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BI Announces a New "Shared Campaign" to Grow Beer: MillerCoors, HUSA are Holdouts
Beer Business Daily (by: Harry Schuhmacher)
[Excerpt from 6/12/2019 article in Beer Business Daily]Â
The highlight of yesterday's meeting was an announcement from Beer Institute chief Jim McGreevy that they, along with the Brewers Association and NBWA, will launch a shared campaign this summer to grow beer.
"Final details are being worked out, but I think this is an important step...for too long we've been focused on the problem. The trade associations are going to get about the solutions," said Jim. Jim also shared with BBD that, while they're not exactly sure what media forms the campaign will take, they have hired an agency and are digging in on that.
A-B CEO Michel Doukeris assumed the stage shortly after Jim and gave the "why" of the campaign: "Share of throat declines persist," he said, and while the overall alcohol industry is growing, "beer is not taking its fair share." He's confident they can overcome that situation.
Expect to see the first phase of this "pro beer" campaign during summer.
(MillerCoors will not engage in this multi-trade org PR effort. MillerCoors offered BBD the following statement on the matter: "We believe in lifting the beer industry, but we've been clear that we won't engage in a category health campaign until Anheuser-Busch stops their category denigration campaign.")
BBD has also learned that Heineken USA is refraining from the effort at this point as well, In principle, HUSA supports the initiative, the company tells BBD, but they've decided to stay on the sidelines for now. "Once everyone comes to the table, of course, we will be there," HUSA Communications Manager Thomas Hunt tells BBD. Adding, "we hope that we reach a point where all major players can fully participate," and they "look forward to this happening soon." (And while the BI will participate in it, it will not fund the campaign.)Â
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The highlight of yesterday's meeting was an announcement from Beer Institute chief Jim McGreevy that they, along with the Brewers Association and NBWA, will launch a shared campaign this summer to grow beer.
"Final details are being worked out, but I think this is an important step...for too long we've been focused on the problem. The trade associations are going to get about the solutions," said Jim. Jim also shared with BBD that, while they're not exactly sure what media forms the campaign will take, they have hired an agency and are digging in on that.
A-B CEO Michel Doukeris assumed the stage shortly after Jim and gave the "why" of the campaign: "Share of throat declines persist," he said, and while the overall alcohol industry is growing, "beer is not taking its fair share." He's confident they can overcome that situation.
Expect to see the first phase of this "pro beer" campaign during summer.
(MillerCoors will not engage in this multi-trade org PR effort. MillerCoors offered BBD the following statement on the matter: "We believe in lifting the beer industry, but we've been clear that we won't engage in a category health campaign until Anheuser-Busch stops their category denigration campaign.")
BBD has also learned that Heineken USA is refraining from the effort at this point as well, In principle, HUSA supports the initiative, the company tells BBD, but they've decided to stay on the sidelines for now. "Once everyone comes to the table, of course, we will be there," HUSA Communications Manager Thomas Hunt tells BBD. Adding, "we hope that we reach a point where all major players can fully participate," and they "look forward to this happening soon." (And while the BI will participate in it, it will not fund the campaign.)Â
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