Product “weakness” is only a state of mind!

Posted at June 5, 2009 // Advertising, Promotion, Strategy / Tactics

I am barely a social drinker, and I’m a complete lightweight if and when I do go out for a drink. So, I could never work for a beer company. In face, I have actually interviewed with Anheuser-Busch, and quickly realize that I would not be happy working there with their corporate culture. Also, there is something to be said about marketing something that you are actually passionate about.

BUT, with that said, I do wish from time-to-time to just be able to be a fly on the wall in one of their strategic planning sessions.

I don’t know which comes first, but it appears to me that every AB product marries consumer insight with product features.

The latest and greatest example would definitely be Bud Light Lime. This product was launched last summer, in direct competition of Miller Chill, which was launched a year ago. However, in the one year’s time, you could see how advertising can make or break a product.

A year later, Miller Chill achieved less than a quarter of the sales that Bud Light Lime achieved, according to Brand Week. Why? Miller Chill could not get past being a summer beer.

Bud Light Lime, however, did. Because Bud Light Lime is not just a summer beer because of taste, but it is a summer beer because it brings with it a summer state of mind. It is apparent that AB thought this through before launching the product. The launch commercial in summer 08 already advertised summer state of mind, which is leveraged in winter month commercials in the winter.

But, of course, advertising is only one element of brand management. Could Miller Chill make a come-back? We’ll see.

Miller Chill’s commercial highlight how chilling the beer is in Summer 2008…

Now, Bud Light Lime’s launch commercial in Summer 2008. What a difference!

Versions of the Bud Light Lime launch commercials are being re-aired this summer. But knowing AB, new commercials are coming soon! (In fact, I think some of them are already online.)

But, in the end, it was the winter ads that showed the campaigns geniusness! (Yes, I know that’s not really a word.)