re: If this ends up killing the Bud Light brand, what is a comparable precedent?

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I'm pretty sure New Coke was never meant to catch on. It was just a way to switch regular coke to High Fructose Corn Syrup without anyone noticing.

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"New Coke" was the response to the Pepsi Challenge when people in blind taste test preferred Pepsi over Coke. Pepsi has a sweeter taste while Coke is a little more "spicy" (if that makes sense). Coke got scared and tried to change to taste more like Pepsi. It was a historic marketing disaster rectified only when Coke came out and essentially admitted they F'd up.

Bud Light is not going to come out and admit they F'd up because they CAN'T. The media and woke mob would kill them if they did. Instead, they will produce more and more ads to appeal to the blue collar folks and college guys who have always been their market and the reason BL has been the top selling beer for decades.

The difference between BL and New Coke is that BL doesn't have a "classic flavor" to go back to. The beer itself didn't change at all. The marketing did with their VP saying "all of you blue collar people, rednecks, and frat guys are beneath us". Miller Lite, Coors Lite, and most inexpensive light lager beers aren't all that much different in taste than BL. So switching brands is not that onerous a task.

One thing I am interested to see is if Miller and/or Coors frick up this unexpected windfall they've been gifted by foolishly putting out their own "woke" marketing in the upcoming months. One of the biggest virtue signaling months of the year is coming up, June. So you have to think BL is desperately waiting for Coors and/or Miller to put out their own woke marketing so BL can tell their (former) customers..."see, there is no alternative. So just come on back to us."

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Having a hard time coming up with another example where a solid, massive brand (even for a crap product) was taken down so precipitously due to a single, unforced decision.

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I'm assuming Bud Light will never again be the brand it was before this debacle.

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BUD pps has not been been hit as hard as I'd have expected. In fact, thru Apr 26, BUD was escalating in price. If earnings miss (May4) and the stock tanks, the CEO and responsible management members will finally be on the hot seat.

If they are shown the door, and if the new mgt team cancels the Mulvaney BS, apologizes and changes the marketing push 180°, Bud Light could still recover. Lot's of "ifs" though.
Time will tell.

Tab (soda)

Tab was the first diet soda to hit the market back when saccharin (artificial sweetener) was just being introduced. After initial tests showed an increase of cancer in lab mice, the FDA mandated warning labels on all consumables with the ingredient.

Even though the risk was extremely low, consumers were unwilling to gulp down products with cancer warnings on it. Eventually the FDA pulled back but it was too late.

Mulvane is the cancer label of Bud lite

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Dixie chicks talking shite about george bush and alienating country music fans


Talk about not knowing your audience

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Even that wasn't a single act. They came back from it and then said patriotism is stupid.

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Needs to be all AB brands and not just bud light, if you wanna slow the ESG, DEI, social credit, or whatever its called now.

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OK. Here's a handy little list of all their brands.

Global
Budweiser
Bud Dry
Bud Extra
Bud Lime
Budweiser Black Crown
Bud Light
Bud Light Chelada
Bud Light Lime
Busch
Busch Light
Corona
Corona Extra
Corona Latte
Estrella
Modelo Especial
Modelo Light
Negra Modelo
Pacífico
Victoria
Natural Light
Natural
Natural Ice
Natty Daddy
Shock Top Belgian White
Peeterman Artois
Stella Artois
Artois Bock
Ziegenbock

Europe
Beck's (Germany)
Beck's Dark
Beck's Alkoholfrei
Beck's Oktoberfest
Beck's Premier Light
Brouwerij Bosteels (Belgium)
Pauwel Kwak
Tripel Karmeliet
Breda (The Channel Islands) Still Available
Camden Town Brewery (UK)
Diekirch (Luxembourg)
Diekirch Grand Cru
Diekirch Grande Réserve
Diekirch Exclusive
Dimix (Germany)
Dommelsch (Netherlands)
Dommelsch Pilsener
Dommelsch Ice
Dommelsch Dominator
Ginette (Belgium)
Gilde Ratskeller (Germany)
Haake-Beck (Germany)
Hasseröder (Germany)
Hertog Jan (Netherlands)
Primator
Oud Bruin
Grand Prestige
Tripel
Dubbel
Winterbier
Bockbier
Meibock
Hoegaarden (Belgium)
Hougaerdse Das
Hop Hound Amber Wheat
Julius (Belgium)
Jupiler (Belgium)
Jupiler N.A.
Jupiler Blue
Jupiler Tauro
Klinskoye (Russia)
Klinskoye Svetloye
Klinskoye Zolotoye
Klinskoye Luxik
Klinskoye Redkoye
Klinskoye Arriva
Klinskoye Samurai
La Bécasse (France)
La Bécasse Kriek
La Bécasse Raspberry
La Bécasse Gueuze
Leffe (Belgium)
Leffe Brown
Leffe Blonde
Leffe Ruby
Leffe Printemps
Löwenbräu (Germany)
Löwenbräu Alkoholfrei
Löwenbräu Dunkel
Löwenbräu Löwen Weisse
Löwenbräu Original
Löwenbräu Oktoberfestbier
Löwenbräu Premium Pils
Löwenbräu Radler
Löwenbräu Schwarze Weisse
Löwenbräu Triumphator
Löwenbräu Urtyp
Mousel (Luxembourg)
Noroc (Romania)
Permskoye Gubernskoye (Russia)
Permskoye Gubernskoye Svetloye
Piedboeuf (Belgium)
Piedboeuf Blond
Piedboeuf Brown
Piedboeuf Triple
Red Bridge (Luxembourg)
Rifey (Russia)
Rohan (Ukraine)
Rohan Lehke
Rohan Tradytsiyne
Rohan Monastyrske Temne
Rohan Veselyi Monach
Rohan Bezalkoholne
Safir (Belgium)
Sibirskaya Korona (Siberian Crown)(Russia)
Spaten (Germany)
Spaten Alkoholfrei
Spaten Diät-Pils
Spaten Münchner Hell
Spaten Oktoberfestbier
Spaten Optimator
Spaten Pils
St. Pauli Girl (Germany)
St. Pauli Girl Lager
St. Pauli Girl Special Dark
St. Pauli Girl Non-Alcoholic
Taller (Ukraine)
Tinkov Russian Lager (Russia)
Tolstiak (Russia)
Tolstiak Dobroye
Tolstiak Svetloye
Tolstiak Zaboristoye
Tolstiak Krepkoye
Tolstiak Grechisnoye
Victoria, strong blond Belgian beer (Belgium)[5]
Vieux Temps (Belgium)
Wild Series
Wild Blue
Wild Black
Wild Red
Whitbread (United Kingdom) (purchased from Whitbread Group plc in 2001)
Yantar (Ukraine)

Asia / Pacific
Baisha (China)
Beck's Ice (India)
Boxing Cat (China)
Cafri (South Korea)
Cascade Brewery (Australia)
Cass (South Korea)
Cass Fresh
Cass Light
Cass Red
Cass Lemon
Cass Beats
Double Deer (China)
E-Generation
Premium Light
Dry Beer
GuoGuang (China)
Haywards 5000 (India)
Jinlin (China)
Jinlongquan (China)
Draft
Refreshing
Kaiba (China)
KK (China)
Nanchang (China)
OB (South Korea)
Red Shiliang (China)
Santai (China)
Sedrin (China)
Southern Bay brew hole
The Hand & Malt (South Korea)
Yali (China)
Zizhulin (China)
Zhujiang (China)

Americas
10 Barrel Brewing Co (USA)
911 (Dominican Republic)
Alexander Keith's (Canada)
Keith's IPA
Keith's White
Keith's Dark
Keith's Red
Keith's Light
Keith's Regular
Keith's Hop Series
Andes (Argentina)
Antarctica (Brazil)
Aqua Fratelli Vita (Brazil)
Babe Wines
Banded Peak (Canada)
Baviera (Paraguay)
Best Damn Brewing Company
Best Damn Root Beer
Best Damn Apple Ale
Blue Point Brewing Company (USA)
Blue Star (Canada)
Bogotá Beer Company (Colombia)
Bohemia (Brazil)
Bohemia Pilsen
Bohemia Escura
Bohemia Weiss
Bohemia Royal Ale
Bohemia Confraria
Bohemia Oaken
Bohemia (Dominican Republic)
Bohemia Light (Dominican Republic)
Brahma
Brahva Gold (Guatemala)
Brahva Beats (Guatemala)
Breckenridge Brewery (USA)
Budweiser
Budweiser Chelada
Bud Dry
Bud Extra
Bud Ice
Bud Ice Light
Bud Lime
Budweiser American Ale
Budweiser Black Crown
Budweiser Freedom Reserve
Budweiser Magnum
Budweiser Select
Budweiser Select 55
Bud Light
Bud Light Chelada
Bud Light Golden Wheat
Bud Light Lime
Bud Light Orange
Bud Light Platinum
Caracu (Brazil)
Cervecería Boliviana Nacional (Bolivia)
Bi-Cervecina El Inca
Ducal
Huari
Maltín
Paceña
Paceña Centenario
Taquiña
Cervecería Nacional (Panamá)
Atlas
Atlas Golden Light
Balboa
Balboa Ice
Malta Vigor
Cervejaria Colorado (Brazil)
Cervecerias Chile (Chile)
Cervejaria Wäls (Brazil)
Báltica (Chile)
Becker (Chile)
Cusqueña (Peru)
Devils Backbone Brewing Company (USA)
Elysian Brewing Company (USA)
Four Peaks (USA)
Golden Road (USA)
Goose Island Brewery (USA)
Grupo Modelo (Mexico) Acquired in 2013
Barrilito
Corona Cero
Corona Extra
Corona Ligera
Corona Light
Cervecería Bocanegra
Cervecería Cucapá
Cervecería de Tijuana
León
Modelo Ámbar
Modelo Especial
Modelo Noche Especial
Modelo Trigo
Montejo
Negra Modelo
Pacifico Clara
Pacifico Light
Pacifico Suave
Vicky Chamoy
Vicky Chelada
Victoria
Victoria Ligera
Índica (Uruguay)
Karbach Brewing Company (USA)
Kokanee (Canada)
Kokanee
Kokanee Gold
Kokanee Light
Kokanee Frost
Kootenay True Ale
Labatt Family (Canada) Acquired in 1995
Labatt Blue
Labatt Blue Dry
Labatt Blue Light
Labatt Club
Labatt .5
Labatt Lite
Labatt Lucky Lager
Labatt 50
John Labatt Classic
Labatt Genuine
Labatt Extra Dry Lager
Labatt Wildcat
Labatt Ice
Jockey Club
Blue Star
Lakeport Family (Canada) Acquired in 2007
Lakeport Pilsener
Lakeport Honey Lager
Lakeport Strong
Lakeport Ice
Lakeport Ale
Lakeport Light
Lakeport Red
Steeler
Brava
Wee Willy
Liber (Brazil)
Marathon (Brazil)
Michelob
Michelob Light
Michelob Honey Lager
Michelob Honey Wheat
Michelob Pale Ale
Michelob Ultra
Mill Street Brewery (Canada)
Malta Morena (Dominican Republic)
Norteña (Uruguay)
Oceánica (Uruguay)
Oland Export Ale (Canada)
Original (Brazil)
Patagonia (Argentina)
Patricia (Uruguay)
Pilsen (Paraguay)
Pilsen Ñande (Paraguay)
Pilsen Ñande Roja
Pilsen Ñande Blanca
Pilsen Ñande Negra
Pilsener (Ecuador)
Pilsener Light (Ecuador)
Presidente Light (Dominican Republic)
Presidente Black (Dominican Republic)
Quilmes (Argentina)
Rolling Rock
Rolling Rock Light
Rolling Rock Red
Ron Barceló (Dominican Republic)
Schooner Lager (Canada)
Serramalte (Brazil)
Spiked Seltzer (USA)
Sukita (Brazil)
Turning Point (Canada)
Stanley Park
Hell's Gate
Veza Sur Brewing Company (USA)
Wicked Weed (USA)
Veza Sur Mangolandia on a golf course
Veza Sur Mangolandia on a golf course

Africa
South African Breweries (SAB)
Brutal fruit
Black Crown
Carling Black Label
Carver's Weis
Castle Lager
Castle Lite
Castle Milk Stout
Castle Free
Corona
Flying Fish
Flying Fish Chill
Hansa Pilsner
Liberado
Newlands Spring
Redds
Cervejas De Moçambique (CDM)
2M
2M Flow
Manica
Laurentina
Laurentina Premium
Laurentina Preta
Laurentina Clara
Impala(cassava-based beer)
Dourada

I know it's not really related, but the Bud Light situation packaged with the Fox News Tucker thing has made it a REALLY good few months for laughing at billionaires.

At first I remember posting things like "Ok, now this isn't going to kill Bud Light or anything, but..." then talked about how much money they were gonna lose over it.

Now though, I honestly think this might kill BL as a brand. They're gonna have to come up with something new. Maybe a name change or marry the trademarks into Budweiser somehow, but the term "Bud Light" is pretty epically fricked, and it's looking like light beer drinkers have a much longer memory than AB realized.

Really though. It's pretty great to watch.

I wonder what the data is for other beers in AB's portfolio.

Probably up a bit but not enough to outweigh all the unsold BL in stores and in the pipeline waiting to be delivered.


The longer this goes on, those losses are going to mount because, unless they have ramped back on production, they are now severely overproducing BL for the demand in the market. And that beer ain’t gonna drink itself.