The year 2023 marks the 500th anniversary of Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law, which mandates that beer is only to be made with four ingredients: malt, hops, yeast, and water. Even non-traditional German beers don’t deviate much from the recipe, typically only swapping malt with rice or maize. So if most beers are relatively similar, do Americans have strong preferences, and, if so, how do consumers choose between brands?
Over the past three months, consumers are most likely to have purchased Corona (17%), Bud Light (12%), and Heineken (11%). Not only is Corona the most purchased beer in that time span, but it’s also America’s favorite beer, preferred by 8% of consumers. Maybe this is America’s way of saying they miss the pandemic—the golden age of drinking alone.
When it comes to brand loyalty, Corona and Bud Light drop down the list of top beers like the alien-looking sediment on the bottom of an unfiltered IPA. Based on net promoter scores, Guinness (9.2) and Samuel Adams (9.1) head to the top of America’s favorite beers. With many Americans recommending beers they don’t prefer to buy, it feels as if these consumers made some oath to the first beer they ever drank. Or maybe beer drinkers are cleverly promoting beers they don’t like to ensure the tap on their actual favorite beer never runs dry.
Americans’ surprisingly complex relationship with their beers raises the question: What’s most important to consumers when choosing between beers? When it comes to purchasing beer, the most important attribute consumers look for in a brand is its sense of humor, followed by an easy-drinking beer and “cool” factor. Are buyers looking for a BFF (beer friend forever)? Based on Corona’s popularity, Americans clearly want to be friends with Snoop Dogg and Andy Samberg.
In light of the boycotts directed at Bud Light for featuring a transgender social media influencer in a promotion, we wanted to test how much politics, patriotism, and authenticity actually affect beer sales. While the Pence Pilsner and Ale Franken are sure to pique the interest of thirsty conservatives and liberals, respectively, aligning with consumers’ political values has essentially no effect on purchase rates. For the most part, Americans are unfazed by a beer brand’s patriotism and authenticity. When it comes to beer sales, the only thing that needs to be genuine is the draft. #Miller
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