Maybe it's just me, but isn't there an element missing from these designs? After all, beer drinkers stare at these little billboards for a good long time. Couldn't they offer a little something in return? Why not some details about the beer's distinctiveness? Where's the stuff about what makes the brand special? All we get are stylized mountains on Coors Light, a water splash and graphic swirl on Bud Light, and a remarkably similar vortex on Miller Lite. More style than substance, as the saying goes.
But according to some who should know, there is real substance to light-beer making. Listen to Pete Coors in a recent interview. "Brewing... light beers, is a huge challenge. The craft guys can't compete with it. Brewing a really good, full-flavored lager beer of this style is not easy."
Why aren't facts like this being touted by Big Beer? Way back, Coors once proclaimed itself...
Craft beer geeks routinely lambaste light beers as "yellow fizz." How about a little return-fire?
What about Bud Light? Is it even "Beechwood Aged?" How would we know? And would it ever be referred to as "the famous" Bud Light beer, as its parent brand has been for decades? If not by its maker, then by whom?
Regardless, does selling millions of barrels of light beer mean it must be done without pride? Or is the elimination of every pride-in-the-brewing communication--including bragging--one more weakness of light beer? Could this void possibly even be playing a part in the downward volume trends of all three big brands?
Just try and find a craft beer label that doesn't somehow absolutely venerate what's inside the bottle or can.
(Okay, we did find one.)