Being in an incendiary mood on occasion can get me in trouble. However, this is our site and we know our readers well enough that I’m comfortable with writing this type of post. So, without further ado, here is what I have to say. How dumb are Bud Light drinkers really?
During the course of the World Cup (sponsored by Budweiser), I’d seen a multitude of Bud Light commercials. The commercials are certainly ubiquitous, some are a little funny, others are amateurish and others are flat out stupid. The funny part is, they assume the low-brow intelligence and humor of people who support their beer.
Admittedly, this is a rant and I’m characterizing the commercials a certain way but I’m attempting to create some actual humor and criticism of the product via the commercials themselves. Essentially, I’m breaking-down the commercials and making fun of them. If you are interested, read on. Also, I’ll have the reader note that if they are bothered by the characterization of Bud Light drinkers as idiots, then perhaps it should be taken up with Bud itself.
Two commercials are particularly filling my mind. Maybe those of you reading this have seen the commercials…here is the first. The first involves a plane wreck on an island. In the commercial, a woman finds the airplane’s radio and offers hope to the people of the plane crash. Essentially, she tells the other island members that she thinks this will get them off the island. Right as she is wrapping up her good news, another person states that he has located the plane’s beverage storage and, guess what, it’s full of Bud Light. At this point in the procession, people decide to abandon the hope of rescue for the hope of a few beers apiece (perhaps it’s the hope of re-hydration with water). So, what’s the implication?
It appears that these morons are so shortsighted that a few free beers is better than rescue. Aside from being cheapskates, don’t they realize that they can buy much more of their crappy product once their not under the oppression of death? I get the implication. The beer is so good that one would abandon the prospect of rescue for it. However, what possible auspices would cause the denial of life for a vapid brew. Furthermore, the idea of the commercial is counter-intuitive to the idea of consuming responsibly…something the brewer is eager to promote. Instead, the party animals on the island forsake rescue because they love pounding them back so much. I can almost hear the conch blowing in the distance.
Yeah, that one had me scratching my head. So, Bud Light tastes so good, you’d rather perish on a deserted island just have a few free beers? Really? Wazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzup! Maybe we could get them for false advertising.
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beer_scientist Reply:
October 29th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
I wish we could get them for that, Tex.
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In a perverse way, I think the people making the commercials are far dumber than those they are selling to.
One of them watched LOST and then made an unfunny commercial. Shows a severe creative deficiency. Don Draper would not approve.
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beer_scientist Reply:
October 29th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
You’re probably right about the dumb people making the commercials. Sever creative deficiency in beer and ads. So sad!
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Perhaps as Bud Light drinkers, their life off the island really sucks. Do Bud Light drinkers really any reason hope? Prolly not.
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Justin Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 8:07 am
“really have..” (I forgot the word ‘have’)
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Justin Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 8:08 am
and the ‘for’. it should read “really have any reason for hope?” I quit typing for today.
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beer_scientist Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 11:40 am
No sweat. I’ve had to clarify on several comments I’ve made…here and elsewhere.
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beer_scientist Reply:
October 30th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Probably right about having no reason to hope.
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Listen, my newest set of inlaws (Son’s Wife’s Family) is any indication of what bud light drinkers are like, they would see the radio as something heavy with which to break open coconuts. In that case they are acting perfectly reasonably choosing a Bud light over coconut milk. Oh…and Jeff Gordon Sucks!
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beer_scientist Reply:
November 3rd, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Strange goings on.
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People want beer, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine beer, they’ll drink anything they see on television. They just want beer. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no beer, they’ll drink Bud Light. Lewis, we’ve had presidents who were beloved, who couldn’t find good beer with two hands and a flashlight. People don’t drink the Bud Light because they’re thirsty. They drink the Bud Light because they don’t know the difference.
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michael reinhardt Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Gary,
Thanks for the comment.
Agreed that people will drink what’s in front of them. Sure we’ve had presidents that couldn’t find a good beer. I’ve personally grown tired of Bud Light’s lowest common denominator humor and marketing tactics.
As far as not knowing the difference, perhaps that does make them dumb (simply being a passive recipient is not really a legitimate way out…at least in my opinion). I guess we should teach them the difference.
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I wanted to make use of those favorite lines and this seemed like a good way. Meanwhile, Headache In A Bottle seems to be the only logical choice for them. Choice? The marketing geniuses over at AB seems to have that fixed as well. I often ask: “Is it legal in this community to order anything other than Bud Light?” Perhaps some folks fear they could be breaking the law on top of the stigma suffered when moving in a direction so opposite of their peers.
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beer_scientist Reply:
February 15th, 2011 at 9:40 pm
Thanks again, Gary. I think the odds are a bit stacked in terms of stigma. I guess one must take the “shame be damned” approach. The implicit fear of ordering something other than Bud Light can be even more daunting in the face of flashing lights (be it bar or cop).
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I loved and drank AB Tequiza, to me the best tasting cooler beer on Earth. I was very upset when they discontinued it, but AB had the local distributors send me two entire pallets of it for free! AB may be a large conglomerate, but they take care of their friends.
Today, the closest beer to Tequiza is Bud Chelada. The infused flavorings, though some are salty, give the beer a sweetness on the front of the tongue as did Tequiza.
My problem with most “beer reviewers” is that they are very closed-palated and drink only certain craft beers instead of being open-palated. Most of these guys are angry white men (the worst type of human being on God’s earth and don’t get me wrong, I also am a white man, just not angry)
I love craft beer also and as I write, I am sitting on a giant stash of Pliny the Elder, Bell’s HopSlam, 3F Panzer Wolf, and many others…and will drink every one down to the last bottle, before glomming next years supply. Bu I love my Budweiser and Corona Extra as much as any other “common” beer drinker! Please, keep an open mind along with an open palate!!
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michael reinhardt Reply:
March 11th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Thanks for leaving a comment, Fred. This post is more about marketing tactics and ideas that they use. However, I do not like their product. Trust me when I tell you that I do keep and open palate. For instance, I don’t really like cheese. However, I’ve kept trying them in the case that I might like some of them. However, even if I don’t like something I can tell you if it is well made.
Unfortunately, I can’t say that about most AB products. They do use inferior grains (six row vs. two row), they fill their beer with adjuncts. Are they consistent and probably the most consistent (from a biological standpoint) on the beer market? Certainly. However, they are a misrepresentation of the historical style and lack depth of flavor. Yet, your warning about craft beer is well taken (people can be critical in that respect as well).
https://thankheavenforbeer.com/2009/10/24/the-cost-of-the-beer-the-nuances-of-getting-grains-in-your-beer/
https://thankheavenforbeer.com/2009/01/24/why-are-some-beers-more-expensive-than-others/
https://thankheavenforbeer.com/2009/11/08/the-cost-of-the-beer-hops/
https://thankheavenforbeer.com/2009/12/01/the-cost-of-beer-yeast/
https://thankheavenforbeer.com/2010/02/10/the-cost-of-beer-supply-demand/
However, don’t mistake my thoughts on them for anger. I am certainly hyperbolic in my statements…no anger though. As far as them taking care of their friends; it’s great that they sent it to you. Would they have done that if it sold well?…doubtful. At any rate, the person who sent it to you sounds like an awesome person and we should all be so lucky.
My real problem doesn’t have to do so much with their product (see my feelings above and elsewhere), it is the impact they have on the craft market, etc. that bothers me. Here is a series of post that I wrote on the cost of beer a while back.
Again, thanks for the comment. My response is simply that; a response. Please don’t construe it as anything else. We welcome your comments and appreciate that you were respectful. You are welcome back any time and please feel free to respectfully disagree.
Mike
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Thanks Mike.
I had joined “Beer Advocate” and reviewed some beers there, professionally, as I am an editor among other things and do not like childish reviews with nasty language, showing lack of education.
Although some of my reviews flew in their faces (bad, but professional marks for beers like Stone Ruination and Arrogant Bastard, among others) and shining reviews on HopSlam, Bell’s Double cream stout, and others they all liked, plus shining reviews for some they gave failing marks to, such as Bud Chelada, Tequiza, and others.
So this morning I was no longer able to log on to BA and found all my reviews gone!! What do you know about BA? I note that they are NOT on your links/friends. Are these people creeps?
Thanks,
Fred
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beer_scientist Reply:
May 9th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Fred,
Well, it is hard to say what to think about the enigma called beer advocate. Like anywhere else, it is a bit of mixed bag and it is easy for the little guys like Nate and myself to be polemical. There are good and bad people on there. However, I think you do capture the general hype that is endemic of the attitudes on the site. It is noteworthy that they are not friends on the site. We are not too keen on driving traffic to a site that is already over-visited and somewhat dicey on their reviews.
The fact that you couldn’t log onto their site and that your reviews were gone might be a indicator as to the sort of people (at least with the power to erase) with whom you are dealing. However, I can’t categorically write off the entire site. I will leave you to work through the impression that you have gotten based on their behavior. Let it be said that we are open to you possibly sending some reviews our way.
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Aside from the good points made about the moronic impressions of Bud drinkers – amazingly – this factoid really shocked me – Europe has strict guidelines on beer brewing recipes – of which Bud is in violation – but with the Belgium acquisition, Bud was given the approval of the European Union to sponsor the World Cup – though their “rice” beer violates all European restrictions. Go figure. Bud is making the world dumber and dumber about quality brew.
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Rich,
Thanks for commenting. Funny you mention the fact about the World Beer Cup given the flagrant violation. I just drank some Firestone DBA last night and noted that it too was in the cup. There is an obvious qualitative difference in the two beers. I promise when we are up and running, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1693254250/wilderness-brewing-co?ref=live, that if we enter a European competition we will play by the rules.
I was just talking with someone else the other night about the implications of the InBev but out and what it is doing to beer shelves in the US as well. The Stellas and Hoegaardens of the world are enjoy better shelf space. I guess it’s a win-win for them.
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[...] worried about the looks he’ll get from the aficionados, who like Wilderness co-owner Mike Reinhardt don’t understand Bud Light drinkers, and probably think Stella drinkers are their sissy cousins. [...]