Beer acts as a medium in multiple ways in our lives. First off, people use stereotypes when they see others drinking a certain type of beer. Cheaper beers are associated with the lower class and college students, which are looked down upon in society. The more expensive and “classy” the beer you are drinking, the better society views you. For example, if you went to a bar and ordered a Natural Light Beer, people would think you lack money and sophistication as opposed to ordering a Stella Artois where you would be seen as having money. Also there is the issue of taste, in which certain tastes trigger off memories of our past. For instance, a certain beer such as Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat that tastes like blueberries, may remind you of spending time with your mother picking fruits.
Certain beers such as Keystone Light send a humorous message to its consumers on its can such as, “Smooth: Your album is in the top 40 Smoother: For over a century” in order to build off the stereotype of college students being their target market. Other beers that use the same marketing techniques to capture its consumers would include Magic Hat which has messages written on the inside of its tops. These messages include, “Today’s forecast beer!” These marketing ploys that capture its consumers act as stereotypical media. Depending on which specific type of beer you drink, you are subject to others judging you and even criticizing your choice in beer, forcing you to alter your decisions in the future.
This is an interesting take the stereotypes we form based on the beer people are drinking. Marketing definitely uses this ploy, especially when they suggest that their beer is associated with masculinity, where a competing beer may not be.
ReplyDeleteI think that is the point of having so many different type of alcoholic beverages and brands. Each of them do target a different market, beer drinkers are different from those who drink vodka, tequila or whiskey, and each of those are different types of people as well, and even within them there are those who only drink from certain brands. I think this argument can extend out to more than just beer, it extends out to all the different types of alcohol and any type of consumer product or service. They are all marketed to different types of people and people will try to buy different products to change their image.
ReplyDeleteI think that the marketing campaigns for beer companies are very effective. Whenever I watch football games, I usually laugh at one comercial that is advertising for a particular beer. I think that the companies are very influential especially when it comes to reaching out to their target audiences.
ReplyDeleteI think it is funny how a beer can describe a stereotype. I remember living in Guatemala and Brahma a beer from Brazil brought Rolando to advertise the beer at soccer games. from that moment on, Brahma was associated with Guatemala soccer games.
ReplyDeleteGreat artifact. I love beer commercials and I'd love to see someone order a Natty Light at a bar. I think the recent Miller Lite campaign relates to that pretty well. Where the attractive female bartender makes fun of some guy for not caring what kind of beer he's drinking.
ReplyDeleteGood choice of artifact. It'll be better if you could show awareness of the distinction between the actual beer product and the beer commercials. Because these two are not necessarily linked and are only arbitrarily connected because of marketing campaigns.
ReplyDeletec.