A certain brewery in Seattle has been known to brew one …
If there was any lingering doubt craft beer is a beverage industry-shaking economic force, Budweiser laid it to rest Sunday with its beer snob-mocking Super Bowl ad.
Set aside the greater market share, the continued stunning growth of new American independent craft breweries and expansions of existing ones.
You know craft beer has truly arrived when the world’s biggest brewer feels compelled to strike back with an $8.4 million broadside, the going rate for a minute-long Super Bowl spot.
The marketing budgets of the majority of Colorado breweries is about $8.4 million short of that.
Much of the reaction to the ad has focused, justifiably, on the sheer hypocrisy. Just last month, news broke that , just the latest pickup in a Bud shopping spree of independent breweries.
You could look at it and say Bud took on the extreme beer snob stereotype, which does lend itself to easy ridicule. But more than anything, the ad shows craft beer poses a real threat, enough so that Budweiser thinks it might be able to win over (or back) those who somehow might be persuaded that buying a mass-produced light lager is actually showing an independent streak against the elite class.
This morning we e-mailed Paul Gatza with the Boulder-based Brewers Association, the trade group for independent craft brewers, and this is what he had to say about Bud’s move:
“If a brewer chooses to alienate a group of beer drinkers that would be potential customers, that company is welcome to do that. It is ironic that the beer style the flash on the screen, is one that Elysian makes, who Anheuser-Busch just announced the purchase of 9 days before. Some in social media commented that the message they got out of the ad aiming at the way craft beer drinkers appreciate their beer worked in reverse to the effect of ‘Bud beer drinkers don’t care about taste.'”
Here, a roundup of some of the reaction in the Colorado craft beer world — including, well, the inevitable.
Wait, there was a football game yesterday? Seems like Twitter is just talking about a beer commercial.
— Focus on the Beer (@focusonthebeer)
Our handmade beers are brewed/fermented/aged the SLOW WAY and meant to be sniffed, swirled, sipped, and dissected.
Let the ridicule begin.
— Paradox Beer Company (@ParadoxBeer)
We enjoy is conversation is is is for
— ChainReactionBrewing (@ChainReacbrew)
Hmmm. Peach pumpkin ale with flavor…. Or this.
— Grimm Bros Brewhouse (@grimmbrosbrew)
Still not sure what is more unbelievable – that terrible play call or that terrible commercial…
— Station 26 Brewing (@S26BC)
I bet wants to punch in the face today. Thanks for promoting to over 100,000,000 people!!
— Odyssey Beerwerks (@OdysseyBeerwrks)
Mix Brainless on Peaches with our pumpkin beer? Really ? Alienate a generation of Americans, smart marketing.
— EpicBrewing (@EpicBrewing)
Not cool , ripping on drinkers in ad, while u buy craft breweries. Drink more craft beer,
— Colorado Beer Trail (@COBeerTrail)
I might not be making this week or ever but I will make a fuss over .
— Bryan Selders (@bryanselders)
The good thing is this ad shows that craft brewers are on Budweiser’s radar more than they let on…
— Kannah Creek (@KannahCreekBrew)
I think someone in Crested Butte should start a brewery called Whatever Town and make pumpkin peach
— Em&M (@EMossFace)
Julia Herz, craft beer program director with the Brewers Association, weighs in:
Looks like lovers are speaking up against the ad 8:1 2,500 dislikes/315 likes
— Julia Herz (@HerzMuses)
You know where all this is headed …
I feel like season is just around the corner. Challenge accepted,
— Napa of Beer (@NapaofBeerGirl)
Lots of new interest in options
— CO Brewers Guild (@coloradobrewers)
A lot of pumpkins and peaches are about to die to prove a point. Are you happy now ?
— Shannon Berner (@shannonberner)
And sure enough …
Budweiser Takes a Shot at Craft Beer in Super Bowl Ad, Faces Pumpkin Peach Blowback
— Jonathan Shikes (@ColoBeerMan)
