Moral Majority

[DickerJames]

I agree DickerJames, Highlife takes that contest but I think PBR needs to be included in the sample set as well.

I prefer beer in a glass bottle and to my knowledge HL is the only one on the list that makes the cut. I think Miller High Life makes a very refreshing beer for hot summer days, but with Miller starting to actually promote it on t.v. with the lady in the swing ads, the price will probably go up.

[Mexmustang]

When I was in school Schlitz (true!)was the best selling brand in Texas--until they uncovered a scandal similar to "payolla" on the radio. Coors came in and the investigation put Schlitz in the back isle, then Budwiser took command.

[mrydel]

When I was in school Schlitz (true!)was the best selling brand in Texas--until they uncovered a scandal similar to "payolla" on the radio. Coors came in and the investigation put Schlitz in the back isle, then Budwiser took command.

I always wondered what happened to Schlitz. I delivered for Budweiser during the summer while I was in school and saw the stocks of the convenience stores and bars all over Dallas. No doubt that Schlitz was far and away number 1. Budweiser was 2. Coors at that time was not being sold outside of Colorado so it was in high demand but had to be "bootlegged" in to drink. I moved around the country for a while and not being a beer drinker myself did not follow the competition. But when I got back to the Dallas area many years later, you could not find schlitz anywhere. Any furhter details from any of you as to what the full story on the demise was?

[DickerJames]

When I was in school Schlitz (true!)was the best selling brand in Texas--until they uncovered a scandal similar to "payolla" on the radio. Coors came in and the investigation put Schlitz in the back isle, then Budwiser took command.

That must predate my beer days because I ca'nt remember when Bud wasn't king. I do remember Schlitz Malt Liquor being promoted heavily in the 70's, but not the beer.

I also remember learning in markiting class at SMU that Miller was an obscure brand until Phillip Morris bought it and turned it into the number 2 brand with advertising. Unfortunately for us, it's alot easier to promote beer than loosing teams.

[EastStang]

Actually what Schlitz did was the old marketing 101 mistake. They were the number 2 beer in the U.S. behind Budweiser. They decided they would never overtake Bud with their formula, so they changed their formula. The result was something that Schlitz drinkers hated and Bud drinkers didn't much like either. They lost their entire market share in one fell swoop and went bankrupt. They tried to switch back but their customers had already gone on to other beers. Coca Cola several years later tried the same thing, and quickly stopped the presses after a month or so with the "New" Coke. Miller went a different direction, they added products with different tastes (Lowenbrau, Miller, MGD, Lite) and they had some success for a while until Coors brewed a better light beer.

[mrydel]

When I was in school Schlitz (true!)was the best selling brand in Texas--until they uncovered a scandal similar to "payolla" on the radio. Coors came in and the investigation put Schlitz in the back isle, then Budwiser took command.

That must predate my beer days because I ca'nt remember when Bud wasn't king. I do remember Schlitz Malt Liquor being promoted heavily in the 70's, but not the beer.

I also remember learning in markiting class at SMU that Miller was an obscure brand until Phillip Morris bought it and turned it into the number 2 brand with advertising. Unfortunately for us, it's alot easier to promote beer than loosing teams.

I am sure my story predates your beer days. I am pretty sure my children probably predate most on this boards beer days. I delivered for Bud in 1969, and Schlitz was big time.

Thanks for the story EastStang. That is interesting to learn. In my opinion, the best marketing was Coors. They had so many people from all over the country driving into Colorado and filling up their cars and selling it to their friends all over the country it was more free advertsing than they could have ever dreamt of. They allowed the country to "make them" provide it to them. What a job.

[Mickey]

I don't think it was popular in Texas, but in certain regions in the midwest and southeast, including Atlanta, PBR was the #1 beer about 30 years ago (maybe longer). When ordering this beer, it was give me a "blue". Is Pabst Blue Ribbon still around?

[couch 'em]

You can't discuss cheap beer without mentioning Olympia! "It's the water"

[Ponymon]

Actually what Schlitz did was the old marketing 101 mistake. They were the number 2 beer in the U.S. behind Budweiser. They decided they would never overtake Bud with their formula, so they changed their formula. The result was something that Schlitz drinkers hated and Bud drinkers didn't much like either. They lost their entire market share in one fell swoop and went bankrupt. They tried to switch back but their customers had already gone on to other beers. Coca Cola several years later tried the same thing, and quickly stopped the presses after a month or so with the "New" Coke. Miller went a different direction, they added products with different tastes (Lowenbrau, Miller, MGD, Lite) and they had some success for a while until Coors brewed a better light beer.

Not only did Schlitz cheapen their formula, but they ran an advertisement that scared the crap out of their potential customers. The advertisement showed a guy with a tiger. The guy says, "Your going to take away my gusto? Your going to take away my beer? Sick em Tiger!" The tiger then jumped at the screen. Believe it or not, post analysis of that advertisement indicated that it scared off their customers as well as potential Schlitz drinkers. You can liken this advertisement to the Oldsmobile commercial that proclaimed that Oldsmobile was not "your father's car". All that advertisement did was remind the baby boomers of what their father had driven and what they had no desire to ever be seen in again!

[EastStang]

The Tiger ad appeared after they had brought back the old formula and you're right it scared people off from coming back. Schlitz was clearly a lesson in bad marketing decisions. Miller on the other hand with the tastes great/less filling campaign was a stroke of marketing genius. For those too young to remember, Miller got a bunch of ex-jocks to fight over whether Miller tasted great or was less filling. It gave Joe Six-Pack an excuse to order a low calorie beer.

[White Helmet]

Sweet cheap beer on the Blvd. For the second game can we have a Malt Liquor tasting party, just anything that comes in a 40. Old English, Colt .45. That would be fun.