No doubt everyone has seen ‘the ad’ by now. Did it mock craft beer? Probably. Poke fun at people who drink it? Yeah. But, then again, it seemed a much gentler form of mockery than that by craft beer aficionados who out-and-out dismiss mainstream beer as ‘megaswill’ without any redeeming features, with all of the implied insult cast on those who drink and genuinely enjoy these beers.
Despite their own non-gentle mockery of mainstream beer, sections of the craft community have erupted into a firestorm of vitriol and self-righteous indignation over the commercials. I can’t help but think that elements of the craft community have come to take themselves a little too seriously. When you think about it, it’s this self-seriousness that the ad pokes fun at.
Apparently it’s ok when craft beer makes fun of itself…
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Nailed it BN, nailed it. If you can’t say “touché” to Bud for that commercial, you’re taking yourself waaaay too seriously.
Well said Matt.
Couldn’t agree more.
Interesting though that Bud have aimed that ad at those that may have moved on from Bud to craft beer, and is now trying to get them back.
I wonder if they really do see the craft beer market as that big a threat?
The answer to the title question is -Yes. … we often do.
If we want to give them a hard time we have to expect and take it back as good as we give it.
However, I must say that I was very disappointed in the ad. I thought I was going to get a well made ad that made me laugh at myself and my peers. What I got however was an ad that appeared to be quickly made(although well shot) and scripted as a slightly desperate swinging shot. C’mon A-B you can have a better crack than that!
But if craft folk want to take a swing at the big boys they should expect the big boys to be allowed to swing back.
Yes, it definitely does… damn too seriously indeed. Budwseiser is just appealing to the simple pleasure of drinking a well, made fresh crisp mainstream lager after a day’s work. A pleasure a huge market still enjoys… Yes it mocked craft brewers a bit, but it was a lot more gentle than the craft beer movement would otherwise deserve. In the end its no battle, its just market reinforcement.