Sam Adams 12pack $15.99 vs Corona 12pack $16.99. Why would anyone?

The point has been made, but it's obvious. People will by and large purchase things they like and avoid purchasing things they don't like. I don't necessarily think Corona is a bad beer unless it's skunked. So if I had to make a choice between a Samuel Adams variety pack and a Corona 12-pack, I'm likely going to go with the Samuel Adams variety pack because A) I like it, and B) I will have less worries over skunked beer.

 

Well I am still confused. Oh well. Got to get back to my temp job at the political campaign...

 

Why would anyone pick a $6.99 22 oz. bottle of stylistically inaccurate Maerzen from a brewery less than 2 years old over a $6.99 6-pack of Spaten Maerzen, which Michael Jackson deemed world-class, from a brewery with over 600 years of experience? Groupthink and marketing gimmicks apply to the craft beer crowd, too.

 

Because I would rather spend money on a six pack of Paulaner rather than Spaten, but that wasn't the question you asked. And I wish I had your prices here.

 

Many people like something that needs a lime to give it flavor.


Plus it is in vogue to bash Sam Adams, and what better way to do so then pay more for something like Corona!

 

Shall I rephrase that for you?
They drink Corona because they like the LACK OF taste. They are just looking for a relatively efficient alcohol delivery medium, not complex and nuanced flavors.

 

I think it's as simple as saying both beers are simply speaking to different groups of beer drinkers. The Corona drinker wouldn't buy SA and vice versa.

 

How do they know they like it if there is always a lime in it?

 

If I were going to a pool party/the beach with a cooler full of ice and wanted to drink all day - Corona all the way.

 

I haven't read all the responses here, so this may have been said. But like Todd said, I like Corona at times and not a fan of Sam Adams. Also, not sure where you are buying a 12 pack of Corona for 17 dollars... it's 12-13 here.

 

I drink it from time to time. Does that mean I don't like beer?

 

Sorry, wrong. Quit thinking you know why people do what they do.

 

Why would you guys respond to this thread? His user name is alkohollokaust, he just joined Sunday and it's his first post.

 

There IS always the possibility that it's a legit question

I think everyone who really gets into craft beer asks this sort of question to themselves at one point, and it is quite a conundrum. Why DO people spend money on a beer which is objectively of lower quality, especially when cheaper options of higher quality are presented? I think that "because they like it" is a bit too simple of answer in this case. Why, then? Let's look at some possibilities:

1) Marketing: Let's be honest about this... beers like Corona have great marketing, and great marketing is a powerful motivator. How much TV does the average American watch in a week? During all of that time, they are on the receiving end of a lot of marketing, which the BMC guys can easily afford to propagate.Similarly, LACK of marketing hurts craft breweries. When given a choice between what is massively marketed and something weird-looking they've never seen before, most people will go with the former rather than the latter.

2) Word of mouth. Beer is often a very social thing, and how one is introduced to the world of beer can have a lasting impact. Often, we have a tendency to emulate those who came before us: our grandfathers, our fathers, uncles, etc. Most people drink BMC, and that is a fact; therefore, newer generations are introduced to the beer world through these brands.

3) Brand loyalty: people have a tendency to associate themselves with brands. A good example of this would be pro sports. Ever hear someone say "we won"? They sure as hell weren't on that football field, but they associate with the team nonetheless. This allows them to share in achievements that would otherwise be denied them, obtain positive feelings more often, and obtain a sense of community. Well, this happens with products (such as beer) also.

4) "You get what you pay for": This attitude is a well-documented psychological concept. Here is an example: a jewelery store owner goes on vacation and instructs the manager to have a sale for certain items at 50% of the price. The manager gets back and is astounded to find that all of the merchandise is gone; what's more, the manager had made an error, and charged TWICE the price instead of half. Everyone was confused (and pleased) but it was quite simple: people who stopped at the store immediately associated the high price with significant quality, even if the piece in question is really nothing special. The same thing occurs with Corona: people look at Corona on the shelf next to Bud and think "it's more expensive and therefore must be better; since the cost difference is paltry, I'll grab the pricier one".

5) Because they like it. While I think the answer is often more complex, sometimes the answer really is simply because they enjoy the taste of it. Everyone has different taste, and that is fine by me!

Several of these concepts are detailed in Robert Cialdini's "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion". Great read; I strongly recommend it. Anyhow, I think that covers the subject pretty well. I just wanted to point out that questions such as the one posed by TC don't always have simple answers, and that just because it was his first post does not mean it wasn't a poignant one. Cheers!

 

No...it just means either nothing better was available, or you're just weird. lol

 

Not only have I drank Corona on a hot day, I've drank Corona Light AND without lemon. I think it is a perfectly viable substitute for ice water.

 

I still want to know where a 12 pack of Corona costs $16.99

If you start an argument with a false premise, you lose automatically.

Edit - And I'm talking the US, I know it could be more expensive in Europe but so would any other beer imported from North America.

 

Wow, defensive much? Look, I don't pretend to be speaking for every Corona drinker out there, but don't jump on my azz for something that I've heard multiple times (from people holding Coronas), all they want is a quick buzz, they'll wait till the bar later for something better.