The Craft
January 1, 2008
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The Craft
Elizabeth Fuhrman
Managing Editor
Managing Editor
Brewers are planning big changes for 2008. As Beverage Industry reported in Industry Issues this month, Miller Brewing Co. will begin testing new craft-style light beers in February as part of the Miller Lite Brewers Collection.
Additionally, Anheuser-Busch is pitting its Michelob
brand against craft beers. Michelob’s new advertising imitates that
of Sam Adams with interviews of brewery personnel discussing craftsmanship,
malt and hop selection. The campaign is completed with the tagline:
“Crafting a better beer.”
A-B’s flagship brand also is transforming its
message to sound more craft-like. While Bud Light plans to continue its
sophomoric humor advertising, Budweiser changed its slogan to the
“Great American Lager.”
Additionally, Blue Moon, the Coors-owned craft beer
that grew without advertising, is changing its tune on advertising. Last
year, the brand began placing print ads as well as billboards in key
markets with the tagline “Artfully Crafted.”
A-B offers one explanation for the brewers’
change of hearts. The company, with its vast portfolio of imports and new
introductions, feels its expansion has hurt its flagship brands. The
company informed Wall Street analysts in December that its wholesalers
carry 147 brands on average, more than twice as many as they carried five
years ago.
While A-B is increasing ad spending on its core
brands, other brands, such as Heineken, Miller Lite, Miller High Life and
Michelob, entered into the New Year with new ad agencies. It makes sense
that the major brewers would like to focus on their core brands. Branding
through advertising is an important step to rejuvenating sales lost to
increased prices, craft brewers and the wine and spirits category.
Consumers might not be fooled by the major brands wearing a craft mask, but
it never hurts to promote the value and quality of a product.
Brews choose
While the 2008 presidential election is making
headlines, the National Beer Wholesalers Association presents its own
political poll: Which of the presidential candidates would you like to have
a beer with? The NBWA began its survey during the Iowa caucus and New
Hampshire primary, but voters of legal drinking age can visit nbwa.org to
choose a candidate with whom they would like to have a beer, which it says
is a chance to get to know someone better. At press time, Barack Obama, Ron
Paul and John McCain were the top contenders.
Giving gratitude
The makers of 5-Hour Energy, Living Essentials,
donated more than 200,000 bottles of the energy shot to U.S. troops
deployed around the world. The donations were given through Living
Essentials’ sponsorship of Operation Gratitude, which is a nonprofit
organization that sends care packages to service members overseas. The
partnership “allows us to provide troops with something they both
want and need, but more importantly it lets them know how much everyone
back home is thankful and appreciative of what they do for us,” says
Carl Sperber, director of corporate communications for Living Essentials.
Better-for-you ’Rita
To help comply with New Year’s resolutions,
mixologist Adam Seger created the LookBetterNaked Margarita. The drink
combines all natural ingredients with Partida Reposdao tequila for a
better-for-you cocktail. Seger’s LookBetterNaked Margarita features
Sambazan Organic Acai, Partida Organic Agave Nectar, rosemary, egg white
and fresh-squeezed lime juice for a drink loaded with antioxidants,
vitamins and immune-boosting ingredients.
Versatile vodka
Silk Vodka showcased its versatility by helping
celebrate Playboy, Disney Princesses and Cosmopolitan magazine’s bachelors. The vodka brand celebrated Silk
Vodka’s debut ad in the magazine with a party held at the Playboy
Lounge in Bloomingdale’s store in California. Hugh Hefner and
assorted Playboy Bunnies, including Holly, Bridget and Kendra of “The
Girls Next Door,” toasted with custom cocktails, including Silk
Pajamas. In New York City, Silk was present for Kirstie Kelly’s
Disney Princess-inspired bridal fashion show as well as Cosmopolitan magazine’s Bachelor
night.
Country and Corona
Corona will join country singer Kenny Chesney on the
road as the official beer sponsor of his 2008 “Poets and Pirates
Tour.” Chesney says, “If you want to capture my audience, the
thing that stands out is their ability to have more fun in a single day
than most people have in a month — and Corona is part of those kinda
lazy, hanging out with your buddies kinda days. Corona, lime, sun and a
lotta laughter is a pretty great way to spend a day at the beach — or
just about anywhere else.”
Spirited sale
Last month, Christie’s auction house in New York
City held the first offering of fine wines and spirits in the United States
since Prohibition. More than 100 lots of spirits were auctioned, including
an 1811 cognac named for Napoleon. A bottle of 1926 Macallan whisky that
was bottled after spending 60 years in wood barrel fetched $54,000, which
makes it the most expensive bottle of Scotch ever sold at Christie’s.
The auction was the first held since 1920 due to a New York state law that
prohibited liquor auctions. The regulation was repealed in August.
