A listener asked that I post a few of my essays. Let me know if you find it worth reading?
One of my recent callers said that you have to use your buying power to change minds. At the time he was referring to Direct TV and its sudden change of heart to restore News Max to its channel offerings after consumer backlash.
He said we actually have a lot of power in our buying habits. In other words, don't support organizations that are counter to your values. Typically, I understand that businesses have to make decisions in their interest, and you can't please all.
When companies like Anheiser Bush turn their back on long time customers offer a marketing campaign that creates hostility the best thing to do is fall back, regroup, apologize and pull the campaign.
For reference Dylan Mulvaney is pictured in a bathtub complete with rose petals hawking Budweiser. The ad was panned immediately by the Clydesdale Equine crowd.
Manly men like, Kid Rock, Travis Tritt and John Rich are boycotting the brew and in one case firing an AR at the Bud Light Cans.
Enough background, Anheiser Bush made it worse, instead of acknowledging their misjudgment they allowed their Ivy educated brand manager to rationalize the campaign, in effect saying the brand is old man beer and not growing. She nuanced her defense of the campaign but that's the bottom line.
In the ad she said the brand, as all domestic beers, has been in decline and something had to be done to introduce the brew to a new audience. That's fair but don't forget who brought you to the dance.
Sometimes we forget to be grateful. Anheiser Bush is the biggest beer brand in the world, and they forgot to be grateful to all those that created "Used Bud Light Cans".
You see we all need to be grateful for what we are blessed with. Sometimes the audience you have is that blessing. Bud Light could have found a new audience while keeping their current. They turned their back on the core audience.
Just because Dylan Mulvaney is swigging Bud in a bathtub is probably not going to move the beer forward. Not only is the gain going to negligible because the audience is microscopic the damage done to good ole boys who drink Bud Light likes water is a killer.
Now make a smart comment that it tastes like water, well yes to a writer who is swilling Voo Doo Ranger Imperial and chasing it with Woodford Reserve as I relax while writing, it's pretty much pedestrian beer.
Editorial, beer taste remarks aside, we do have a great deal of power. We still have the ballot box and our currency, although they are working on a cashless society as we speak.
We still have power to effect change and the invisible hand is at work. Back to my caller, remember you do have power and don't be afraid to use it. I wonder when Americans will get the message that the cheap Chinese Knockoffs flooding America comes at a high cost. We lose manufacturing base and create a trade imbalance with China that is around 500 Billion a year.
Since March 31 shares of Anheiser Bush have fallen 4 per cent. Translated to market capitalization that is 132 billion to 127 billion. I don't know who coined it but 'Go Woke Go Broke".
Dan Rivers
570 WKBN
Dan Rivers
Talk Host 9a-Noon
News Radio 570 WKBN
iHeartMedia Youngstown
o 330.729.2515
America’s # 1 Audio
Company
Reaching 9 out of 10 Amercicans Every Month
Radio|Digital| Social| Pocasts| Influencers|Data|Events