how pissed does it make you...

[blawjr]

Or this lol:

 

[Yooper]

I don't get worked up about marketing ploys. Just like I don't think "triple hopped" means anything, I don't think Prego Spaghetti Sauce has "real Italian flavor", or that Kraft Mac 'n Cheese is "the cheesiest" with its fake powdered cheese. Anybody who looks at ads in magazines or TV commercials has to realize that marketing is a huge part of our culture. If you drink Bud Light, women think you're hot. If you make Totino's Pizza Rolls, you're a cool mom and only choosy mothers "choose Jif" so if you buy Skippy peanut butter, you're practically a child abuser who doesn't care about her kids.

Marketing has made many people want to smoke (remember the Malboro Man, who died of lung cancer?), drink, eat junk food, and buy cell phones. But we are all born with brains and should be able to figure that out.

 

[JoeyChopps]

I don't get worked up about marketing ploys. Just like I don't think "triple hopped" means anything, I don't think Prego Spaghetti Sauce has "real Italian flavor", or that Kraft Mac 'n Cheese is "the cheesiest" with its fake powdered cheese. Anybody who looks at ads in magazines or TV commercials has to realize that marketing is a huge part of our culture. If you drink Bud Light, women think you're hot. If you make Totino's Pizza Rolls, you're a cool mom and only choosy mothers "choose Jif" so if you buy Skippy peanut butter, you're practically a child abuser who doesn't care about her kids.

Marketing has made many people want to smoke (remember the Malboro Man, who died of lung cancer?), drink, eat junk food, and buy cell phones. But we are all born with brains and should be able to figure that out.

So if I drink bud light yooper will think I'm hot

 

[SittingDuck]

So if I drink bud light yooper will think I'm hot

To the grocery store!

 

[scubakevdm]

I don't get worked up about marketing ploys. Just like I don't think "triple hopped" means anything, I don't think Prego Spaghetti Sauce has "real Italian flavor", or that Kraft Mac 'n Cheese is "the cheesiest" with its fake powdered cheese. Anybody who looks at ads in magazines or TV commercials has to realize that marketing is a huge part of our culture. If you drink Bud Light, women think you're hot. If you make Totino's Pizza Rolls, you're a cool mom and only choosy mothers "choose Jif" so if you buy Skippy peanut butter, you're practically a child abuser who doesn't care about her kids.

Marketing has made many people want to smoke (remember the Malboro Man, who died of lung cancer?), drink, eat junk food, and buy cell phones. But we are all born with brains and should be able to figure that out.

I can't believe you make your kids eat Skippy.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I was drunk and watching ultimate fighter last night and kept seeing all the beer comercials so i threw up a quick rant, so its best not to take me too seriously. but let me be more specific, it's the fact that america has been TRICKED into thinking that this is what beer should be. TRICKED by ad men into thinking that these three companies are the best of the best, and this is the gold standard. If prohibition hadn't happened and given AB the chance to get a tremendous leg up in the industry, imagine what the beer scene would look likwe today. Imagine the amount of breweries we would have locally and not paying to drink absolute ****, that no one claims tastes good (except the ads), its just "not bad", "easy to drink", "better than the other nasty yellow stuff". I'm sorry but I don't think it's ok for a company to come in and rape an industry the way that these big three have. But thats just my opinion.

Nobody has been 'tricked" into anything. Seriously, do you know of ANYONE that chooses their beer solely because of advertising? People like what they like. Some folks will not drink anything but Bud Light. Some will swear that anything but Coors Light makes them want to puke. Let it go. You like what you like, they like what they like. They don't bash your homebrew, so don't bash their BMC.


EDIT:
One more thing: All of those beer commercials that you were bitching about are the very thing that enabled you to watch your Ultimate Fighter, or basketball game, or football game, or whatever, for free. Without those advertising dollars, those events would only be available on PPV and you wouldn't get to see any of it. So suck it up and watch your shows and go to the can during the commercials like everybody else.

 

[scubakevdm]

Actually, there was a great documentary called Beer Wars that argued that the only difference between the major brews was the lifestyles that the advertisements associated with the beer.

 

[bob1852]

I was drunk and watching ultimate fighter last night and kept seeing all the beer comercials so i threw up a quick rant, so its best not to take me too seriously. but let me be more specific, it's the fact that america has been TRICKED into thinking that this is what beer should be. TRICKED by ad men into thinking that these three companies are the best of the best, and this is the gold standard. If prohibition hadn't happened and given AB the chance to get a tremendous leg up in the industry, imagine what the beer scene would look likwe today. Imagine the amount of breweries we would have locally and not paying to drink absolute ****, that no one claims tastes good (except the ads), its just "not bad", "easy to drink", "better than the other nasty yellow stuff". I'm sorry but I don't think it's ok for a company to come in and rape an industry the way that these big three have. But thats just my opinion.

I suggest you read "Ambitious Brew" by Maureen Ogle. That will separate your opinion from actual facts.

If the "big three" are raping an industry, why are there ~1700 craft breweries operating in the United States, compared to under 100 just 30 years ago?

http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/business-tools/craft-brewing-statistics/number-of-breweries

 

[Pappers_]

Marketing and advertising does actual harm to real people and I'm not as anxious as some of you to be forgiving of it.

Beer advertising isn't the worst.

 

[Brulosopher]

Marketing and advertising does actual harm to real people and I'm not as anxious as some of you to be forgiving of it.

Beer advertising isn't the worst.

Medication advertising is.

 

[TxBrew]

Vortex bottles? I got to get me some of that!

 

[Revvy]

Actually, there was a great documentary called Beer Wars that argued that the only difference between the major brews was the lifestyles that the advertisements associated with the beer.

Most of us who know anything about beer history, and have a little common sense have realized how much that film is propaganda, as much as commercials for bmc are. Many of us have discuounted it.

I suggest you read "Ambitious Brew" by Maureen Ogle. That will separate your opinion from actual facts.

+1 THIS is a much more accurate portrayal of how things are. And if you read it you might find yourself less "incensed" about things. And maybe at least acknowledge some of the contributions to brewing culture that the macro brewers did.

And it also goes a long way to disspelling a lot of the myths that beersnobs like to us to make them feel all superior over BMC drinkers.

If you haven't read the book, at least listen to the interviews from Basic Brewing;

November 30, 2006 - Ambitious Brew Part One
We learn about the history of beer in the USA from Maureen Ogle, author of "Ambitious Brew - The Story of American Beer." Part one takes us from the Pilgrims to Prohibition.

http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr11-30-06.mp3

December 7, 2006 - Ambitious Brew Part Two
We continue our discussion about the history of beer in the USA with Maureen Ogle, author of "Ambitious Brew - The Story of American Beer." Part two takes us from Prohibition to the present day.

http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr12-07-06.mp3

I was just in several big box stores over the weekend and was marveling at the fact that the Craft Beer section at Meijer's and Kroger's were actually larger than the BMC offering. And at Meijer's how much of it was devoted to Michigan Beers, Bell's, Founder's, Detroit Beer Company, Atwater Brewing Company, Frankenmuth Brewing Company, Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak were all represented.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I was drunk and watching ultimate fighter last night and kept seeing all the beer comercials so i threw up a quick rant, so its best not to take me too seriously. but let me be more specific, it's the fact that america has been TRICKED into thinking that this is what beer should be. TRICKED by ad men into thinking that these three companies are the best of the best, and this is the gold standard. If prohibition hadn't happened and given AB the chance to get a tremendous leg up in the industry, imagine what the beer scene would look likwe today. Imagine the amount of breweries we would have locally and not paying to drink absolute ****, that no one claims tastes good (except the ads), its just "not bad", "easy to drink", "better than the other nasty yellow stuff". I'm sorry but I don't think it's ok for a company to come in and rape an industry the way that these big three have. But thats just my opinion.

I am FULL ON with you. These other people have points but are a little too fascinated with their own toleration of The BMC bullies that buy lawmakers to keep homebrewers DOWN.

How about Hulk MAKE SMaSH!!??

I chuckle whenever I hear the Sam Adam commercial talk about a pound of hops in every barrel of beer... Meh, that's less than tons of people use here in their ales. Never mind IPAs... Of course, I'm not even talking about dry hopping.

It is a bit amusing at how so many non-brewers (or home brewers) think that BMC makes the best brew out there. Of course, Revvy has a very valid point about people and DFH brews too. Personally, I've not had anything from DFH, and don't know if I ever will. I'm very happy to drink what I brew. Even more pleased that I've not bought a single beer from any store since I started brewing. When going out, I only have the option to drink what's available, so I suffer with that. At least until I get home and have a chance to drink something better (not hard to do in some cases)...

Awesome Post.

I am going to start spinning my bottles of homebrew as i pour them to create a vortex. My beer is going to taste so much better.

It is true, but the kicker is that you have to cold filter or triple hop first, or it doesn't work, and might actually explode.

Marketing and advertising does actual harm to real people and I'm not as anxious as some of you to be forgiving of it.

Beer advertising isn't the worst.

Exactly. If you think the average american thinks enough to spot ridiculous gimmicks, I need to move to wherever you are.

Medication advertising is.

No other civilized country allows medications to advertise to their people.

What the hell is wrong with us?

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I think some people might be overreacting a bit to the fact that some people who dont know any better might choose BMC as their beer of choice. Even if its the bikini babes or the pretty horses or the bottle-sweat that made them go out and buy the beer the first time, fact is they liked it enough to buy it again. Thats not marketing, thats the actual product and the consumer.

The most interesting man in the world got me to buy a 12 of Dos Equis, but after that 12 was done I opted to only drink Dos Equis someone else had payed for...

 

[cheezydemon3]

..........the most interesting man got you to.......oh........

It is when the big 3's lobbyists make it so expensive to get started that pros miss out on getting started that I get a little hazy about them being harmless.

I remember thinking that budweiser was SO much better than miller, arguing it even.

I liken it to 2 intelligent people arguing over this unflavored oatmeal brand over that one. Never knowing that freaking BACON is out there waiting to be discovered.

I has the right to HATE them if I want to.........SO I DOES!!!!!!!!


HA!



then again, I'm not featuring a Helles Munich in my avatar cause I will NEVER again make one.

Light lager isn't on my brew list, only lager that is, is a Marzen (which I brew as an ale), so take my point of view with a grain or 2 of some salinic substance, preferably crystalized.

 

[phenry]

It is when the big 3's lobbyists make it so expensive to get started that pros miss out on getting started that I get a little hazy about them being harmless.

On the flip side, this does help ensure that new breweries need to make quality products to stay in business. It's basically putting a strong and fast predator behind them and telling them to outrun the rest of the pack. They need to adapt to survive, otherwise they could just push out mediocre beer and call it good. The craft beer market isn't anywhere near endangered by the lobbyists, but I'm sure they certainly do help cull the herd. I don't see any negative effects of this in the rather full and diverse isles of the bottle shop I frequent, so I can't say I'm complaining.

If someone wants to make beer and sell it to the public, they'll find a way, and if it's good enough, they'll make enough money to continue doing so.

 

[SittingDuck]

See, I just don't understand the BMC bashing. No one complains that Jack Daniels or Jim Beam is crushing home distilling. No one claims that Coke has a stranglehold on ditribution or uses its huge marketing budget to keep out small soda companies.

Every large corporation uses the techniques BMC uses. Every producer wants a bigger marketshare, and will fight for it at the expense of other producers. Everyone with a product uses advertising and marketing "ploys" to get people to try the product. Maybe they are succesful at that, but as said above, if I don't like the product I tried, I'm not buying it again. They have a huge market share not because people don't know craft beer exists, but because people like the product and the price.

I think people want to bash BMC over other retailers for the same reason people bash big label pop hits--it makes them feel cool and superior to the "mindless masses." Well, you might argue that the music industry pushing Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift over whatever cool indie band you like this week is what causes people to like bad music, but lots of people are buying those albums. I think a lot of people might just enjoy Justin Beiber, regardless of the marketing AND regardless of what we think.

The BMC/Indie attitude carries over to your favorite indie getting popular. Now it's not cool enough to just hate on BMC. We have to hate on Sam Adams and DFH. Oh, and just like your indie band better not sell out and sign on with a major lablel or you will dump them, you are also going to shun Goose Island and Terrapin for daring to take BMC dollars and get real distribution.

Look, you don't want to drink BMC, I don't blame you. I still enjoy a light lager now and again, but to each their own. But to bash the "evil empire" for having the gall to do what every other succesful company does, without bashing the others, seems hypocritical.

 

[rjwhite41]

It is hopped 3 times, it is not watered down (like Bud Light their competitor) and it does come from a vortex bottle. You can disagree that it doesn't make any difference but the advertisement isn't meant to fool anyone. It's meant to explain the difference between Miller Lite and their main competition.

As far as BMC being swill, you can think that all you want but the rest of the world is drinking it by the gallon and doesn't want to touch a sip of your (insert your favorite beer here). Think of all the people you have given a "good" beer to who say "how can drink this stuff?" Their taste buds are different and they are looking for something very specific in their beer. Namely a slight corn taste, heavy carbonation and body roughly the equivalent of water. Every year I make an American Light Lager for a 4th of July party and every year I say this has too much corn flavor. Everyone else says it's perfect and the keg gets drained very quickly.

Oh, and by the way, home distilling is illegal so I don't think Jack Daniels is crushing that hobby. Otherwise, I like your post SittingDuck and agree whole heartedly.

 

[SittingDuck]

Oh, and by the way, home distilling is illegal so I don't think Jack Daniels is crushing that hobby.

Yes, but my point is, nobody blames Jack and Jimmy lobbying for the laws making it illegal, or lobbying to keep it illegal, but look around HBT and every time there is a change (pro or con) to a state microbrewing or homebrewing law, people will rant about BMC's lobbyists keeping the little guys down.

Just more of the "I guess it's OK unless BMC is doing it" mentality.

 

[Revvy]

The BMC/Indie attitude carries over to your favorite indie getting popular. Now it's not cool enough to just hate on BMC. We have to hate on Sam Adams and DFH. Oh, and just like your indie band better not sell out and sign on with a major lablel or you will dump them, you are also going to shun Goose Island and Terrapin for daring to take BMC dollars and get real distribution.
......

Oh didn't you know, that IS part of the rules for being a beer snob. I wrote this back when Goose Island did its thing and everyone was bashing them and sure the craft beer industry was just going to die.

It was pretty much based on some comments some beer zealots have made about some of our craft beer success stories.

So I'm trying to figure out the rules for being an EAC (look it up) Beersnob of the "Beer Wars" Variety. As opposed to just a normal beer enthusiast or geek, like I consider myself, who enjoys great beer, but doesn't give a care what other folks choose to drink, nor has fault with making money or running a business (which is really ironic since I'm a "bleeding heart" liberal and therefore I'm supposed to not eat meat, wear leather, believe in capitalism or shave my legs.)

We have to hate BMC because they are the big evil corporate empire, and because their beer is the most popular on the planet and therefore it is crap.

But we ALSO have to hate the following micro/craft brewers mostly because they are too popular and/or they're not us and we're jealous. Maybe it's barrel size? If you are too big, meaning big sales then you suck?

We have to hate New Belgium Brewing Company, because frat boys like Fat Tire and therefore it sucks.

We Have to hate Dogfish Head and Sam Caligione because he had a tv show on discovery channel, and therefore his beer sucks.

We have to hate Jim Koch and Sam Adams because he runs commercials and sells a lot of beer, Sometimes he needs to have third party brewers contract brew it to meet demand, and therefore it sucks, DESPITE the fact that He supports homebrewing on so many levels including and not limited to making hops available to homebrewers during the hops shortage AND hosting the Longshot competition which gives a chance for homebrewers to have their beer brewed professionally, and showcased to a huge audience, but of course those folks who enter and win are actually not real homebrewers but poseur sellouts who's beer sucks (because it's not any of us who won.)

We have to hate Bell's brewery because he decided to protect his trade mark and therefore he must care about making money so his beer sucks (and he probably sleeps with sheep or something.)

Have I missed any? Do we hate Stone and Rogue because they paint their bottles and make it hard to re-use them and therefore their beers suck? Or are they for some reason "ok?"

Boy it's so hard to be a beer lover these days, with so many rules to follow. It used to be we just had to like good beer, whatever OUR definition of it was....../Sarcasm


Oh yeah and now we're supposed to hate Goose Island, because they completed a deal that they've been involved with for 5 years and partnered even more fully with AHB. So that means they're sellout bastards and even though we LOVED Bourbon County Stout...it sucks...even though it's been made under that partnership for years. It now is crap.

I was your thumbs up BTW good post.

 

[bernerbrau]

The quality of my lagers improved dramatically when I started using the patented Coors Light "brewed cold" method. They even tasted colder.

 

[JoeyChopps]

I got a little bit of a man crush on sitting duck right now he is my new hero. I go to work and bs with my friends about the bmc snobery of some hbt guys. So of my buddies are die hard bmc drinks and some are like me and like all beer (pretty much) most of my friends agree that if some of the people here were invited to a party and acted like they do here it wouldnt be long until gtfo came up. That being said I have no issues with any beer company out there. It's like Walmart even though I hate some of their business practices I'm still going to shop there because of the prices. Love and let others love. Chopps

 

[beerloaf]

Personally I don't care and view most advertizing as propaganda for the masses, which it is designed to be. Simply to buy a specific product. This goes for everything. The reality is that there is a huge market for the BMC products due to most people growing up and living on the impression that beer is supposed to be a light, yellowish fizzy liquid that makes you feel good. That's about it. Most simply do not know any better and are quite content even knowing just that. It's that simple. The ads are made for them, not you or I who actually look at beer much differently. Now if you like the light pilsner style then the BMC products might be a good choice for you. Again, to each his own.

Do I care for the strongarm monopolistic business 3 tier tactics which only benefit BMC? Then no. I do not care for their business model or the way they try to keep out ALL new craft brewers and 90%+ market share to themselves. They have the power and money to essentially buy politicians and keep/create regulations which benefit their business. This isn't any different than any other big business. This is how our system currently works. Good or bad, it is what it is. It's also been this way for a very long time.

beerloaf

 

[cheezydemon3]

I don't go to a party and say things like "COORS SUCKS!!!!" Even though I think it does.

I say things like "Do you have any soft drinks?".

Actually, that is only if I am paying for it.

If it is free, I will drink keystone. Free beer tastes better, so even suck hole miller tastes less like elephant urine that has been triple filtered through some dirty panties.

*I'm trolling now, look at me GO!!!*

 

[bob1852]

It is when the big 3's lobbyists make it so expensive to get started that pros miss out on getting started that I get a little hazy about them being harmless.

So if the "big 3's lobbyists are making it so expensive" why are there a record number of breweries in the planning/permitting phase?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

It is a bit amusing at how so many non-brewers (or home brewers) think that BMC makes the best brew out there.

BMC doesn't necessarily make the best beer out there. That is all a matter of personal opinion. What they do is make the most difficult style out there. So many homebrewers make a batch or two of brown ale and suddenly BMC is swill and only the most uninformed rednecks would like it. It is not swill. It is a style that you suddenly don't care for and most of the reason you don't care for it is that they are huge, and for some reason homebrewers like to think that the bigger a corporation, the worse their product is and everyone that likes it is an idiot. Fact is, they make the most difficult style out there and do it on a massive scale and reach a consistency in their product that homebrewers can only dream of. Get off of your high-horses, people. Let BMC be BMC and enjoy your hobby.

 

[scubakevdm]

Most of us who know anything about beer history, and have a little common sense have realized how much that film is propaganda, as much as commercials for bmc are. Many of us have discuounted it.

Well, being without your depth of beer history knowledge and common sense, that particular point rang pretty true for me.

I may not have much of a palette either, because I've always experienced bud light miller lite and the silver bullet as being very similar to each other in pretty much all respects. Their advertisements never seem to talk very much about the beer, but often speak volumes about the kind of people drinking them, the crowd if you will.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Their advertisements never seem to talk very much about the beer, but often speak volumes about the kind of people drinking them, the crowd if you will.

Very true. And if you use Axe products, you will have scores of gorgeous women having orgasms at the very sight of you. How come no one gets upset about that? It is just advertising.

 

[scubakevdm]

Bowm-chica-bowmp-bow.

I'm not upset, I'm in the neutral corner.

I was making some point earlier in the thread that was rebuked because "Beer Wars" was not well received by beer historians. I think that good documentary or bad, the particular point was interesting, valid and was at the time, pertinent.

Let the records show that I actually have immense respect for the major brewers, I just found beers I'd rather drink. It doesn't bother me if other people like Bud Light, and truth be told, I would rather drink Bud Light than quite a few craft brews out there. To each his own I say.

 

[SittingDuck]

It is a true and valid point, the problem is that it is true and valid for every other product category too. Coke ads vs. Pepsi ads? Car ads? Axe body spray, as stated? Viagra/Cialis/Enzyte? They all to the exact same thing--sell lifestyle and/or brand over product. All ads do. No one gets pissed about those.

And you got a quick rebuke because in my few months as a member and many months as a lurking reader, I must have seen a hundred comments to the effect of, "BMC eats babies!!! I saw it on Beer Wars!!". Imagine how much Revvy and the guys and girls on here for years have dealt with this.

And, hey, watch Beer Wars. Why not? But realize it is just as much propaganda as those BMC ads. Make up your own mind and form your own opinion based on all information.