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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/580366
www.cheersonline.com 32 • October 2015 % Change Brand Brewer 2012 2013 2014p '13/'14 Bud Light A-B InBev 530,250 520,510 511,661 -1.7% Coors Light MillerCoors 258,980 253,800 244,917 -3.5% Budweiser A-B InBev 226,270 215,520 205,606 -4.6% Miller Lite MillerCoors 201,230 189,940 186,901 -1.6% Natural Light A-B InBev 110,410 102,020 95,083 -6.8% Busch Light A-B InBev 90,340 89,400 89,350 -0.1% Busch A-B InBev 76,720 72,440 73,889 2.0% Michelob Ultra A-B InBev 46,870 55,700 56,981 2.3% Keystone Light MillerCoors 57,910 52,720 48,502 -8.0% Miller High Life MillerCoors 53,100 49,950 46,953 -6.0% Yuengling D.G. Yuengling & Son 37,950 37,170 39,549 6.4% Natural Ice A-B InBev 43,200 40,420 38,750 -4.1% Pabst Blue Ribbon Pabst Brewing Co. 36,370 37,400 38,100 1.9% Blue Moon MillerCoors 25,630 28,790 29,654 3.0% Coors Banquet MillerCoors 19,750 20,080 20,441 1.8% Miller Genuine Draft MillerCoors 21,220 20,460 19,785 -3.3% (p) Preliminary. Source: Beverage Information Group Handbook Advance 2015 LEADING DOMESTIC BEER BRANDS, 2012-2014 (000 2.25-Gallon Cases) Hattersley has made it clear neither he nor the company's board has been satisfi ed with volume performance for some time, and as such, appointed a new chief marketing offi cer (David Kroll) and president of sales and distributor operations (Kevin Doyle)." Although both Coors Light and Miller Lite have grown relative to similar brands in their segment, "The company is working hard to achieve both share and volume growth, and as such, plans to signifi cantly increase investments in the second half of this year behind our Premium Light brands," Maloney adds. The company is bringing back the 1975 Miller Steinie bottle this fall. At the same time, "Coors Light will launch its 'Always Game Ready' football program with retail, social/digital, out-of-home and local experiential components," Maloney says. If the retro feel and the nostalgic connection to sports sounds predictable, that may be a winning move: Coors Banquet, its old- school brand, is on track for its ninth straight year of growth. Earlier this year, Anheuser- Busch took an eyebrow-raising approach to rebuilding Budweiser numbers. Instead of warming hearts with the Clydesdales, Bud's 2015 Super Bowl ad sneered at craft beers and their drinkers, portraying both as effete and precious. The ad naturally caused indignation in the craft beer community, mixed with accusations of hypocrisy—particularly since A-B had just announced the purchase of Seattle's Elysian Brewing, known for precisely the sort of beers the ad mocked. A-B clearly calculated that it could afford to offend craft beer lovers, so long as the ads reinforced the loyalty of wavering Bud fans with its "us and them" message. BEER TRENDS IN STORE Retailers notice fl uctuations in the fortunes of American beer brands, even as these domestic lagers are still the most popular "OUR NUMBER-ONE SELLER IS MILLER LITE 30-PACKS, HANDS DOWN, OUT OF EVERYTHING IN THE STORE—BEER, WINE, LIQUOR." — James Campbell, beer department manager at Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, MD THE STATE of AMERICAN BEER