BUD LIGHT LIME

Capt.Flock · Post by **Capt.Flock** » April 9, 2008 12:32 pm

Bud light Lime this May

ST. LOUIS - The nation's biggest brewer is adding a twist of lime to its flagship brew Bud Light to help add some fizz in the face of stagnant demand.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. will launch Bud Light Lime nationwide in May, just before the season for barbecues and backyard parties. The company will roll out the drink with a $35 million marketing campaign featuring TV ads and outdoor signs, said Marlene Coulis, Anheuser-Busch's vice president of consumer strategy and innovation.

The new drink came after years of consumer research that showed customers wanted the occasional flavored drink for special occasions, Coulis said. The company is making every effort not to dilute the brand loyalty for Bud Light, she said.

"We believe that one of the best ways to complement a powerful, distinct brand family is to align with what your consumers are looking for," she said.

Anheuser-Busch officials said last month they are undertaking a major effort to boost revenue from the company's core brands in the United States as consumers have increasingly turned to craft beers and cocktails. Chief Financial Officer W. Randolph Baker said the effort will include a media blitz and a 40 percent increase in the company's sales force.

Bud Light's growing popularity has propelled Anheuser-Busch's U.S. sales for years, said Benj Steinman, publisher of Beer Marketer's Insights. Last year Bud Light sales were up 800,000 barrels while Budweiser sales were down 1.2 million barrels, he said.

Bud Light Lime joins a number of similar drinks such as Miller Brewing Co.'s "Miller Chill," which has lime and salt flavors to mimic a popular Mexican drink called a "chelada." Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada mix the beer with tomato juice.

The Bud Light Lime strategy has its risks, Steinman said.

"You want to certainly maintain the identity of the brand that you have already established. You don't want to dilute its brand equity, and you certainly don't want to alienate your core drinkers," he said.

"The plus side is that you have instant brand recognition," he said. "People will understand the Bud Light Lime concept very quickly."

The new drink will sell at a premium price of $1 to $1.50 more a six-pack. That price doesn't necessarily reflect the cost of pure lime juice added to each bottle, but the price consumer are willing to pay for a more upscale drink.

"It all boils down to the fact that this is a drink (consumers) would expect to pay more for," she said.

Steinman didn't want to guess how well the new drink might be received. But he noted that past spinoffs like Bud Ice, Bud Dry and Bud Select have all created an initial boost in sales that eventually receded.

"They get a good initial pop on a lot of these brands," he said.

txaggirl91 · Post by **txaggirl91** » April 9, 2008 12:33 pm

ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?

Capt.Flock · Post by **Capt.Flock** » April 9, 2008 12:39 pm

txaggirl91 wrote:ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?

Landshark does not have the lime taste to it, while this new beer will have the lime flavor

Tarheel Tail-Gator · Post by **Tarheel Tail-Gator** » April 9, 2008 12:41 pm

txaggirl91 wrote:ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?

Different bottle, possibly different price point

Tarheel Tail-Gator · Post by **Tarheel Tail-Gator** » April 9, 2008 12:42 pm

Capt.Flock wrote:
txaggirl91 wrote:ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?
Landshark does not have the lime taste to it, while this new beer will have the lime flavor

When we went to Brewmaster's School at Sea World this fall, the AB rep claimed that Landshark differed from Corona, because you didn't have to add a lime, it was already added

Capt.Flock · Post by **Capt.Flock** » April 9, 2008 12:42 pm

Tarheel Tail-Gator wrote:
txaggirl91 wrote:ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?
Different bottle, possibly different price point

bottle is green

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » April 9, 2008 12:43 pm

txaggirl91 wrote:ok... i'll be the first one to ask it....

How is this different than Landshark?

"The plus side is that you have instant brand recognition," he said. "People will understand the Bud Light Lime concept very quickly."

Dr.Corona · Post by **Dr.Corona** » April 9, 2008 1:00 pm

Can you say Miller Chill!!!!

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » April 9, 2008 1:59 pm

Man Law:

Don't fruit the beer.

Dezdmona · Post by **Dezdmona** » April 9, 2008 2:08 pm

RinglingRingling wrote:Man Law:

Don't fruit the beer.

Agreed...not just a man thing.

A fad IMHO.
(And if you really like it, why wouldn't you use fresh limes?)

PackerPhan · Post by **PackerPhan** » April 9, 2008 2:39 pm

Call me what you will, but I am kind of a sucker for Miller Chill, so I will give this a whirl.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » April 9, 2008 2:50 pm

PackerPhan wrote:Call me what you will, but I am kind of a sucker for Miller Chill, so I will give this a whirl.

"kinda a sucker"

Bfan53 · Post by **Bfan53** » April 9, 2008 2:50 pm

Dezdmona wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:Man Law:

Don't fruit the beer.
Agreed...not just a man thing.

A fad IMHO.
(And if you really like it, why wouldn't you use fresh limes?)

Ditto......

chippewa · Post by **chippewa** » April 9, 2008 2:54 pm

Dr.Corona wrote:Can you say Miller Chill!!!!

I'll have the occasional lime in a Mexican beer, but Miller Chill was waaaay to limey for my taste.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » April 9, 2008 2:57 pm

chippewa wrote:
Dr.Corona wrote:Can you say Miller Chill!!!!
I'll have the occasional lime in a Mexican beer, but Miller Chill was waaaay to limey for my taste.

"when I want Limey, I dust off my Margaret Thatcher fantasies"

PackerPhan · Post by **PackerPhan** » April 9, 2008 3:16 pm

RinglingRingling wrote:
PackerPhan wrote:Call me what you will, but I am kind of a sucker for Miller Chill, so I will give this a whirl.
"kinda a sucker"

That was nice and gentle, I was expecting worse.

Capt.Flock · Post by **Capt.Flock** » April 9, 2008 3:23 pm

PackerPhan wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:
PackerPhan wrote:Call me what you will, but I am kind of a sucker for Miller Chill, so I will give this a whirl.
"kinda a sucker"
That was nice and gentle, I was expecting worse.

he is trying to turn over a new leaf

pair8head · Post by **pair8head** » April 9, 2008 3:39 pm

RinglingRingling wrote:Man Law:

Don't fruit the beer.

I was going to post the very same thing.

Skibo · Post by **Skibo** » April 9, 2008 3:51 pm

bad beer with fruit is nothing more than bad beer with fruit.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » April 9, 2008 4:09 pm

Capt.Flock wrote:
PackerPhan wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:
PackerPhan wrote:Call me what you will, but I am kind of a sucker for Miller Chill, so I will give this a whirl.
"kinda a sucker"
That was nice and gentle, I was expecting worse.
he is trying to turn over a new leaf

just wasn't up for the full shock and awe.