Full page advertisement in Westword, Denver, Colorado
I recently came across a full page advertisement in a Denver Colorado newspaper for a “Belgian-style wheat beer” called “Shock Top.” The advertisement lacked any indication about who brewed the beer.
Let me explain. The ad shows the top 1/2 of the bottle. The small print on the label is not legible. The headline reads in part: “Colorado Brewed. Shock Top Belgian White is the new unfiltered Belgian-style Wheat Ale brewed in Ft. Collins, Colorado…..”
There is no indication anywhere in the ad that the beer is brewed by Anheuser-Busch's Fort Collins brewery. My reaction is to ask, why does a brewery with such a legendary tradition and pride need to confuse the consumer into thinking that this beer may be made by the small local Fort Collins, Colorado brewery named New Belgium Brewery. New Belgium also makes wheat beers called “Sunshine Wheat” and Belgian-style “Mothership Wit?” I simply have to ask the question, “What happened?” Why wouldn't a brewery want to communicate their pride in the beers they make? Putting their names behind the marketing of their beer seems like it should be a number one priority?
That’s it. My thoughts. I’m done.
Comments
I nearly fell for this beer while looking through the cooler doors at my local beer store recently. But then when I looked to see who brewed it and saw the big A-B name I put it down because I felt like they were trying to fool me. This type of ad only re-enforces my thoughts that they want you to think it was brewed by someone else. It's too bad this is a deceptive ad. Perhaps they should spin off this beer into a separate small brewery and it may survive the cost cutting In-Bev axe later on. Maybe they can change the ad to Belgian Brewed. It may sell more.
Here, here. That's just rude. AB needs to compete head to head with quality products if they wish to get into craft brew. I'm frustrated with the big brewers purposely diluting the term of craft beer to confuse consumers who are still learning good beer. Thanks for calling AB on the dishonest advertising.
I recently bought a 6 of this without paying attention to who brewed it...I had the same thought...why not be a little more "up-front" about showing off your product. Then I tasted it...what an embarrassing beer (in my opinion)...I wouldn't clean my hub-caps with this swill!!!
Beyond the fact that this type of ad seems to convey the notion that A-B is trying to hide their identity and pass as a true craft brewer, which they are clearly trying to do here, it seems even more disingenuous when they run radio spots that make fun of craft beer, or "microbrews," and play the Budweiser brand against them. I don't know if this spot ran in all major A-B markets, but I distinctly remember thinking to myself that it seemed odd to slam beer styles that A-B has dedicated an entire R&D department to making - their faux-craft beers, like Shock Top.
Here's what I wrote about it shortly after hearing the afore-mentioned radio spot for the first time - http://beerphilosopher.blogspot.com/2007/12/great-american-laugher.html
Unlike some of the others that have commented so far, I actually don't think Shock Top is that bad a beer, in and of itself. I've sampled several witbier attempts from small batch brewers that fell short of this one. I think the fact that this beer is brewed by A-B, and A-B has tried to trojan horse their way into the craft beer market, is the underlying reason that there is so much backlash to this beer's acceptance.
Give us good beers, don't try to pull one over on us ...
Right on Charlie!
It's like they want a craft beer drinker to get it and say "Hey, it's not bad" and then there's the big reveal...
Surprise, it's A-B!!!
Like in those Pizza Hut commercials.
We secretly replaced Charlie's regular beer with Shock Top, let's see what happens...
So in a way it can be seen as a complement. Immitation is the best flattery, right? So, what does that mean to the craft brewers? More competition.
I say we're up to the fight.
I have no problem with them brewing that my only issue with them brewing more of a craft style ale that they put their company name on it. But if it's a good quality beer I support more of it being brewed no matter the source.
I fell for this with another one of their craft beer attempts by buying a 6-pack without thoroughly reading the label. Pretty pathetic of A-B if you ask me. I can just see one of their marketing guys in a conference room saying "Alright, the key is, we can't let them find out WE brew it...cuz that would screw us."
Well what a conumdrum for AB. They want to get into the craft beer market but some posters here say that just seeing the AB name on the bottle turned them off and they wouldn't buy it. No wonder AB plays down its name. Though, heck, if they set up a subsidiary, called it Smith Brewing Inc or whatever, they wouldn't have to mention the connection to AB at all. So really, they're being more open about it than they really need to be.
That said, a pox on AB for buying Rolling Rock Beer, brewed for ages in Pennsylvania, and moved the brewing to New Jersey. What? I never particularly cared for RR--though it was the first beer I drank in front of my mother, even while I was under age--but it's a PENNSYLVANIA beer. Please, let Rolling Rock die before its name is sullied forever.
While I agree it would appear to be a good thing that AB has recognized the need to offer craft brew-styled beers, I am concerned about the competitive advantage the big breweries maintain over regional and local breweries. I should preface by stating this is pure conjecture, but it worries me that the majors could under price, manipulate distribution and disrupt supply lines (available hops) to the disadvantage of their smaller competitors. For this reason, it seems particularly objectionable if they also emply arguably deceptive labeling and marketing practices to further facilitate capturing market share. At least tied houses tell you whose beers you are getting.
I've tried the beer - definitely not my style at all.
Tom
Soon they'll be able to advertise "Belgian Owned, Colorado Brewed."
Bud lite drinkers are not going to be buying this, so why would they try to appeal to their core?
The name Anheuser-Busch means something very different to craft beer drinkers than it does to their legions who bleed red and white. For the legions bud means quality, familiarity, god, and country.
For us, we just think of a big mean old company who has run some of our favorite brewers out of business and who makes beer we tend not too enjoy very much.
Echhh, enough talking about bud. Time to start thinking about all the great beer I'm going to drink at the Great Taste in Madison this weekend.
The macro companies have tried several forays into the craft market.
Most of the A-B products (Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale, Shock Top, Stone Mill Pale Ale) have failed to really connect with any craft drinkers for one main reason: the consumer doesn't know where the beer is made.
The origin of a craft beer is a big part of the brand's profile; leaving the brewery's name off the bottle is NOT helping A-B sell any beer.
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