Former Anheuser-Busch president ANSON FRERICKS, author of LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT spoke to Bill about his new book and how Bud Light lost its position as the most popular beer in the United States from a longtime Anheuser-Busch executive.
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ABOUT ANSON FRERICKS AND LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT
The astonishing inside story of how Bud Light lost its position as the most popular beer in the United States from a longtime Anheuser-Busch executive.
Anson Frericks, a former president at Anheuser-Busch-formerly the home of America's most popular brewery-watched as the company unraveled at the hands of globe-trotting financiers and progressive middle management.
Rather than pursue shareholder profits, Anheuser-Busch suddenly became focused on stakeholder capitalism and the vague mandates of environment, social, and governance (ESG). This ill-advised change cumulated in the shocking evaporation of $30 billion in market cap after releasing an advertising campaign starring political activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Now, Anheuser-Busch's evolution and its subsequent fallout is brought to light as never before with this ultimate insider's look. Compelling, candid, and eye-opening, Last Call for Bud Light is the unforgettable story of the downfall and future of an American icon.
MORE ON LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT
Anson Frericks, a former president at Anheuser-Busch-formerly the home of America's most popular brewery-watched as the company unraveled at the hands of globe-trotting financiers and progressive middle management. In LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT: The Fall and Future of America's Favorite Beer (Threshold Editions hardcover; February 4, 2025), Frericks reveals that rather than pursue shareholder profits, Anheuser-Busch suddenly became focused on stakeholder capitalism and the vague mandates of environment, social, and governance (ESG). This ill-advised change culminated in the shocking evaporation of $30 billion in market cap after releasing an advertising campaign starring political activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Now, Anheuser-Busch's evolution and its subsequent fallout is brought to light as never before with this ultimate insider's look. In LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT, Anson Frericks shares:
* Why it took Anheuser-Busch 15 years, a flawed marketing partnership, the loss of millions of customers, and a 17,000-person survey to understand that Bud Light beer drinkers just want cold beer and good times
* What it was like for a young Harvard Business School grad to rise the ranks at one of America's most storied companies
* The battle between Shareholder Capitalism (when companies focus on the bottom line) and Stakeholder Capitalism (when companies engage in political and social activism outside of their stated corporate mission)
* What caused the push to Stakeholder Capitalism in Corporate America
* The risks companies face when they take a political stance (but why companies like Ben and Jerry's can get away with it)
* How aggressive ESG and DEI initiatives caused Anheuser-Busch, Disney and Target to lose the trust of millions of customers and billions of dollars of shareholder value
* Why customers still haven't forgiven Bud Light for their misguided marketing campaign with Dylan Mulvaney
* The 6 principles that large corporations can learn from companies like Netflix
* His mission for cofounding Strive Asset Management with Vivek Ramaswamy
* The path forward for American companies and brands
Compelling, candid, and eye-opening, LAST CALL FOR BUD LIGHT is the unforgettable story of the downfall of an American icon, the quintessential example of the dangers posed when companies enter the political arena, and a future blueprint for businesses to follow to escape the cultural wars, build trust with customers, and create lasting institutions.
ANSON FRERICKS BIO
Anson Frericks is the founder of Athletic Capital and the cofounder, with Vivek Ramaswamy, of Strive Asset Management. Prior to founding Strive, he led finance, sales, and marketing operations as president of Anheuser-Busch Sales & Distribution Company. Anson is a frequent guest on Fox Business, CNBC, Fox & Friends, Jesse Watters Primetime, and NewsNation, and his op-eds have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and more. He lives with his family in Cincinnati and received his BA from Yale and his MBA from Harvard.