Anheuser Busch Flirts With Releasing Entire Lineup of 55 Calorie Beers
Originally posted on: Saturday, June 20, 2009
I must admit that I’ve never really understood the logic behind light beer. It just seems silly to me. With the 7th most viewed Mutineer Blog post of 2009, silly got sillier with 55 calorie beers entering the conversation compliments of Anheuser Busch. Continue Reading »
Miller’s 64 calorie beer, MGD64, has turned out to be a commercial success, so like movies about mall cops, Anheuser-Busch is entering the calorie labeled beer world as well with, wait for it, Budweiser Select 55, which should hit shelves later this year in select markets. Continue Reading »
With Facebook launching new Usernames this week, things got pretty insane at Facebook HQ, with Mashable.com releasing these photos from within the heart of it all. Here is a glimpse into the beverage culture at Facebook:
In the main picture of the blog, there is a bottle of Macallan 12, which tells me one of two things. Either the team is so confident that the username launch is going to go so well that a celebration is imminent, with a bottle of Scotch being the perfect libation to celebrate such a moment, or that things were going to get very terrifying very quickly, and Scotch may be the only thing to calm everyone’s nerves and keep morale up. Either way, a sound strategy. Continue Reading »
…the advertising bomb that is. McDonald’s is preparing to shoot America in the brain with propaganda about their new coffee line, McCafe. According to Advertising Age, McDonald’s is planning on spending $100 million on marketing, which goes to show that regardless of the recession, people gotta eat…and drink. The ambitious marketing effort makes this the biggest launch in company history, with an expected $1 billion in revenues coming from the new drinks.
According to McCafe’s website, the launch will start in roaring Kentuckiana and other Central Illinois areas and feature traditional American coffee fare including cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas.
Worried you’ll miss the launch? Doesn’t sound like it will be a problem. According to Advertising Age:
“I assure you that we’re going to be surrounding the consumer with very relevant messaging,” said Neil Golden, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s USA. He said the initial ads “will pulse on and off very strongly through the summer, with sustained weight well into 2010.” McDonald’s has already started the push with coupon booklets in newspapers for McCafé, which will initially include cappuccinos, hot and iced lattes and mochas, hot and iced coffees, and hot chocolate. McDonald’s will add smoothies and frappes to the line later this year and into 2010.
I’m sure the independent coffee scene isn’t looking forward to yet another equivalent of a knives vs. missile launchers battle in terms of trying to compete with these larger companies, and the only advice I can offer is to beat the big companies is quality and culture…and maybe fear and swords, like in The Last Samurai where the Samurai army defeats the army with guns…but I’d stick with quality and culture.
(L to R) Mark Cornell, CEO MoetHennessy USA, TV personality Kim Kardashian, singer Ciara and Bernard Peillon, President of Hennessy, at the launch event for Hennessy Black, a new highly versatile cognac “done different” that is perfect for being enjoyed UP (as shots) or DOWN (as mixed drinks), where the original song performed by Swizz Beats and original dance by the JabbaWockeeZ showcased a contrast of UP and DOWN style, at 7 World Trade Center in New York City.
Credit Theo Wargo/Wireimage.
There is a new Cognac on the scene, Hennessy Black. This is the first new Cognac for Hennessy in 48 years. “We are thrilled to launch such a spectacular new product from Hennessy, the leading cognac in the world,” said Mark Cornell, CEO Moet Hennessy USA. “Our fast growing consumer base is looking for new and innovative ways to consume cognac and we have the perfect blend to speak to this generation.” Continue Reading »
