Is the King of Beers Dead?

STL Today just posted an article asking if Budweiser could ever make in-roads with the hipster crowd.  It seems Budweiser is having a hard time getting a tap handle in at some of the cooler venues in Saint Louis, their home town.  Beer drinkers are preferring craft beer, like Schlafly, or cheap beer, like PBR or Miller High-Life.  Now AB-InBev wants to know how to get in the young hipster crowd.

I can think of two ways off the top of my head: Slum it way down or put more focus on the craft.

PBR became popular not because it was the greatest beer, it's because it was cheap. Plus it was "ironic" to drink an "Old Man" beer. Same with High-Life. There is practically zero advertising with these two. I don't see TV spots or hear radio adds for either one. Budweiser looks like a scared old man when they have to buy up all the ad spots on SNL. It looks like the beer isn't good enough to stand on it's own without a giant marketing push. I don't think the hipster crowd is responsive to that. "Don't tell me what to drink!"

I think Budweiser's image is tainted by things like Bud Light and Bud Light with Lime. The ads for BL and BLw/L are awfully douchey, but that's the market they are going for. Those two are beers for people who don't like the taste of beer.  Sure, there may be some of those people in hipster crowd, but it's marketed to the fratty crowd. The "Real Men of Genius" radio ads, while amusing, are not targeting the hipster crowd. Bud Light is primarily an alcohol delivery system, so it doesn't really matter what it tastes like. Budweiser does taste like beer, and as far as an American Lager, it is pretty good. Better than PBR or High-Life.

To focus on the craft there are a few key points. Look at the history, look at how it's made, look at how it tastes. The first two points are pretty obvious and A-B has always touched on it. I don't think they have ever marketed the taste. They have tried to market the experience of drinking Bud and that's where they failed. Sam Adams has a great line of commercials where they describe the flavor and ingredients of the beer. A-B seems to be afraid to tell people Budweiser tastes like "beer". 

Budweiser is actually a pretty good table beer. If they want to get the male audience, tell them this is a beer that goes well with steak or BBQ. Show that Budweiser isn't just for getting plowed at a tailgate party, or just something to drink at the bar. To enhance the craft factor, show people drinking it from the proper glassware. Not a plastic cup and definitely not straight from the bottle or can.  Not from a frozen frosty mug.  Show it in a Pilsner glass.  I know it's not a real Pilsner, but that style of glass makes a difference.  And forget that "perfect pour" crap.  That makes you sound like an elitist tool.  Just ask Stella Artois.  Show drinking Budweiser from a glass is better for one simple reason.  It tastes better.

After all of this soap-boxing you may be wondering why I'm even bothering with a beer that's not a craft beer.  The truth is even though A-B merged with InBev, and not technically an "American" company anymore, they are still the largest brewer in Missouri.  Budweiser has over 100 years of history in Missouri and that does count for something.  Budweiser may not be my go to beer, but every beer has a time and place.