Okay, we admit to penning an intentionally provocative hypothetical headline, but bear with us. It's no joke.
Yes, you could be forgiven for thinking the question is ridiculous. After all, there are no more Busch family members active in the beer business who could still run a beer brand, right? And certainly no craft brewers. That's what we thought, too. Until a loyal reader brought a heretofore unknown Mr. Busch to our attention.
Yes, you could be forgiven for thinking the question is ridiculous. After all, there are no more Busch family members active in the beer business who could still run a beer brand, right? And certainly no craft brewers. That's what we thought, too. Until a loyal reader brought a heretofore unknown Mr. Busch to our attention.
Billy Busch, CEO, William K. Busch Brewing Co. Meet craft brewer, William K. "Billy" Busch. He comes from a long line of Busches. Of the Budweiser sort. Great-grandson of Adolphus Busch, son of Gussie Busch, half-brother to August A. Busch III. Respectively, these three founded Anheuser-Busch, grew it into the country's largest brewery, and approved the sale of the family's interest in it to an offshore corporation.
In fact, Billy is the last of the Busches to keep faith with the family's 150-year tradition of making and selling beer. In 2011, he founded the company bearing his name, a craft-brewing operation marketing two beers under the Kräftig (pronounced "kref-tig") brand name. Just another one of the 4,000+ craft brewers, you say? Not according to Billy as quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Kräftig stands apart from craft beer and other lagers, he says, by adhering to Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law that restricts ingredients to water, barley, yeast and hops."
So, what does the drinker get from that?
Take a listen...
So, what does the drinker get from that?
Take a listen...
Just four ingredients--in keeping with that centuries-old brewing purity rubric--for stronger flavor in the beer. Sound distinctive to you? Does to us, too. Could be why Kräftig's a success, growing nicely and expanding its geography.
Now, what was that about Bud Light?
As is well known by now, Bud Light continues running its ineffective, faux-political "Bud Light Party" ads. Sales continue to be soft at best. Like the "Whatever" campaign that preceded it, these ads are loaded with celebrities, fake fun, and mildly amusing humor, but little else. There's no attempt whatsoever to hint, suggest, or directly communicate that the beer is in any way distinctive, much less unique.
So we ask: what if Billy Busch were put in charge of Bud Light's advertising? Do you think he'd change the ads much? Would he be content with gags that don't sell the beer?
Three questions there. One hypothetical, two rhetorical.
Now, what was that about Bud Light?
As is well known by now, Bud Light continues running its ineffective, faux-political "Bud Light Party" ads. Sales continue to be soft at best. Like the "Whatever" campaign that preceded it, these ads are loaded with celebrities, fake fun, and mildly amusing humor, but little else. There's no attempt whatsoever to hint, suggest, or directly communicate that the beer is in any way distinctive, much less unique.
So we ask: what if Billy Busch were put in charge of Bud Light's advertising? Do you think he'd change the ads much? Would he be content with gags that don't sell the beer?
Three questions there. One hypothetical, two rhetorical.
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