I'm so embarrassed that the US has spawned this aberration

The problem with this thread (and your comment) is you ignore the reality (which many deem unfortunate). Great marketing drives the vast majority of beer sales, not the liquid in the glass. Of course there are beers here and there which are simply amazing liquid, the word gets around and people end up lined up on a country road in Frog's Balls, Vermont to get two bottles. But these beers are the exception and far from the majority.

This extends to naming/labeing of beers, what are you going to pull off the shelf first to take a second look at? A beer with a label like 3 floyds which is absolute crazy art or a name like GINORMUASS ASS BLOWER STOUT, or a relatively boring label (and name) like Sierra Nevada Porter? I know that most people would walk by the 3 Floyds/made up beer above and at least pick it up to take another look (or post a picture on social media for commentary!), while Sierra Nevada might get passed over because it doesn't catch anybody's eye.

I would challenge anybody to look at their own markets to see this in action, often times, the brewery with the best beer may not have the best marketing (because the management are beer people, not business/sales/marketing people) and the best marketing may be from people who produce mediocre crap.

There's a local brewery in the Cincinnati area whose beer is mediocre at best, generally overpriced and as inspiring as the letter B volume of an encyclopedia. That being said, they do extremely well with their marketing and have an extremely nice tap room. This brings people in for events and they have quickly built an extremely good reputation in the community. Oh and their best beer is probably a C+/B-.

So, I guess if you want to see less of this stuff, try and figure out a way to change human nature, things that catch our eye and are interesting (or gimmicky) will always sell better than a brown bottle with "BEER - IPA" written on the side in silver sharpie.

Edit: better example, what would sell better "Stone Arrogant Bastard ale" or "Stone American Strong Ale"....

 

But is it any good?

 

Don't be such a prude. It's easier to just move on.

 

Relax and enjoy the party because I recall what you Europeans did during the alcopop craze. Same dang thing.

 

Bill, FWIW I enjoyed your generous use of emoticons.

Cheers!

 

I can speak for most of the locals familiar with Brew Rebellion, they make shit beer.

 

And don't forget Radlers.

Cheers!

 

ISO: Ginormuass Ass Blower Stout

On second thought, maybe not...

 

I hope that I can love this and hate this at the same time, because that's what I'm a-gonna do.

 

Of course, the underlying truth here is that attention getting is a key part of any commercial pursuit.

In an industry with 4,000+ breweries, the most successful ones over the long haul--especially new ones without the brand recognition of brands like Sierra Nevada--are going to be the ones with unique, eye-catching labeling/marketing/packaging AND kick-ass beers inside the packaging.

You have to get consumers attention before they can ever decide if they like your beer.

 

And that's probably why they felt the need for the gimmick. People will notice that on the shelf and a portion of those people will buy it that may not have otherwise paid it any attention. Next they should promote a beer made with yeast propagated via a single hair from Scarlett Johansson's vagina. I'll let you guys ponder the packaging for that, lol...

 

Had 4oz or so yesterday and wasn't offended by the label in the least. The beer isn't world class, but it's solid.

 

Paging rogue brewing Co...

 

This is a serious conversation we are trying to have here Junior.

 

???

What have sex and nudity got to do with any of this? Missing the connection here.

 

Collaboration: Rogue + Against The Grain

With a dry, crusty--er, roasty finish.

 

Rather says more about potential customers than the maker.

 

I get what you're saying (the part I had the limited attention span to read carefully at least), and readily admit my reaction was simply knee jerk and old school no-gimmicks-needed-to-sell-a-good-product-with-normal-marketing-in-an-uncrowded-marketplace thinking. But I truly think you are describing a subset of the audience, not the whole thing.

Also, and maybe more importantly, there is probably a reason that I never saw fruit loops or cheerios stuck to the side of a beer bottle before. The fate of many products may be intimately tied to their marketing, but what other than an overcrowded market would likely lead to this?

 

Kind of like these? German, German, Japanese.

 

It's really silly but maybe its not so serious an issue as to evoke shame & embarrassment for me.

Yeah second this.

 

It can't be any worse than anything that has ever come from the Pink Death bottle series from Rogue.

 

Breweries do this to give us something to talk about on this forum. It's working.

 

The craft beer industry is a consumer business just like any other consumer business.

IMO, @mwa423 addressed your topics/questions in his post above.

Did you read what he had to say?

Cheers!

 

I can understand your frustration, but when I'm talking about marketing/packaging/gimmicks driving beer sales (as opposed to liquid), I'm talking about the vast majority of the beer market. What's going to get more reaction: "Tap the Rockies"/"This Bud's For You" or (insert local beer tagline here) in your city?

 

You can't make a judgement about the beer itself without having tried it. The packaging, yes.
If you think that Westvleteren's bottles equate to a lack of packaging identity (or seduction) then think again.

 

Yes, most humans want to believe that they are mature. Yet will still buy flashy and gimmicky things due to us still being attracted to childish things. It's all a joke, a big sad joke. I'd rather the beer speak and not it's Label.

 

It's called marketing . . .

 

i've had 2 of their Imp stouts..both sucked.

 

I think it is a good idea that this thread got moved. You are obtaining a more robust level of discussion here; both a greater participation amount but also a broader perspective of discussion.

Maybe you should post more in the Beer Talks forum?

Cheers!

 

Stopping for a night soon. Not sure of the brewery you are speaking of. Send a beer ail if you wish.

 

Its like the Kardashians...if you ignore them then maybe one day it'll go away. But thanks for giving them free advertising to millions of beer drinkers...

 

Fortunately, this is just beer. There is so much more to be embarrassed about in the U.S.A. these days that has nothing to do with beer.

 

Cheerios, mate

 

Then remaining in the Germany forum would have accomplished what you are seeking.

If you are ever in the mood for some broader thinking/perspective then the Beer Talk forum will always be available to you.

Entirely your choice in this matter.

Cheers!

 

So as I think about this a bit more, I'm wondering, if marketing is all there is to it, how did Bud Light drinkers ever step up and say "No" to a recent marketing campaign about eliminating "no" from their vocabulary? How did New Coke every become a colossal failure to the point they took it off the market and brought back the old version? How is it that Edsels never became a success?