What should I call this column about VB’s, sorry Vic Bitter’s, latest change of heart?

I just don’t know what to headline this column.

• Don’t worry about all the ice, move the deckchairs over there?
• All marketers are liars?
• If we say it out loud it becomes true?
• If it wasn’t broke, why fix it?
• Vic bitter over CUB flipflops?

If you’ve ever wondered why Australian Brews News has a jaundiced view of beer marketers, it has been amply demonstrated today.

After spending the last three years denying absolutely in public and in private that VB’s reduction in alcohol would in any way affect the taste of the beer – and that beer drinkers didn’t care about it anyway – CUB have announced that VB will be restored to its previous strength. CUB Chief Executive Ari Mervis has even written a grovelling full-page apology letter titled, “We heard you…we’re fixing it.”

The question is should the apology be believed anymore than the original denials?

On October 3, 2009 then Group Marketing Manager for VB & Crown Lager, Paul Donaldson, was quoted as saying they had received very few complaints:

He insisted: “We wouldn’t mess with the taste of VB.

“There is nothing blokes can buy for $5 that means more to them than their beer.”

He said master brewers worked for six months to perfect the reduced-strength VB. “We consulted 1000 loyal VB drinkers and no one could pick it,” he said.

Now CUB’s Chief Marketing Officer Andy Gibson says that “today’s announcement is a victory for the beer drinkers of Australia.”

Which beer drinkers? The ‘very few’ who complained, the ones who were wrong three years ago or the ones who couldn’t pick the difference?

Even though three years ago CUB had received very few complaints, now those complaints are a deafening crescendo that they have suddenly been forced to take notice of.

So, were they spinning then, or are they spinning now? Can they even tell the difference anymore?

The We Got It Wrong mea culpa is a classic strategy to make the beer drinker, the one that was told that they were stupid for caring about the issue in the first place, that they have been listened to. The problem is that they forgot all about it long ago. Even in publishing its hand-wringing apology, CUB cites a three year old complaint letter. You could almost bet that they have received none since. It’s a dead issue, especially since their major competitors marched in lock step with their beers that all sit at 4.6% as well.

It seems that since taking over CUB, the new SABMiller has been playing “If I can Turn Back Time” in high rotation through the corporate PA system as the view seems to be by turning back time beer drinkers really will love them like they used to do. However, abandoning the Carlton and United Brewers moniker and the flash new logo to return to Carlton & United Breweries will do no more to restore the company’s fortunes than adding more cane sugar to VB and calling it Vic Bitter will.

This is a shiny-suit-led, marketing-driven company that has lost the faith of beer drinkers. For all of the talk of the new beer-focused management, all beer drinkers are being offered are old labels, hollow apologies and an extra serve of brandwank topped off with spin. {MK}

Media Release

We heard you… we’re fixing it
Victoria Bitter will return to its best

Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) confirms that Australia’s most iconic beer, Victoria Bitter will return to its original full strength and full flavour from October.

Changes to the packaging, marketing and recipe, with a resultant change in alcohol strength of Victoria Bitter are amongst a raft of changes intended to restore Australia’s most iconic beer “back to its best”.

CUB’s Chief Marketing Officer Andy Gibson says thattoday’s announcement is a victory for the beer drinkers of Australia.

“The Vic Bitter drinkers have spoken and told us that we should not have tinkered with their beer”, Gibson said.

“So we have listened and during the course of October Victoria Bitter will be returning to its best, in fact we reckon it will be better than ever.”

In a first for the brewer, CUB Chief Executive Ari Mervis has penned a full page “We heard you…we’re fixing it” letter to the beer drinkers of Australia, stating that we “had got it wrong” with changes to the brew over the past few years.

The new Victoria Bitter will begin to roll out to pubs, bars and bottle shops nationally over the course of October. The wholesale price of Vic Bitter will not change.

Victoria Bitter will be:

• Returning to full flavour, full strength at 4.9%;
• Bringing back the unmistakeable packaging, including reinstating the “Victoria Bitter” name on labels and cans; and
• Restoring the tagline “For a hard earned thirst”.