Latest Budweiser Gimmick - Pay more for Less

An interesting read that I came across on Time:

http://business.time.com/2013/04/21/budweisers-new-bowtie-can-design-more-aluminum-less-beer/

Essentially the gist is that Budweiser going to be selling their product in a new can design, which has less volume than the standard can while consumers will still pay the same price, if not more. I'm not a fan of Budweiser but it's a shame to see a product be cheapened so much by the penny pinchers at InBev.

Darwin18,
In one sense, you're right....less beer at the same cost. On the other hand, this is probably more expensive for Budweiser, not cheaper, at least in the short term. I work in the packaging industry, and there's a reason that nearly all cans are identical (with a few exceptions, such as the Heineken can). It's very expensive and difficult to shape cans and Budweiser, I'm sure, had to invest in quite a bit of equipment. This can requires an additional 16 steps to form over the standard can. For a company that runs as efficiently as Budweiser, this is a pretty big wrench in their system.

If they were to try to make this can a 12oz can, it's probably end up being a little shorter than the height of a 16oz can, which would really make people feel ripped off . It's a gimmick and I'm sure will be a limited run, but I think that it was more marketing-driven than cost-driven.

Just my thoughts...I'll probably pick up a pack if I see it. I rarely drink BMC beers anymore, but when I do I go for Bud.

John

I've been drinking ice cold Miller beer for 20 years and now I will switch to Budweiser on account of this new bowtie can.



Just kiddin

This is still friggin America, InBev can do whatever novelty can they want. No one is going to make you buy the smaller beer, and it is still going to have to disclose right there on the can that it's a 11.3 ounce can. The article states that they are not REPLACING the normal 12oz can, this is just some novelty marketing. If you think it's stupid (I do too, BTW), just don't buy it!

FYI, they also sell 8 oz cans at my local store for a higher cost/ounce than 12 oz cans/bottles, and have for several years. They also sell 16 and 24 ounce cans at a lower cost/ounce than 12 oz cans/bottles, and have for a couple decades.

This is just garden variety marketing. No deception here. If consumers want a novelty bow-tie shaped can with 11.3 ounces in it, they are (mostly) adults, so let them have it. I paid $8.00 for a 20oz aluminum Bud Light can with a Chicago Cubs logo on it last time I was at Wrigley, just for the novelty. After that one, I was back to the $7.50 24 oz Old Style drafts that were cheaper and tasted somewhat better

If you don't want the 11.3 oz can, the 12oz cans are going to be right there beside it. Even your average ******* can do the math here.

Point being.....WHO CARES! I'm speaking words of wisdom...let it be.

My "12oz" V8 juice is now 11.5, my "32oz" of frozen hashbrowns are now 29, and my "5lb" bag of sugar is now 4.

This isn't anything new.

And InBev is just doing what every other business tries to do: maximize profits while still maintain sales.

AZ_IPA said:

My "12oz" V8 juice is now 11.5, my "32oz" of frozen hashbrowns are now 29, and my "5lb" bag of sugar is now 4.

This isn't anything new.

And InBev is just doing what every other business tries to do: maximize profits while still maintain sales.

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Exactly!

The "half gallon" of ice cream is now 1.5 quarts and the list goes on.

At least we'll always have 40's! There's no way to change that and still call it a 40...

...is there??

AZ_IPA said:

My "12oz" V8 juice is now 11.5, my "32oz" of frozen hashbrowns are now 29, and my "5lb" bag of sugar is now 4.

This isn't anything new.

And InBev is just doing what every other business tries to do: maximize profits while still maintain sales.

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Exactly. The shrinkage creep drives me nuts. I've noticed it especially with cereal. I went to pick a box of Special K of the shelf a few months ago and it was noticeably smaller and lighter. I put it back on the shelf and haven't bought that brand since. I'll go out of my way with other items to avoid paying the same (or sometimes more) for less than what was sold a few months ago. I didn't expect to see this happen with beer, but I'm not surprised to see InBev try this. Now, if their competitors had any brains they'd jump all over this with their advertising.

Being Canadian all liquor sold up here or at a duty free (for import into Canada) has to have metric markings. 40oz bottles were always 1.14L (38.5 oz), most of what I see these days is 1L bottles (34oz) at the duty free.

Darwin18 said:

Exactly. The shrinkage creep drives me nuts. I've noticed it especially with cereal. I went to pick a box of Special K of the shelf a few months ago and it was noticeably smaller and lighter. I put it back on the shelf and haven't bought that brand since. I'll go out of my way with other items to avoid paying the same (or sometimes more) for less than what was sold a few months ago.

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Where it really bugs me is when certain baking recipes call for a can of something or a bag of something that's traditionally been one size for the last 100 years (thinik chocolate chips or condensed milk; but isn't anymore.

Then again, I don't bake much, so I guess it doesn't really bother me; but the V8 juice one does for some reason. 0.5oz shortage in a can is 1 can case of 24 that they're shorting us!

Darwin18 said:

I didn't expect to see this happen with beer, but I'm not surprised to see InBev try this. Now, if their competitors had any brains they'd jump all over this with their advertising.

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Unless they're going to do it to.

Seriously though, MillerCoors and everyone else is trying to maximize profits - if they see it "work" for InBev; they'll probably do the same...

0.5oz shortage in a can is 1 can per 12 pack that they're shorting us!

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I think you need to recheck your math on that one. Show your work

Also, everybody calm the f*** down, go back to the linked article, and read it again, this time with a little comprehension.

InBev isn't getting rid of the 12oz can and replacing it with this 11.3oz can. The 12oz can is still going to be alive and well and for sale right there beside the 11.3oz can for the same price. Which one you pick is all up to you.

TopherM said:

I think you need to recheck your math on that one. Show your work

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I meant case of 24; dammit!

Egads, next they'll tell us they're adding water to their beer!!!!

Forgive me to those who do drink bud.

Oh the horror and injustice of it all. I mean a company whose product I do not buy and I bash every chance I get is doing something that will not affect me. There should be some law or something allowing me to dictate to a company whose product I do not use what they can do.

Don't like it then don't buy it. I was going to until I saw the shape of the can and it was not cool enough for me. I am going to stick with the odd 30 pack I drink on the rare days and enjoy them

Honestly, I think they're going to lose money as they keep trying stuff like this. If they don't have enough money from their main products and buying up other breweries then they're doing something wrong.

They aren't the 1st to sneak 11.2/330ml bottles (now cans for budweiser) in place of 12oz/350ml.
Some of the higher end beers did it a while ago.

Well, I was thinking it might be a new approach to light beer. They kept getting accused of watering down their "Light" beer so now the BowTie can is the new light can for Budweiser. ~6% less calories than a regular Budweiser with the same GREAT D) taste! They're just trying to do their part to SLIM down America... Duh.

11.2/330ml bottles (now cans for budweiser) in place of 12oz/350ml.

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THIS THREAD IS DRIVING ME NUTS!!! There is no "in place of," The 12oz cans are not being replaced, they are just having "promotional" cans concurrent with their regular cans!!! Can't anybody read?

I'm done....no one seems to be listening

TopherM said:

I'm done....no one seems to be listening

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I'm listening.

You were saying something about Budweiser replacing their 12oz cans, go on...

Relax man and have a Bud

Sorry I had to do it :rockin:

TopherM said:

I think you need to recheck your math on that one. Show your work

Also, everybody calm the f*** down, go back to the linked article, and read it again, this time with a little comprehension.

InBev isn't getting rid of the 12oz can and replacing it with this 11.3oz can. The 12oz can is still going to be alive and well and for sale right there beside the 11.3oz can for the same price. Which one you pick is all up to you.

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So is this just another way to take up shelf space and push out a competing product?

So, wait, are they getting rid of the 12oz bottles as well?!?!? I'm growing more confused by the minute!!!

I don't believe it. Next you'll be telling me that Subway's $5 footlongs are actually only 11.25 inches...

Hold on while I (gag) defend Budweiser.

This is a promotional product. Lots of companies do this kind of thing as a novelty. They are not trying to pass it off as an improvement or cost savings. It's just supposed to be cool, which I happen to think it is. In fact, I'll probably buy one of these just to check it out.

They aren't misleading you in any way, or misrepresenting, or giving false claims. It's just supposed to be for fun.

I mean, they sure as hell can't sell their beer based on flavor.

Darwin18 said:

Exactly. The shrinkage creep drives me nuts. I've noticed it especially with cereal. I went to pick a box of Special K of the shelf a few months ago and it was noticeably smaller and lighter. I put it back on the shelf and haven't bought that brand since. I'll go out of my way with other items to avoid paying the same (or sometimes more) for less than what was sold a few months ago. I didn't expect to see this happen with beer, but I'm not surprised to see InBev try this. Now, if their competitors had any brains they'd jump all over this with their advertising.

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With you on this!

When I grocery shop for an item I don't even look at prices...I just look at the "$/oz" on the price tag. Most grocery stores do this if you are paying attention and read the fine print.

BBBF said:

So is this just another way to take up shelf space and push out a competing product?

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It's a new less watered down version of Bud Light. Think, Dr. Pepper 10... ~6% reduction in calories with all the taste of a Budweiser.


And the true answer to your question is yes. Under the guise of this promotional can.

This has been Proctor and Gamble's MO for quite a while now. They will introduce a new product and if it is popular enough to warrant continued production, then they will redesign the package for a new look. And oddly enough, the new package will be slightly smaller than the old one. Somehow, "smaller size" doesn't really get people nearly as excited as "new look, same product". Especially when the price doesn't change.

This is all just business as usual in 'Murica. Budweiser has to do something to keep people buying their water....

The new can is a pretty good idea. It is for people who drink to get snockered to forget their woes. They won't drop the can as easy when they've reached snocker. To bad their major woe is, that they are drinking Bud.

I wish all beer producers would use an 8 or 10 ounce delivery device. I find beer gets warm and/or flat by the end of a 12 ounce offering. However, there must be a reason to use the other. Probably maximizes overall consumption, etc.

Inbev's track record of offering less for the same price is deplorable and evil, and can leave little doubt that "deception" is their actual intent, not "marketing".

F*ck Inbev and the horse they rode in on.

Thank you! And goodnight.

cheezydemon3 said:

Inbev's track record of offering less for the same price is deplorable and evil, and can leave little doubt that "deception" is their actual intent, not "marketing".

F*ck Inbev and the horse they rode in on.

Thank you! And goodnight.

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I guess this means you are in for a sixer then huh :rockin:

Varmintman said:

I guess this means you are in for a sixer then huh :rockin:

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Basically.

woknblues said:

I wish all beer producers would use an 8 or 10 ounce delivery device. I find beer gets warm and/or flat by the end of a 12 ounce offering. However, there must be a reason to use the other. Probably maximizes overall consumption, etc.

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Worst thing I ever did was switch to water only for a few years. 12oz of liquid is a laughable amount to me personally. I never have issue with the warm or flat even drinking a beer I'm not crazy about which sucks as my wife likes them warm and a little flat. And our pour unfortunate waitresses... I'm difficult too, god help them if they don't appear to be keeping my glass full.

I'm also not crazy about the potential extra waste created by the smaller delivery vessels. If memory serves, a 12oz can is approximately ~14 grams. A normal(?) 8oz can (sprite, coke, etc) is approximately 10g. While I understand aluminum is recycled by many, it's not completely recycled and this seems like a large amount of needless waste. I'd much rather see a better way to dispense said brew come to light than to transition to a potentially more wasteful conveyance. For example, a 6 pack of 12oz'ers is approximately equivalent to 2 liters... A 12 just over a gallon, etc. I've seen some "Minikeg" type options sold by the commercial world before. I wonder if those would be a viable alternative? I'm not really sure what the best solution would be but you can bet money that switching to the 8oz "solution" would result in the same expense per can for the honor barring across the board adoption which I find highly unlikely and even suspect would be frowned upon by many.

Hell of a point accidic. With an island of garbage in the Pacific the size of TEXAS, do we really need less efficient, waste increasing packaging?

cheezydemon3 said:

Inbev's track record of offering less for the same price is deplorable and evil, and can leave little doubt that "deception" is their actual intent, not "marketing".

F*ck Inbev and the horse they rode in on.

Thank you! And goodnight.

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So it's InBev's fault that what used to be a standard 5lb bag of sugar is now only 4lbs (and clearly marked as such)?

cheezydemon3 said:

Hell of a point accidic. With an island of garbage in the Pacific the size of TEXAS, do we really need less efficient, waste increasing packaging?

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Texas is pretty small compared to the Pacific Ocean...

AZ_IPA said:

Texas is pretty small compared to the Pacific Ocean...

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Well played, Sir!
Well played!

For the number of commercial beers I consume, I could care less about the packaging. My point is regarding fizzy yellow beer. I just would rather crack open a few 10 ouncers / year, rather than choking down a few mouthfuls of warm @#$% beer.

I reuse/recycle all the bottles I use in general. A few dozen aluminum cans a year doesn't seem to be unreasonable. I also realize I am not the majority.

It seems to me in the 70's there were smaller format cans out there. I wasn't really a beer drinker, mostly milk/formula at the time....

AZ_IPA said:

So it's InBev's fault that what used to be a standard 5lb bag of sugar is now only 4lbs (and clearly marked as such)?

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No. EFF the sugar factory too.

Shooter said:

Well played, Sir!
Well played!

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So, because it would take 5 texases to reach from Cali to Japan, we shouldn't be concerned?

gonna go out on a limb here......REPUBLICAN christian.

(ALSO...I already know what AZipa is)

(ALSO ALSO....I am looking for a god natured fight!)

cheezydemon3 said:

So, because it would take 5 texases to reach from Cali to Japan, we shouldn't be concerned?

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Actually, it's closer to ~8.3.

cheezydemon3 said:

gonna go out on a limb here......REPUBLICAN christian.

(ALSO...I already know what AZipa is)

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If you think I'm a republican, you be crazy! And, I haven't been to church is a looooong time. NEXT! :cross:

cheezydemon3 said:

(ALSO ALSO....I am looking for a god natured fight!)

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Better drink a V8; or two, since the first one doesn't have 12oz anymore.