My Letter to Budweiser

[paperairplane]

I don't work in advertising, but many years ago I did get a degree in advertising.

This is exactly what this spot set out to do. Exactly. This ad very effectively targets multiple consumers at the same time.
- It tells the Bud drinker that they are making a good choice drinking Bud.
- It tells the noob that Bud is still a prime choice and is approachable.
- It tells the craft enthusiast that we know you don't like Bud, and we couldn't care less. We own Elysian. And Goose Island. And will continue to acquire craft breweries.

The best case for Bud is that craft brewers DO make a fuss, that they DO create viral social media - because it all serves to keep BUD in the headlines.

Their entire goal is to increase brand awareness and reinforce consumer opinions. There is no bad publicity.

 

[YeastMode]

I never expected that this "letter" would launch a discourse regarding the efficacy of the commercial, especially because there is an entire thread and front page article dedicated to the topic on this forum. I was my attempt at a joke made to like-minded people on a like-minded forum, which quite a few people enjoyed.

Having said that, I personally was not offended by the commercial. I was, however, surprised that the commercial equated plaid shirts, horn rimmed glasses and sweet moustaches to "craft beer drinkers" as if it is a negative. Sure, it got people talking and it elicited a (slightly negative?) reaction which, if the planned result, then mission accomplished. But I don't think that it is really any different from showing a commercial with a stereotypical southerner wearing jeans and an "A" shirt in front of a mobile home with a bud in his/her hand. There are some damn fine people who live in the sticks and enjoy Bud, and that should not be broadcast as a negative. Are there some "hipster" craft beer drinkers? Sure, just like there are some stereotypical drinkers of Bud's products. As as an interesting juxtaposition, the Always "Throw Like a Girl" commercial that was anti-stereotype was universally applauded.

So, my only meaningful complaint about the Bud commercial was that it seemed to be to poke fun using "low hanging fruit" that was not that funny and seemed more like a cheap shot. Once again, am I offended? No. Does the commercial warrant being made fun of? I think so, but only if it is funny.

As for the discussions about advertising and the sentiment that all press is good press, so to speak, I think that the broader issue that seems to be missed here is the seeming erosion of BMC's brand loyalty in general. Generations grew up knowing of only BMC offerings. But as time goes by, those generations expire, and more customers need to be found. I don't think BMC in general is going to college campuses and handing out beer due to sheer altruism. Craft beer may not me a major market player now, but in 20, 30 or 40 years that may be different, especially if 20-somethings are grabbing something else than a BMC offering.

But I am no expert on this subject, so maybe I am wrong. Maybe Bud is going to sell barrels of beer because of this ad. I hope they do. Now if y'all will excuse me, I have a hankering for a lime-a-rita. Those things are money.

 

[rodwha]

"But looking down on the company itself for making a product that many enjoy and has am impressive consistency of quality seems foolish."

That's far from my issue. It's their business practices that Miller/Coors does not participate in. And it's also InBev. I refuse to support them in any fashion. But I've certainly bought Blue Moon or their honey wheat version knowing who owns them. It's not a reluctance of Big Business, but their practices, greed, and deception. See what they attempt to do to small businesses. It's much more than capitalism.

The only way I'll drink a Bud is if someone hands me one.

There's a couple of videos that show just what kind of things they've been doing. Watch them for yourself and then say whether it means nothing or is foolish.

 

[YeastMode]

The only way I'll drink a Bud is if someone hands me one.

That is an approach I have never considered and I think I am going to give it a try. Usually, I just crack it open, pour it on their head, fling the bottle back at their face, throw their cooler in the pool/ocean/canyon/abyss, paste a "Che" sticker on their car and go home.

But you option would seem to work as well.....

 

[SnakeRidge]

That is an approach I have never considered and I think I am going to give it a try. Usually, I just crack it open, pour it on their head, fling the bottle back at their face, throw their cooler in the pool/ocean/canyon/abyss, paste a "Che" sticker on their car and go home.

But you option would seem to work as well.....

Nope, you're doing it right. Carry on.

You can add a 'Haterz gonna Hate' with a Ric Flair inspired WOOOOOO as you walk away if you want.

 

[GHBWNY]

The best case for Bud is that craft brewers DO make a fuss, that they DO create viral social media - because it all serves to keep BUD in the headlines. ...There is no bad publicity.

^^^This

 

[1977Brewer]

Setting the cooler on fire first would be my only suggestion.

 

[kombat]

There is no bad publicity.

You sure about that? Might want to ask Michael Richards.

 

[rodwha]

"Usually, I just crack it open, pour it on their head, fling the bottle back at their face, throw their cooler in the pool/ocean/canyon/abyss, paste a "Che" sticker on their car and go home."

My grandpa would be so pissed if I did that to him!

 

[paperairplane]

You sure about that? Might want to ask Michael Richards.

Following his racial "incident" he has acted in the "Bee Movie", Curb Your Enthusiasm, recurring role on "Kirstie" and is cast in the film "Durant's never closes" in pre-production. He has an estimated net worth of $45 million dollars.

 

[Homercidal]

Following his racial "incident" he has acted in the "Bee Movie", Curb Your Enthusiasm, recurring role on "Kirstie" and is cast in the film "Durant's never closes" in pre-production. He has an estimated net worth of $45 million dollars.

He's never been as good as he was in UHF.

 

[kombat]

Following his racial "incident" he has acted in the "Bee Movie", Curb Your Enthusiasm, recurring role on "Kirstie" and is cast in the film "Durant's never closes" in pre-production. He has an estimated net worth of $45 million dollars.

So, not starring in any more #1 sitcoms? A bit part in a kid's movie (that was probably taped before the "incident"), one season on a little-watched Kirstie Alley bomb, a self-parody on Curb, and ... "Durant's Never Closes?" Seriously? Is that the best you can-do? A low-budget independent film that might get made, financed by crowd funding on Kickstarter? Are you kidding me?

But the issue at hand is whether or not there is such thing as negative publicity. You seem to be asserting (correct me if I'm misunderstanding) that there's no such thing as bad publicity, and that my counter-example of Michael Richards is invalid, which would imply that you're arguing that he benefitted from that publicity, and his career is further ahead currently that it would otherwise have been. You're saying he'd be even worse off, had he not gone off on that racist outburst?

Admit it - the guy's Hollywood kryptonite. Nobody will touch him. He's been blacklisted.

 

[Eucrid]

They obviously won't win over the craft market??? Sweetheart, ...

You might want to look up what "win over" means

 

[cbhxh]

Please, oh please, did you actually deliver this to the Giant? It was written in a beautiful way that makes the commercial they made seem so small.

 

[1977Brewer]

Look, sugarbiscuits, getting p!ssy on the internets isn't winning over this craft beer consumer either.

 

[squidlock]

Funny, AB must have been producing that commercial at the same time, or not long after, when they bought out 10 Barrel Brewing of my town Bend, OR back in Nov. 2014.

 

[YeastMode]

Please, oh please, did you actually deliver this to the Giant? It was written in a beautiful way that makes the commercial they made seem so small.

I have not, mostly because I wrote it over the weekend and have been busy. I will probably perform some minor edits and then send it....But....

If I do send it (which seems to be the popular choice) I want to make it awesome. I want to write it in calligraphy on a bonded piece of paper and I want to send it in a custom envelope with a wax seal. Basically, I want it to look like I fussed over it for a while and did it the hard way.

 

[LAHammer]

I'm as rabid of craft brew fan as the next guy, but craft beer holds maybe 10-12% of the market share at this point....that is literally peanuts on the floor.

15-20 years ago, there was no craft beer market. These (Bud) guys drool over every tenth of a point so I can assure you that 10% is more than peanuts to them. That's why they spend millions to keep from losing more customers.

And remember guys, it's really about the beer (and I love beer).

And it was an excellent letter...

... and a pretty good commercial

it seems that it is pretty easy to get some folk's panties in a wad.

 

[Scooby_Brew]

You need to post it on twitter #BreakUpWithBud. I'll follow it.

 

[YeastMode]

You need to post it on twitter #BreakUpWithBud. I'll follow it.

I would, but I am not on twitter. Please feel free to use at your discretion.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I would, but I am not on twitter. Please feel free to use at your discretion.

You're not on the Twitter??!???

 

[hunter_le five]

You're not on the Twitter??!???

What's a twatter?

 

[YeastMode]

You're not on the Twitter??!???

Haha I know, and I am in my early 30's. And I am not of Facebook, Instagram, LinkenIn, SnapChat, MySpace, Napster........

I am convinced that one day an elite governmental agency will contact me to join due to the fact that i will be the last able-bodied individual with no social media trace.

 

[Jaybird]

Damn brother, I could have used that letter for all the girls I have broken up with in the past! LOVE IT!!
Well done! It would go CRAZY on You Tube for sure!

Cheers
Jay

 

[SnakeRidge]

Haha I know, and I am in my early 30's. And I am not of Facebook, Instagram, LinkenIn, SnapChat, MySpace, Napster........

I am convinced that one day an elite governmental agency will contact me to join due to the fact that i will be the last able-bodied individual with no social media trace.

This forum is the extent of my online presence. I'm in my mid 30's though, so I'm an old fart.

 

[philipCT]

It might've been Fox8 where I saw that cost. But Super Bowl adds are traditionally expensive. That's when they'll get the most exposure.

NBC was hawking Superbowl airtime at $4m per 30 secs this time around. I have worked in high-end commercial production and I can safely estimate the production cost of that commercial at less than $200,000, talent, union, sound stages, on-set catering, effects and editing and all included.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

What's a twatter?

my mom.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

so advertising always wins, by default, because it's in the public view? I'm gonna go win a big ol' deuce on my neighbors car. and I stated, I don't really give a flocc about the commercial itself, it's all the dumb floccers regurgitating it at me. and also the ever growing number of BMC defenders that keep on after saying I just don't like it. now if y'all don't mind, I have to go shoot a Tampax commercial starring only men, ftw.

 

[unionrdr]

so advertising always wins, by default, because it's in the public view? I'm gonna go win a big ol' deuce on my neighbors car. and I stated, I don't really give a flocc about the commercial itself, it's all the dumb floccers regurgitating it at me. and also the ever growing number of BMC defenders that keep on after saying I just don't like it. now if y'all don't mind, I have to go shoot a Tampax commercial starring only men, ftw.

Of course, they may have to "pull a few strings"...

 

[bob1852]

He's never been as good as he was in UHF.

This is my new mop. George, my friend, he gave me this mop. This is a pretty good mop. It's not as good as my first mop. I miss my first mop, but this is still a good mop. Sometimes you just hafta take what life gives ya, 'cause life is like a mop and sometimes life gets full of dirt and crud and bugs and hairballs and stuff... you, you, you gotta clean it out. You, you, you gotta put it in here and rinse it off and start all over again and, and sometimes, sometimes life sticks to the floor so bad you know a mop, a mop, it's not good enough, it's not good enough. You, you gotta get down there, like, with a toothbrush, you know, and you gotta, you gotta really scrub 'cause you gotta get it off. You gotta really try to get it off. But if that doesn't work, that doesn't work, you can't give up. You gotta, you gotta stand right up. You, you gotta run to a window and say, "Hey! These floors are dirty as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!"

and I stated, I don't really give a flocc about the commercial itself, it's all the dumb floccers regurgitating it at me. and also the ever growing number of BMC defenders that keep on after saying I just don't like it.

Ya know, you don't have to read these threads.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

This is my new mop. George, my friend, he gave me this mop. This is a pretty good mop. It's not as good as my first mop. I miss my first mop, but this is still a good mop. Sometimes you just hafta take what life gives ya, 'cause life is like a mop and sometimes life gets full of dirt and crud and bugs and hairballs and stuff... you, you, you gotta clean it out. You, you, you gotta put it in here and rinse it off and start all over again and, and sometimes, sometimes life sticks to the floor so bad you know a mop, a mop, it's not good enough, it's not good enough. You, you gotta get down there, like, with a toothbrush, you know, and you gotta, you gotta really scrub 'cause you gotta get it off. You gotta really try to get it off. But if that doesn't work, that doesn't work, you can't give up. You gotta, you gotta stand right up. You, you gotta run to a window and say, "Hey! These floors are dirty as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!"



Ya know, you don't have to read these threads.

that's a two way street. the defenders don't have to either. in fact, this is one of those threads the defenders actively look for, seemingly, so they have yet another chance to call all of us BMC dis-likers/haters stupid/snobs for not liking/taint-worshiping their quality control and product consistency. that and it apparently has a time & place AND is the greatest lake/lawnmower beer ever pro-deuced.

watch out, y'all! I'm wound up like an eight day clock!

 

[unionrdr]

So F****** what I say to them. I'm ready to go paleo on a microsoft engineer...lil smart a$$*****ebagmuthf&&&&&...

 

[ubnserved]

Ya know, you don't have to read these threads.

I was going to say the same thing to people defending AB. Seems those defending the company and commercial have their panties more bound up the Crack than

​

the rest of us. I have no problem with AB selling their beer, it at one time was a great American company, it is no longer. It is no longer an American company, it is no longer great to the thousands of people it has laid off just to squeeze a few more cents in profit or to the countless businesses closed that once supported them by making products exclusively for AB. It is no longer a great company to those who have been swallowed up only to be stabbed in the back by taking a business that was once someone's pride and joy, watering down their beer and insulting them on national tv. But hey go on defending them it is not like they own so much of the beer distribution network, hop fields, barley farms or malting houses, when it gets too expensive to brew at home what are you going to do then? In 2006 (the last year I have numbers for) September 1st growers and dealers had 14 mil. Lbs of hops brewers had 35 mil. Another thing that you might find interesting is that growers were getting prices that ranged from $2.62 - $4.34 per pound last year with a US average of 3.83 per lb. Something is driving that price up almost 1000% and is certainly not the few gallons that I brew every year. But hey, keep giving them your money and keep defending their predatory practices you may never get it but you kids or grand kids will and be rest assured that they can blame you for only being able to get an inbev product while 99% of the money they spend goes overseas.
By the way I'm not all bunched up about the commercial, I have issues with people who are clueless when it comes to the economic well being of even themselves even after it has been explained to them. If you are going to buy industrial beer buy coors or miller at least it is still American.

 

[kombat]

It is no longer an American company

So what? What does that have to do with anything? Why does it matter what country their headquarters is in? Isn't Budweiser still brewed in Missouri, by Americans?

it is no longer great to the thousands of people it has laid off

What about the over 150,000 they still employ?

just to squeeze a few more cents in profit

It's a cutthroat world - should they instead remain inefficient and uncompetitive and eventually get crushed by their competitors?

or to the countless businesses closed that once supported them by making products exclusively for AB.

Like what? If there are "countless," can you name a few? And who's providing those products to AB-Inbev now? Presumably they still need cans, bottle caps, labels, etc., right?

It is no longer a great company to those who have been swallowed up only to be stabbed in the back by taking a business that was once someone's pride and joy, watering down their beer and insulting them on national tv.

Whose beers have they "bought up and watered down?" Is Goose Island not still the same beer? And AB-Inbev didn't "take" anything. Those owners willingly sold, and were rewarded handsomely, so how is making someone voluntarily into a millionaire not being "great" to them?

But hey go on defending them it is not like they own so much of the beer distribution network, hop fields, barley farms or malting houses

Now you're just making stuff up. AB-Inbev doesn't own any hop fields, barley farms, or malting houses. Like every brewery, they buy contracts with farmers for all those ingredients. Those farmers are free to shop those contracts around to the highest bidder. If hop prices are going up, it's because of the rise in popularity of craft beer, with their inherently higher hop content, increasing the demand for a constant supply of ingredients. It takes years for farmers to cultivate a new hop crop to catch back up with demand, and that demand can quickly change to other varieties in the meantime.

when it gets too expensive to brew at home what are you going to do then?

Are you suggesting that somehow buying a case of Budweiser will become cheaper than making it myself, because the cost of ingredients will have risen too much? How, praytell, will AB-Inbev be able to sell me beer cheaper than the cost of buying the ingredients myself? Will they be taking a loss on every case they sell?

But hey, keep giving them your money

I'm not giving them any money. They're giving me money, as a shareholder.

and keep defending their predatory practices

It's capitalism, and they're simply competing with other multinational brewers that play by the same rules. If you don't like how the players are acting, change the rules. Hate the game, not the player!

they can blame you for only being able to get an inbev product while 99% of the money they spend goes overseas.

If the beer is brewed in America, by Americans, using hops and barley grown in American, bottled in bottles produced and labeled in America, shipped around by American truck drivers, sold in stores owned by Americans paying American taxes, how on earth could "99%" of the money be going overseas? Is there a 99% profit margin on beer? Do you have any economics education whatsoever?

And again, what's so bad about Belgians or Brazilians making a living? Why does that offend you so much?

I have issues with people who are clueless when it comes to the economic well being of even themselves

I own stock in AB-Inbev, it's gone up wildly over the past decade. My "economic well being" is vastly improved thanks to their business practices.

If you are going to buy industrial beer buy coors or miller at least it is still American.

Why does simply "being American" make it more virtuous? Are Americans more deserving of jobs than Brazilians or Belgians? Do Americans inherently produce better products than workers in other countries? If so, why? Is it genetic? A product of their vastly superior education system? Their legendary work ethic and attention to detail? Been to a Starbucks lately?

 

[rodwha]

"It's a cutthroat world - should they instead remain inefficient and uncompetitive and eventually get crushed by their competitors?"

I seriously doubt AB was inefficient and uncompetitive prior to being sold out from under the Busch fellow. Instead they reduced the ABV to squeeze a few more dollars out. Chinchy if you ask me. And being they are about the largest selling company I highly doubt they'd be crushed by their competition.

"If there are "countless," can you name a few?"

They certainly cut out one of the hop farmers where AB used to buy, which put him, his family, and their workers all on the sidelines with something to figure out.

They also closed down Beck's brewery in Germany putting all of them out of work as well, and potentially the businesses who supported them. I highly doubt InBev continued business with them. But that's another story I suppose.

Whose beers have they "bought up and watered down?"

Well, technically InBev bought out AB and watered down their beers. And then they moved Beck's to the US and changed their water for the worst. They didn't even bother to adjust it to make it similar enough. In fact they had lost 20% of their sales and when confronted said they didn't care as they were still turning a better profit.

"And AB-Inbev didn't "take" anything."

AB was certainly taken. Busch didn't want to sell.

"It's capitalism..."

It's much more than capitalism. It's greed.

"And again, what's so bad about Belgians or Brazilians making a living? Why does that offend you so much?"

This has nothing to do with it to me. It's their underhanded business practices, their deceit with some of their "mom and pop" beers that are brewed right in an AB building, and their greed. Maybe you should watch a few of the documentaries to see just what it is they've been doing.

 

[bob1852]

SAB Miller's headquarters is in London, not the U.S.

But, hey, keep tossing stones at the 'ignorant' ones...

 

[SnakeRidge]

You know what? Nevermind.

 

[hunter_le five]

You know what? Nevermind.

That may be the best response in this thread so far.

 

[unionrdr]

No one can say what the future holds. I'm sure we'll find out. Craft beer is not going anywhere but up. Makes me wonder what the big breweries will really wind up doing? Go back to older recipes, I hope?

 

[kombat]

I seriously doubt AB was inefficient and uncompetitive

You're right, I overstated that. It would have been more accurate to say they hadn't maximized efficiencies. There was room for improvement, but it's not like they were bleeding capital or losing marketshare (at least, not to other macros).

They certainly cut out one of the hop farmers where AB used to buy, which put him, his family, and their workers all on the sidelines with something to figure out.

With craft beer exploding, and more breweries in North America than at any other point in history, I think hop farmers will be OK.

They also closed down Beck's brewery in Germany putting all of them out of work as well

I admit I'm just going by what I can Google up, but are you sure that's the case? The information I found indicated that AB-InBev began brewing Beck's in the US in order to serve the North American market (rather than continuing to brew it all in Germany and importing North American orders across ocean), but they still brew it in Germany for the German/UK market as always. The brewery in Germany is not "closed," unless my information is mistaken. I do recall a kerfuffle regarding inconsistencies in flavour during the transition, but I never heard how that was resolved.

In addition, the Beck's facility in Bremen is AB-InBev's German headquarters.

Whose beers have they "bought up and watered down?"

Well, technically InBev bought out AB and watered down their beers.

You're changing the context. My comment was in response to ubnserved's remark that AB-InBev "is no longer a great company to those who have been swallowed up only to be stabbed in the back by taking a business that was once someone's pride and joy, watering down their beer and insulting them on national tv." Clearly, he's referring to small craft brewers, not the big guys like AB was prior to their merger.

And then they moved Beck's to the US and changed their water for the worst.

Again, Beck's was hardly a small-town, labour-of-love craft brewery, so your comment is a little misdirected.

"And AB-Inbev didn't "take" anything."

AB was certainly taken. Busch didn't want to sell.

Again, I was talking about small craft brewers. Anheuser-Busch was already a public company, meaning Busch no longer "owned" the company (in the 51% sense), but rather the shareholders did.

"It's capitalism..."

It's much more than capitalism. It's greed.

What's the alternative? Socialism? Communism? Got a better system? Greed is a powerful and necessary motivator.

This has nothing to do with it to me. It's their underhanded business practices,

I still don't know what they do/did that's so "underhanded." They've acted like any other business of their size would/does. Have they broken any laws?

their deceit with some of their "mom and pop" beers that are brewed right in an AB building

I'm willing to be educated here - what brands are you talking about? Is Goose Island brewed alongside Bud Light? And again, are they breaking any advertising/FCC laws?

and their greed.

This part drives me nuts. AB-InBev isn't "greedy." It can't be. It's not a person. It's an abstract entity, made up of thousands of individual human beings. Which ones are greedy? The ones working the mash tuns and boil kettles? Is the guy driving the forklift of sacks of barley "greedy?" What about the shift managers? The truck drivers? The receptionists? The IT guys? Executives? The people who founded the subsidiary companies in the first place (who presumably did it to make money, not out of some altruistic impulse to provide beer to the masses)? The shareholders, who expect a positive return on their investment (and rightfully so)?

"Greed." Gimmie a break. Is everyone who invests "greedy?" I don't invest to lose money. I don't even invest to break even. I expect a profit. Everybody does, don't be a hypocrite.

Maybe you should watch a few of the documentaries to see just what it is they've been doing.

I've seen "Beer Wars," and the only thing I found shocking/disturbing about that movie was the idea that the US is still clinging to some kind of bizarre, antiquated three-tier distribution system, and how clearly corrupt the politicians in that film are. I don't blame the brewers for working within the lobbying system to maintain an advantage afforded to them by the law - I blame the system that allows your lawmakers to continue to be so transparently manipulated by rich lobby groups.