Will Bud Light Lime Distract A-B?

Could Bud Light Lime douse A-B’s “hot hand?”

Analysts and observers have suggested that Anheuser-Busch lost focus on its core brands as it added a bevy of crafts and imports to its portfolio.

Now come suggestions that the same thing could happen as A-B prepares the aggressive launch of Bud Light Lime, a line extension that’s clearly aimed at Miller Chill.

From a Wall Street Journal story about the launch:

John Greening, a former advertising-agency executive who represented Anheuser, said he is concerned the brewer is diluting its top-selling brand. "I worry they're losing their focus," said Mr. Greening, now a professor of marketing communications at Northwestern University. "Their hot hand has always been Bud Light. This takes the attention away from the hot hand."

Meanwhile, a story in Adweek detects skepticism in the distributor ranks about Bud Light Lime:

"Just like with Land Shark, we can put it in 8 to 10 percent of our accounts and if it doesn't grow, it doesn't grow," said a Southwest wholesaler, referring to another A-B entry. "Personally I question it. We've got a great strategy put in place for Bud Light, and we're looking for a great year. We got hammered with Bud Select, and I don't know if (Bud Light Lime) is incremental business, new business, or what."

The Wall Street Journal story (subscription required) can be seen here.

The Adweek story can be seen here.

Brew Blog's previous coverage of Bud Light Lime can be seen here.

Comments

[Curt]

Not sure how this is that much different than Miller Lite Brewers Collection. Although Brewers Collection stays more true to the real beer drinker, it still may be distracting Miller.

[COREY HARRMANN]

I'm curious to see how big of a chunk Bud Light Lime will take out of Miller Chill. I wonder if it's too little too late