07 Feb Budweiser to Air Anti-Craft Beer Commercial for Second Straight Year During Super Bowl
For the second straight year, Budweiser will air an anti-craft beer commercial during the Super Bowl. And for the second straight year, Anheuser-Busch InBev will not only continue to mock their craft beer consumers, but they will also continue to troll their own High End division members.
The ad is a continuation of the one they released during last year’s Super Bowl. It drives home the fact that Budweiser is not “small” or a “hobby”; it’s a working man’s beer and “not for everyone.”
Apparently, not everyone at AB InBev knew about last year’s anti-craft beer commercial before it aired. That included the founders of Elysian Brewing, a craft brewery from Seattle, which had been acquired by AB InBev only weeks before. Making matters worse, last year’s ad specifically made fun of pumpkin peach ale beer, a beer that Elysian brewed.
This year, Budweiser’s commercial calls out fruity beers. Ironically, AB InBev is running a Super Bowl commercial for their in-house “craft” beer brand, Shock Top, which happens to brew several fruity beers.
“Brands have a responsibility to reinforce the position of their brand, not the whole [AB InBev] portfolio of beers,” Brian Perkins, vice president of marketing at Budweiser, told Fortune. “I am here to make ads about Budweiser. The craft brewers’ sales are skyrocketing, so there is no hindrance to their business.”
Whether you’re Team Macro, Team Craft Beer, or just Team Beer, we can all agree these anti-craft beer commercials are doing more harm than good for AB InBev’s overall brand image. If they continue to attack the craft beer industry, they will continue to give craft beer drinkers one more reason to no longer purchase beers made by members of their High End division.
Chip
Posted at 16:03h, 07 FebruaryIt’s pretty sad that the mudslinging extends beyond politics and into the beers we drink. To each his own, drink what you like, because otherwise what’s the point. Sad that any company would choose to dis those who don’t drink their product versus trying to convince you to try their producer.
Tod Esquivel
Posted at 12:18h, 08 FebruaryYes I admit started off by drinking crappy Bud, etc. and will never go back. If Bud, etc. wanted to pay millions of dollars to pitch them I would never do it. I’m all about supporting the small guys and as local as possible. They are attacking the craft beer industry because people are tired of crappy beer that is water. Anheuser-Busch InBev is actually owned by some Brazilian guys. It’s all about mass production and making as much money vs. craft beer producing quality beer. Yes I’m a beer snob.