• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

New Bud Light ad campaign pokes fun at craft beer’s complexity, touts Bud’s simple flavor profile

August 14, 2017Keith Gribbins

Anheuser-Busch continues to deal with a severe case of dissociative identity disorder. AB continues to snatch up craft breweries for its beer portfolio — The High End — which includes Wicked Weed, Goose Island, Blue Point, Elysian, 10 Barrel, Golden Road, Four Peaks, Breckenridge, Virtue Cider and Devils Backbone. On top of gobbling up craft beer companies, AB has been growing fatter by expanding into regional markets via craft beer destination breweries with craft brands it already owns or brands it’s creating from scratch.

Yet, at the same time, the multinational megabrewer (which dominates the U.S. beer industry with 45 percent market share) is also marketing and selling against craft with its traditional Bud products. Just enjoy the new ad campaign above from the advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy. It portrays craft beer as ridiculously complex cocktails and Bud Light as the simple, everyman’s beer. Craft beer gets garnished with lobster claws, ice cream and little umbrellas, while Bud Light only uses four main ingredients — water, malt, yeast rice and hops — and maybe mixed with a heavy dose of marketing bullshit.

AdAge notes that the ads are a response to slipping sales (which AB is helping to create with its own brands):

But so far, big brands have struggled to reverse declining volume trends. For instance, Miller Lite fell 0.8% in the four weeks ending July 29 after dropping 5.4% in June, Beer Marketer’s Insights reported, citing Nielsen data. Bud Light has been stuck in a bigger slump, with its volume down 5.8% in July and 9.4% in June, according to the Beer Marketer’s Insights report.

Bud Light’s new ads seek to reclaim the brand’s mojo by appealing to drinkers who prefer regular old beer.

 

StLouis_brewery
Anheuser-Busch eliminates 40 jobs across North America
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s new video: ‘I think the term [craft beer] will be gone in a couple of years’ time” (updated)
wicked weed Brewing
Beer Voltron grows fatter: AB InBev aims to purchase Asheville’s Wicked Weed
Anheuser_Busch InBev local brewer moves jobs
Anheuser-Busch buys Four Peaks Brewing, Arizona Craft Brewers Guild Responds

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • 805 Beer debuts trailer for documentary “Inverted Perspective,” focused on freestyle motocross champion Vicki Golden
  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
  • Stone Brewing teams with Sanuk for a lineup of summer sandals
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
    March 27, 2023
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system
    March 27, 2023
  • CCBA California Craft Beer SummitState of California Craft Beer: Covid recovery challenged by competition, consolidation
    March 23, 2023
  • Koga-brothers-karben4Karben4 Brewing to relaunch Ale Asylum brand
    March 20, 2023
  • 4 steps to understanding the filtration process in craft beer
    March 20, 2023
  • newbelgium_2023_wildnectar-shopping-basket_family_IMG_2Beyond beer: Examples of craft breweries exploring canned cocktails
    March 16, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC