Dive Brief:
- Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller may be in the midst of a $104.2 billion takeover deal, but on a smaller scale, flagship brands from each company, namely Bud Light and Coors Light, are going through some major marketing changes.
- According to Ad Age, Bud Light is moving away from its millennial-focused campaign "The Perfect Beer for Whatever Happens," which has run for the past two years, and broadening its focus to include a wider range of consumer age groups. AB InBev's U.S. VP of marketing Jorn Socquet told Ad Age that the campaign is "is "trying too hard" to appeal to young adult drinkers, and "Bud Light as a brand appeals to everybody. And everybody who is young at heart should be attracted to Bud Light, not just [young adults]."
- As for Coors Light, MillerCoors CMO David Kroll told Ad Age that "we will bring our advertising back to a point that distinctly reignites the pride behind Rocky Mountain cold refreshment, and takes the brand beyond cold communication" by "directly linking it to that cohesive grit and mindset about what it means to be born in the Rockies."
Dive Insight:
Both brands, like other major domestic beer brands in the U.S., have lost market share to craft beer and imports and have been hindered by a rise in spirits consumption as well. "Bud Light's U.S. market share fell from 19% in 2010 to 17.5% last year and Coors Light dropped from 8.5% to 8.2%, according to Beer Marketer's Insights," Ad Age reported.
Overall, major light beer brands held a 35.5% share of the U.S. beer market in 2007, which was the peak market share for those brands, but since, that share has declined to 31.8%.
Many brands are turning to marketing as a solution for decreased volumes. Bud Light recently turned to the Internet of Things for innovation when the brand introduced its smart beer refrigerator, the Bud-E Fridge. Miller Lite decided to return to its classic steinie bottles for a limited time.