Reader: There's No Such Thing as Bad Publicity -- But There Is Such a Thing as Bad Beer

Comments have been pouring out about one of this year's Super Bowl commercials, a Budweiser ad that drew special attention from the 3,200 craft breweries across the country -- and the people who drink their beer. "Brewed the Hard Way" began with the words "Proudly a macro beer" spelled out...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 6, 2015

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Comments have been pouring out about one of this year's Super Bowl commercials, a Budweiser ad that drew special attention from the 3,200 craft breweries across the country -- and the people who drink their beer. "Brewed the Hard Way" began with the words "Proudly a macro beer" spelled out on the screen, followed by a shot of a bearded fellow sniffing a glass of dark beer and the words, "It's not brewed to be fussed over." The ad continued with a shot of three hip-looking fellows with tasting glasses and the words, "It's brewed for drinking, not dissecting." But plenty of beer fans have been dissecting the ad itself... See also: Budweiser Takes a Shot at Craft Beer in Super Bowl Ad, Faces Pumpkin Peach Blowback

Says Michael:

Budweiser is easily one of the top 3 WORST beers on the planet. I'll keep my craft brews and the little guy in business thank you very much.

Responds D.j. Horton:

This wasn't picking a fight, it's called branding. They didn't say, "your craft beer sucks ass." They said "we don't make anything but plain old lagers and that's who we are." Even though it's not really true (read the comment about their parent company owning a ton of larger micro breweries), it's still a great marketing move. They know people (somewhere) like their beer, they know who they are, and they are sticking to their brand.

Says Necropanther:

There is no such thing as bad publicity. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as bad beer.

What did you think of the Budweiser Super Bowl ad? What do you think of Budweiser's beer?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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