AB InBev cuts Bud Light ad spend, boosts Michelob Ultra amid shifting beer sales

Anheuser-Busch InBev is reallocating marketing resources from Bud Light to other brands as the former top-seller's sales continue to falter. Year-to-date media spend on Bud Light fell 14% to about $44 million, while spending on Michelob Ultra surged 38% to $114 million. Michelob Ultra has now surpassed Bud Light as America's best-selling beer, with Bud Light's annual volume projected to fall to 12.7 million barrels in 2026.