(Photo: Michelob Ultra)
Last week, Draftline Technologies reported that Michelob Ultra has surpassed Bud Light as the best-selling draft beer in America. It's a victory and loss bundled into one for brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, the owner and operator of both brands.
Draftline Technologies, which monitors more than one million tap lines across the country, reports that Michelob narrowly edged out Bud Light on Nov. 1 and has continued its winning streak into December. Bud Light long held the number one spot in the company's annual ranking, though began losing market share following the Dylan Mulvaney controversy in April 2023.
However, it wasn't a one-and-done loss. Statistics show that Bud Light began regaining draft sales around a year after the boycott kicked off. Michelob Ultra, meanwhile, saw a steady upward momentum that gradually outpaced Bud Light's gains over the past few months.
[caption id="attachment_95288" align="aligncenter" width="600"] (Photo: Draftline Technologies)[/caption]
“The rise of Michelob Ultra as the leader by number of tap handles on draft reflects shifting consumer preference,” Draftline Technologies founder Jennifer Hauke told The Hill. “Michelob Ultra has been on a path to surpass Bud Light as the #1 brand on draft (by total taps) for a number of years. The news is Michelob Ultra did it — we have a new #1.”
The clearest explanation for the shift lies in celebrity endorsements. Since the beginning of 2023, Anheuser-Busch has recruited more A-listers for Michelob Ultra ads than any of its other brands. Viewers of the past two Super Bowls spotted Michelob Ultra in the hands of Serena Williams, Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Davis, Peyton Manning, Brooks Koepka, Jimmy Butler, Jason Sudeikis and Alex Morgan, just to name a few. Lionel Messi signed on with the brand last December as arguably its most prolific ambassador to date.
Apart from Michelob Ultra and Bud Light, Anheuser Busch owns brands including Beck's, Stella Artois and Goose Island Brewery.
"We’re proud to have the top two beers on draft in the US in Michelob Ultra and Bud Light, and by our data, Bud Light is more than 30% bigger than the next closest draft competitor," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told CNN.
(Photo: Draftline Technologies)[/caption]