saban? Let them cast the first stone against Tuberville.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 13:13

OddObserver: Apr 3, 2009

Mellow Seas posted:

Yeah, even though it's The Opposite of True I can kind of cut people some slack on that one - because people might have been thinking of "decrease inflation" to mean "address the problems I'm having with inflation," and if you're doing that then cutting your taxes would give you more money so technically it would be helping in the short term.

No slack-cutting on this one, since you really can't get more Opposite of True than that, and it is lmao-worthy. But I suppose it's not surprising in a country where 30% of people don't think a good preventative treatment for covid is... covid vaccines..

Ehh, since a lot of inflation is in housing at this point, increasing rates is partly counter-productive since it slows housing production?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 13:37

Leon Trotsky 2012: Aug 27, 2009; YOU CAN TRUST ME!*

_{*Israeli Government-affiliated poster}

Bud Light being boycotted by all angles over their partnership with a trans influencer seems to be hitting them pretty hard. This is the rare boycott where a lot of people seem to be participating and sticking with it.

They are technically getting boycotted by all sides over this, but the vast majority is from conservatives over the trans influencer and not the counter boycott over them not supporting the influencer.

It's kind of depressing and amazing at the same time that one of the few organized boycotts that actually seemed to work because people were committed to sticking to it was over an online ad where a trans person just existed. Americans couldn't/wouldn't stick to boycotts over environmental issues, labor issues, scams, problematic CEOs, or unethical supply chain issues, but this is where there are enough people motivated to hold the line.

Bud light was previously the #1 selling beer in America.

quote:

Bud Light Plummets To 14th Place Among Beers As Anheuser-Busch CEO Pleads For Consumers To Think Of The 65,000 Employees Impacted By Boycotts

As Bud Light, once a beloved contender among the country's favorite beers, spirals down to the 14th spot, the repercussions resonate far beyond the brand itself.

A recent YouGov survey reveals the decline in Bud Light's ranking, casting it below competitors like Pabst Bue Ribbon, Miller Genuine Draft and Miller Lite. This seismic shift in popularity jeopardizes the livelihoods of the 65,000 people whose economic well-being is intricately tied to Anheuser-Busch InBev's success.

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth has taken full responsibility for the controversial promotion involving transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney that caused sales to plummet. In an interview with CBS, Whitworth emphasized that he is ultimately accountable for the actions of the company, expressing concern for the people whose livelihoods depend on Anheuser-Busch.

"It's the impact honestly on the employees that weighs the most on me," he said.

Whitworth called on people not to punish the workforce but rather to attribute blame to him. He made it clear that he acknowledges the repercussions of the promotion and urged consumers to continue supporting Bud Light.

While Anheuser-Busch has attempted to downplay Mulvaney's role in its overall strategy, Whitworth confirmed that the company will maintain its partnerships without making any changes. He did not explicitly apologize for the collaboration with Mulvaney, despite some consumers demanding an official acknowledgment of the mistake as a prerequisite for restoring their patronage.

The company's actions have been perceived as a breach of the unspoken "bar rules" that strictly discourage discussions of politics or religion. As long as the company fails to acknowledge or address the concerns, it is anticipated that the boycotts will persist.

In an effort to revive sales and regain consumer trust, Whitworth and Bud Light's brand head Todd Allen launched a new summer campaign. The company plans to triple its investments this year, including increased spending on sports, primetime and cable television advertisements. It remains uncertain whether these efforts will be sufficient to rectify the situation and rebuild the brand's reputation.

While Whitworth admits that dealing with the boycott has caused him stress, he remains devoted to Anheuser-Busch, describing it as an "institution" closely tied to the American flag. Despite the pressure to address the escalating situation, Whitworth is not the sole person facing criticism.

Alissa Heinerscheid, the first woman to lead Bud Light in the brand's 40-year history, faced significant backlash from consumers following her collaboration with Mulvaney to expand the brand's reach. Her comments about the brand being "out of touch" and in need of a makeover further fueled the controversy. As a result, Heinerscheid, along with Anheuser-Busch's global Vice President of Marketing Daniel Blake, was placed on administrative leave.

Investing Success

As one of the largest alcohol brands in the world for decades, the fall from grace is opening an unprecedented opportunity for investors in the alcohol space. For example, Molson Coors Beverage Co. is up 32% year-to-date as it continues to take market share from the struggling beer brand.

Another play is investing in burgeoning alcohol brands on platforms like StartEngine, which allows anyone to invest in startups including investing in StartEngine itself. Currently, the platform boasts over 13 alcohol brands, including some of the fastest-growing private alcohol brands in the country.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bud-light-plummets-14th-place-210130892.html

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:16

Failed Imagineer: Sep 22, 2018

I guess Bud Light:

- tastes like nothing so is easily replaced
- has lots of competitors at same price point available at the same places
- actually had a huge chud market in the first place

A combo of factors not found in most chud "boycotts".

Pretty funny that they're only boycotting the Light version of one beer, and not other products from the giant conglomerate.

I'm boycotting Bud Light Orange, for different reasons

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:31

Mister Fister: May 17, 2008; D&D: HASBARA SQUAD
KILL-GORE

I love the smell of dead Palestinians in the morning.
You know, one time we had Gaza bombed for 26 days
(and counting!)

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Bud Light being boycotted by all angles over their partnership with a trans influencer seems to be hitting them pretty hard. This is the rare boycott where a lot of people seem to be participating and sticking with it.

They are technically getting boycotted by all sides over this, but the vast majority is from conservatives over the trans influencer and not the counter boycott over them not supporting the influencer.

It's kind of depressing and amazing at the same time that one of the few organized boycotts that actually seemed to work because people were committed to sticking to it was over an online ad where a trans person just existed. Americans couldn't/wouldn't stick to boycotts over environmental issues, labor issues, scams, problematic CEOs, or unethical supply chain issues, but this is where there are enough people motivated to hold the line.

Bud light was previously the #1 selling beer in America.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bud-light-plummets-14th-place-210130892.html

Trying to pivot from your customer base of working class rednecks to upper middle class white liberals over a cheap lovely beer that only the former would drink is monumentally stupid, and i'm not surprised that a wealthy harvard educated marketing vp would be this out of touch. It didn't happen in a vacuum though, i imagine most conservatives are upset at having no cultural influence in any important institution of note, and it sort of boiled over.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:36

haveblue: Aug 15, 2005; Toilet Rascal

I'm curious how much of a change this actually is, exactly how much quantity sold separates the #1 beer from the #2 beer from the #14 beer?

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:36

cat botherer: Jan 6, 2022; I am interested in most phases of data processing.

zoux posted:

Someone was asking last week why finding a random bag of cocaine in a visitors' area of the WH was getting so much coverage.

Obvious cocaine fiend Joe Biden

I'm leaning more towards Cocaine Mitch and/or his China Family.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:37

trevorreznik: Apr 22, 2023

haveblue posted:

I'm curious how much of a change this actually is, exactly how much quantity sold separates the #1 beer from the #2 beer from the #14 beer?

While I don't have a direct answer, the sales slump seems major, not just a few percent. A quick google found this in an article: "Bud Light sales are reportedly down almost 30% from last June and the brand "is showing no signs of rebounding from its slump," according to a MoneyWatch report. " I can't find the actual report though.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:43

socialsecurity: Aug 30, 2003

I imagine the boycott got several lifelong bud drinkers to expand their horizons and try anything else and realize how much better it is.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:45

Kalli: Jun 2, 2001

Mister Fister posted:

Trying to pivot from your customer base of working class rednecks to upper middle class white liberals over a cheap lovely beer that only the former would drink is monumentally stupid, and i'm not surprised that a wealthy harvard educated marketing vp would be this out of touch. It didn't happen in a vacuum though, i imagine most conservatives are upset at having no cultural influence in any important institution of note, and it sort of boiled over.

I don't believe they tried to pivot, they viewed themselves as the coke of beers and just advertised with everyone. The thing that kicked this off as I understand it was just them sending a swag bag to some trans instagram person, who a month later some right wingers found a working hook in. Bud probably sent out hundreds of those things to different influencers and them then walking back that support to try and cater to the hate groups just managed to piss off a bunch of liberals on top of it. So they just managed to piss off everyone and their biggest audience of I just want to loving grill man types don't want to deal with either, bought some coronas and high life instead.

Kalli fucked around with this message at 15:49 on Jul 11, 2023

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:46

gurragadon: Jul 28, 2006

The Bud Light boycott was primed to succeed once it got started. It's easy to replace and the only reason people drink it as there first choice is because it was the first light beer they were used to picking up and that's what they drink.

I think it's also because beer is a party drink. I would imagine people give their friends and acquaintances a hard time if they buy Bud Light, so even if you don't really care you just switch in areas where a bunch of people are switching beers.

Once Miller Light or Coors Light becomes the standard it's what people are going to buy without thinking about it, like Bud Light was in these communities that are boycotting it now.

Edit: Bud Light misunderstood what it was too and who drank it. Like Kalli said, they thought they were a generic "coke of beers." But I don't really think that exists in the beer world and they managed to make there main costumer base mad.

gurragadon fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Jul 11, 2023

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:48

KillHour: Oct 28, 2007

As someone who lives squarely in Labatt-controlled territory, this whole thing is simultaneously amusing and depressing.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:52

Fork of Unknown Origins: Oct 21, 2005; Gotta Herd On?

socialsecurity posted:

I imagine the boycott got several lifelong bud drinkers to expand their horizons and try anything else and realize how much better it is.

Or another macro and realize it�s the same, and since the best predictor for the next case of beer you buy is the last case of beer you bought�

For whatever it�s worth my chud in-laws are back to bud light. I think they�ll eventually rebound but it may be a while.

Also it goes without saying but it�s incredibly gross that a trans person existing is a political issue.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:54

Fister Roboto: Feb 21, 2008

Failed Imagineer posted:

I guess Bud Light:

- tastes like nothing so is easily replaced
- has lots of competitors at same price point available at the same places
- actually had a huge chud market in the first place

A combo of factors not found in most chud "boycotts".

Pretty funny that they're only boycotting the Light version of one beer, and not other products from the giant conglomerate.

I'm boycotting Bud Light Orange, for different reasons

Yeah, the article doesn't mention how AB is performing as a whole. I imagine they're doing just fine, as a lot of the boycotters have probably switched to other AB beers.

It's also really impressive how quickly and effectively the right wing reality warping machine worked on this, and how far it extended to "normal" people who aren't terminally online. It completely penetrated the public consciousness and convinced people that this was a massive push campaign and Mulvaney's face was on every single can or something like that.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:58

Main Paineframe: Oct 27, 2010

Leon Trotsky 2012 posted:

Bud Light being boycotted by all angles over their partnership with a trans influencer seems to be hitting them pretty hard. This is the rare boycott where a lot of people seem to be participating and sticking with it.

They are technically getting boycotted by all sides over this, but the vast majority is from conservatives over the trans influencer and not the counter boycott over them not supporting the influencer.

It's kind of depressing and amazing at the same time that one of the few organized boycotts that actually seemed to work because people were committed to sticking to it was over an online ad where a trans person just existed. Americans couldn't/wouldn't stick to boycotts over environmental issues, labor issues, scams, problematic CEOs, or unethical supply chain issues, but this is where there are enough people motivated to hold the line.

Bud light was previously the #1 selling beer in America.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bud-light-plummets-14th-place-210130892.html

Is it really that surprising? The right-wing media's ability to invent a controversy about nothing and get watchers mad enough to take actual action has already been demonstrated plenty of times. It doesn't really matter what the issue is. And "buy a different brand of cheap mainstream beer" isn't exactly a massive lifestyle change - it's certainly less difficult than rearranging your investment portfolio to exclude ESG companies or setting up a coal-rolling rig to spite Big Environmentalism.

Additionally, the fact that they alienated both sides is very here, because when one side boycotts a product over a stance the company took, the impact of the boycott is usually offset by increased sales to the other side of the issue. If Anheuser-Busch had stuck to their guns on the ad campaign, then it probably would have ended up being far more effective than most pinkwashing campaigns, as a willingness to stand by LGBTQ folks in the face of a loud far-right backlash probably would have drawn a fair amount of support from LGBTQ communities and allies, leading to a sales bump that would have countered this boycott at least to some extent. Instead, they immediately walked back their position and tried to both-sides it, completely torching any goodwill the original campaign might have bought them and leaving everyone pissed off.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 15:59

Eric Cantonese: Dec 21, 2004; You should hear my accent.

I am more saddened that the whole Bud Light controversy will basically be more justification for corporate decisionmaking to buckle as quickly as possible in the face of any conservative right wing agitation.

InBev's reaction to the controversy appears to be a case study in decisionmaking failure, but it's going to be read as some more general statement about American consumers and that's just depressing.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:22

Mister Fister: May 17, 2008; D&D: HASBARA SQUAD
KILL-GORE

I love the smell of dead Palestinians in the morning.
You know, one time we had Gaza bombed for 26 days
(and counting!)

Kalli posted:

I don't believe they tried to pivot, they viewed themselves as the coke of beers and just advertised with everyone. The thing that kicked this off as I understand it was just them sending a swag bag to some trans instagram person, who a month later some right wingers found a working hook in. Bud probably sent out hundreds of those things to different influencers and them then walking back that support to try and cater to the hate groups just managed to piss off a bunch of liberals on top of it. So they just managed to piss off everyone and their biggest audience of I just want to loving grill man types don't want to deal with either, bought some coronas and high life instead.

The VP in question did an interview in which she said that Bud Light's sales were in a slump (or not growing, i forgot which) and she explicitly stated she wanted to reach a new younger, inclusive customer base and move away from the 'fratty' image of the beer, in response to the initial controversy.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:27

Eric Cantonese: Dec 21, 2004; You should hear my accent.

Mister Fister posted:

The VP in question did an interview in which she said that Bud Light's sales were in a slump (or not growing, i forgot which) and she explicitly stated she wanted to reach a new younger, inclusive customer base and move away from the 'fratty' image of the beer, in response to the initial controversy.

https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/some-bud-light-drinkers-are-angry-but-not-for-the-reason-you-think

quote:

�We had this hangover, I mean Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach,� she said.

[...]

The executive, the first woman to lead the popular brand, said that it was "super clear" that she had a mandate "to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand.� That meant, in her words, incorporating "inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that�s truly inclusive, and feels lighter and brighter and different, and appeals to women and to men.�

�I�m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was, �This brand is in decline, it�s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand, there will be no future for Bud Light,�� Heinerscheid said.

Heinerscheid's current status with Anheuser-Busch remains unclear. The company has denied that she has been fired, but there have also been media leaks saying she had been.

In many ways she was just doing her job, and in most cases her comments on a relatively obscure blog would not have been noticed. But in other cases they were taken as a dismissive response to the Mulvaney situation.

https://ninesliving.com/make-yourself-at-home-podcast-alissa-heinerscheid-bud-light/

The podcast is still up. I guess it will never come down now.

I don't think anything she said was that off, but I'm not a person who loved Bud Light either.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:35

Eric Cantonese: Dec 21, 2004; You should hear my accent.

Sorry for the double-post, but I noticed that Leon's link only talks about whether a brand is "beloved."

I know this story's a little old (i.e., early June), but it still sounds like InBev sells a lot of Bud Light. They're not selling as much as they used to, though.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/06/business/bud-light-sales-update/index.html

quote:

Still, Bud Light remains the top-selling beer in America, according to NIQ data provided to CNN by Williams. NIQ measures sales at convenience, liquor and grocery stores across the United States. Bud Light has made up 35.1% of domestic beer sales this year (through May 27), according to NIQ. That easily beats No. 2 Coors Light, which controls 21.6% of the market.

Although Bud Light�s share of the domestic beer market has slipped considerably over the past couple months, it remains in the lead. In the week ended May 27, Bud Light controlled 28.8% of the market, compared to Coors Light, which made up 25.6% of overall sales, NIQ reported.

The biggest beneficiaries of Bud Light�s slipping sales continue to be MolsonCoors� Miller Light and Coors Light, with sales up a whopping 26% and 23% respectively, according to NIQ. Beer Business Daily reported Monday that some distributors are reporting shortages, but a company spokesperson told CNN that its supply is strong for the summer.

Another bright spot is Modelo, distributed by Constellation Brands (STZ). Sales of its Modelo Especial and its recently launched low-carb beer Modelo Oro are strong, with sales up 9.5% and its share of the total beer category surpassing Bud Light last week, Williams said. He added that it�s �not a surprise� because of a halo effect from Cinco de Mayo and heavy advertising supporting its Oro launch.

And another more recent story...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/07/10/bud-light-sales-lose-modelo-especial-second-consecutive-month/70398376007/

quote:

For the four weeks ending July 1, Modelo Especial took 8.7% of overall beer sales through retail stores while Bud Light came in second with a 7% share, according to an analysis of Nielsen data from consulting firm Bump Williams. Michelob Ultra came in third (6.7%), followed by Coors Light (6.1%) and Miller Lite (5.1%).

In May, the data showed Bud Light represented 7.3% of U.S. retail-store beer sales in the four weeks ending June 3 compared with 8.4% for Modelo.

Despite the decline, Bud Light continues to outrank Modelo in volume sales and remains the top-ranking beer brand based on dollar sales year-to-date.

I guess we'll see how long this sticks, but InBev definitely didn't handle this properly. I wonder how Bud Light sales trends have been long term since their marketing team were under the impression that the brand was already "in decline" even before the controversy.

Eric Cantonese fucked around with this message at 16:43 on Jul 11, 2023

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:39

Willa Rogers: Mar 11, 2005

Kalli posted:

I don't believe they tried to pivot, they viewed themselves as the coke of beers and just advertised with everyone. The thing that kicked this off as I understand it was just them sending a swag bag to some trans instagram person, who a month later some right wingers found a working hook in. Bud probably sent out hundreds of those things to different influencers and them then walking back that support to try and cater to the hate groups just managed to piss off a bunch of liberals on top of it. So they just managed to piss off everyone and their biggest audience of I just want to loving grill man types don't want to deal with either, bought some coronas and high life instead.

Nah, she has said they hired her as an influencer, and that she's hurting financially bc of the blowback.

Gay bars in Chicago were also boycotting Bud Light bc of the pullback, and Target as well as Starbucks have experienced two-sided direct actions as well. As Main Painframe said, it's not surprising that pinkwashing has a boomerang effect when corps. try to please both sides rather than taking stances.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:41

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# ? May 25, 2024 18:03

Leon Trotsky 2012: Aug 27, 2009; YOU CAN TRUST ME!*

_{*Israeli Government-affiliated poster}

The E.U. had dropped their opposition and approved the merger. The U.S. was the only major market fighting the merger and it basically hinged entirely on this court case.

The FTC lost the case. The main point of contention was the importance of "cloud gaming." The E.U. approved the merger after hearing arguments about how small of a section of the video game industry cloud gaming currently occupies. The U.S. argued that even though cloud gaming was tiny right now, that this would give Microsoft an effective monopoly on the tiny section of the industry and could result in less innovation or competition.

The judge did not agree that the merger was worth blocking over that. The FTC also made other arguments about the damage to consumers from Microsoft pulling popular titles like Call of Duty from competitor systems, but Microsoft made a deal guaranteeing that Call of Duty would remain on PlayStation and argued that there was no harm if they guaranteed that nothing would change on that front.

This will be the largest consumer tech merger since AOL-Time Warner in 2000.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1678789166371426305

quote:

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled against the Federal Trade Commission�s attempt to delay Microsoft�s $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, setting the stage for the tech giant and the video game publisher to merge as soon as this month.

In a 53-page decision, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California said the F.T.C. had failed to show it was likely to prove that the merger was likely to result in a substantial reduction in competition that would harm consumers.

She denied the F.T.C.�s request for a preliminary injunction, which would have delayed the deal�s closing until after the agency could fight it in an internal court.

The ruling is a significant blow to the F.T.C.�s efforts to police blockbuster tech mergers more aggressively. That strategy is spearheaded by the agency�s chair, Lina Khan, who has argued that Big Tech�s vast influence over commerce and communications has led to anticompetitive behavior. The F.T.C. has sued Microsoft, Meta and Amazon, but it walked away from one of its cases against Meta and has had little to show for its efforts so far.

# ? Jul 11, 2023 16:43

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > USCE 2023: Please let them shove a camera up your butt

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