Is Northern Brewer making fun of Budweiser?

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fimpster

fimpster

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So during the Superbowl yesterday, I'm sure most of you saw this Budweiser ad.

http://youtu.be/siHU_9ec94c

Even though I haven't had a Bud in the better part of a decade, I did enjoy the commercial very much. And I am certainly one of the people they are poking fun at.

Then today I get this ad from Northern Brewer with the title 'This kit's for you!'. I have never seen this kit on their site before. All I can think of is that they got the idea from the Bud commercial making fun of people who drink Pumpkin Peach Ale. And the ad looks surprisingly similar to the Bud ad. Hahah "Peach of Resistance" and "Brew to be fussed over", I've got to hand it to NB on this one! Well done.

http://goo.gl/8rZ1GA

unnamed.jpg
 
The fact that AB had to make a commercial (which I thought was ok) to flog their swill tells me that the tides are turning. But I have 2 opinions on this:
1) pretentious "craft brewers" do need a bit of fun poked at them -at least to keep them honest
2) small breweries that are artisans have scored a major - and I mean major victory in the industry
 
Yeah, that's super sweet. AB can go suck a peach...hillbilly bastards.
 
AndytheBeave said:
The fact that AB had to make a commercial (which I thought was ok) to flog their swill tells me that the tides are turning.
Click to expand...

Only AB has been one of the world's biggest and most prolific advertisers for decades, so it's not like a Super Bowl commercial advertising Budweiser is a new thing. That they specifically target craft beer in this particular ad is notable, but that's less a defense of their market share and more chiming in on the cultural conversation about macro versus craft beer.

Even if they're trying to maintain market share for Budweiser, that's actually a point in Bud's favor. Light beers aren't losing ground to craft beer because people who drink light beer want low-alcohol, low-calorie fizzy barley water, but Bud's losing ground because it actually has some flavor, so the macro drinkers who choose Bud over Bud Light are more likely to convert to craft brews.

Also, the NB ad is incredible. I'm not certain I'd want to drink a peach pumpkin ale (but who knows, Samuel Smith's Apricot Ale is patently delicious), but it's a great comeback.
 
FatDragon said:
Only AB has been one of the world's biggest and most prolific advertisers for decades, so it's not like a Super Bowl commercial advertising Budweiser is a new thing. That they specifically target craft beer in this particular ad is notable, but that's less a defense of their market share and more chiming in on the cultural conversation about macro versus craft beer.

Even if they're trying to maintain market share for Budweiser, that's actually a point in Bud's favor. Light beers aren't losing ground to craft beer because people who drink light beer want low-alcohol, low-calorie fizzy barley water, but Bud's losing ground because it actually has some flavor, so the macro drinkers who choose Bud over Bud Light are more likely to convert to craft brews.

Also, the NB ad is incredible. I'm not certain I'd want to drink a peach pumpkin ale (but who knows, Samuel Smith's Apricot Ale is patently delicious), but it's a great comeback.
Click to expand...

oh I agree. Let me rephrase my original post.
When AB has to make an ad to poke fun of micro brews in order to sell their swill....
It's not like this will all of a sudden make micro brew fans switch to macro brews. But what it has done, is advertise to 100+ million people AB acknowledges that microbrews are indeed making major headway and AB is threatened.
For microbreweries this is a major win no matter how much fun is being poked at them. In fact it is free advertising at AB's expense. Remember, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
 
Totally Agree..
AB, with there ad, has acknowledged that there is another type of beer drinker, and I am sure they hope for a bit of friendly bantering.
It's all good. :mug:

Still going to order from Northern, not sure I will like the taste, however.. It may not be bad!!
 
Awesome work NB!!! I'll give this kit a try as a nod to Elysian Brewing Co. (They were just acquired by ABinBev and they actually brew a beer like this) AB just shot themselves in their own proverbial foot.
 
While Bud is indeed a macro brewery, I think it could be misleading to anyone that doesn't know the difference between a micro & a macro brewery. The add seemed to attempt to make them look like they're doing it the right way & micros are just a bunch of snobby experimenters. While they are indeed experimenters to a point, they still have to produce a beverage that'll give good financial returns in order to stay in business. But to the rest of us, they do seem to be a bit snobby themselves. I like NB's way of retorting though. Good one! :tank:
 
My lhbs sent out an email yesterday with an ad in it saying "so you want to brew a pumpkin peach ale"...
 
Sure they're poking fun, but I still think the idea of a pumpkin peach beer is foul. I like both, but not together.
 
Personally, I think both ads are ridiculous.

The irony being that the same amount of beer connoisseurs, if not more, "fuss" over what Budweiser isn't. As if they've discovered something new.
 
I have a steadfast "no pumpkin rule" but I think I've only had one pumpkin beer. I have become the thing I hate.
 
GilaMinumBeer said:
Personally, I think both ads are ridiculous.

The irony being that the same amount of beer connoisseurs, if not more, "fuss" over what Budweiser isn't. As if they've discovered something new.
Click to expand...

I don't fuss over anything. I really like Miller Lite, and I'll drink a High Life tall boy if the atmospheric conditions are right (i/e, August in Texas) and I only have 2 bucks. Coors Original is my go to cheap beer if the store doesn't stock Lone Star. I drink American Lagers like any decent American should. I really don't like Budweiser.
 
fimpster said:
So during the Superbowl yesterday, I'm sure most of you saw this Budweiser ad.

http://youtu.be/siHU_9ec94c

Even though I haven't had a Bud in the better part of a decade, I did enjoy the commercial very much. And I am certainly one of the people they are poking fun at.

Then today I get this ad from Northern Brewer with the title 'This kit's for you!'. I have never seen this kit on their site before. All I can think of is that they got the idea from the Bud commercial making fun of people who drink Pumpkin Peach Ale. And the ad looks surprisingly similar to the Bud ad. Hahah "Peach of Resistance" and "Brew to be fussed over", I've got to hand it to NB on this one! Well done.

http://goo.gl/8rZ1GA
Click to expand...




With out question they are!!! And it is awesome!
 
1977Brewer said:
I don't fuss over anything. I really like Miller Lite, and I'll drink a High Life tall boy if the atmospheric conditions are right (i/e, August in Texas) and I only have 2 bucks. Coors Original is my go to cheap beer if the store doesn't stock Lone Star. I drink American Lagers like any decent American should. I really don't like Budweiser.
Click to expand...

I don't prefer Bud. But if that is what is available I won't refuse to order it.
 
If a place has Bud, they always have something better. I will drink a free Bud or Bud Light, and enjoy it for what it is. Free Beer.
 
Fedora said:
Easy with the h word there, beersk. That's our word.

Hat tip to NB. They've got our back.
Click to expand...

Amen..... Folks don't realize that the word is actually a term of endearment and we are proud of our Heritage!

Gotta go place an order with NB and show my appreciation!
 
Like it or hate it, AB's ad did exactly what all marketing folks dream of...they got people talking.
 
Hello said:
Like it or hate it, AB's ad did exactly what all marketing folks dream of...they got people talking.
Click to expand...

Ayup. And everything that follows is equivalent to a juvenile "I know you are but what am I"?

Not that AB's sucker punch is any less juvenile.
 
soccerdad said:
My nephew is a pretty big dog at AB -- still mid mgmt, but making a very good living. I'm tempted to get the NB kit to take a few beers to a fam reunion in the summer.
Click to expand...

It's not as easy to hate AB when you know someone that works there is it? My step grandpa, (whom I always thought of as a real grandpa), his dad worked for AB in St. Louis as a sheet metal worker for almost 40 years. Made a dang good living and got the best cardinal tickets ever!

Fedora said:
Easy with the h word there, beersk. That's our word.

Hat tip to NB. They've got our back.
Click to expand...

I'm going to let that slide this time seeing as how he probably didn't intentionally mean offense. :)

Hello said:
Like it or hate it, AB's ad did exactly what all marketing folks dream of...they got people talking.
Click to expand...

It did. I used to be one of those guys that not only didn't like craft beer, but I thought it was stupid. That ad was targeted at people who were riding the fence I think, people who need to be reassured that it's "ok" to just drink Bud.
 
That was an extremely fast response from NB. My question is, how exactly were they able to respond that fast? The pumpkin peach kit appears to be brand new. One would think they do in-house test runs of each kit before selling it to the masses. So, either they just so happened to have this kit in development already (seems like a long-shot), they knew about the Bud commercial ahead of time, or they're just sort of winging it with this one. Whatever it is, I'm still considering buying one, just because.
 
As I hate pumpkin flavor, I will not be ordering this. BUT... kudos to NB. Love the concept. We (craft brewers) wont take crap from the likes of AB. It isn't hard NOT to buy crappy beer. In fact, nowadays it is down right easy to buy really GOOD beer.
 
grizzly2378 said:
That was an extremely fast response from NB. My question is, how exactly were they able to respond that fast? The pumpkin peach kit appears to be brand new. One would think they do in-house test runs of each kit before selling it to the masses. So, either they just so happened to have this kit in development already (seems like a long-shot), they knew about the Bud commercial ahead of time, or they're just sort of winging it with this one. Whatever it is, I'm still considering buying one, just because.
Click to expand...

that's my guess...or they had some help/input from elysian or another brewer who has done one.
 
My guess is that they're just winging it. If you read the recipe, its just a pretty basic kit, but then uses pumpkin pie spice and peach extract. Its real easy to brew an amber or pale and flavor to taste at bottling.

Still, it is cool to see that kind of response so quickly.
 
They're obviously winging it. I'd say long term brewers with a solid history of recipe formulation can come up with this sort of idea rather quickly. I come up with my own recipes all the time. As mentioned it's also a pretty simple base ale. Besides, they're going to make money off of it even if it didn't taste so awesome :) Still totally appreciate they did this in response.


Rev.
 
atom said:
that's my guess...or they had some help/input from elysian or another brewer who has done one.
Click to expand...

Wait, so Elysian has made a pumpkin peach ale? The same Elysian that AB just bought out a little while back? So they just openly mocked the company they just bought? I bet the people at Elysian are REALLY loving that...
 
Yeah, I thought it was a bit odd that they poked fun at it? Especially since they just bought it? Or maybe, like when Winchester bought out the Henry rifle & shelved it?
 
peterj said:
Wait, so Elysian has made a pumpkin peach ale? The same Elysian that AB just bought out a little while back? So they just openly mocked the company they just bought? I bet the people at Elysian are REALLY loving that...
Click to expand...

Well, AB-Inner poking fun at that particular beer will probably boost sales at Elysian. Especially since there are probably plenty of people that don't know they bought out Elysian. Smart move either way for them, in that respect.

I still think it was probably a bad idea, long-term, to blatantly pick a fight with the segment of the beer market that is actually growing. But my guess is that doesn't bother them.
 

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