Canadian Retail Thread

[esquire]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Labatt completely stopped marketing its own beers, concentrating on slinging American horse piss instead.

It is so weird to me. The only Labatt product acknowledged in the list of brands on the Labatt website is 50. Of course, you can still buy other Labatt products but they seem to exist mainly as legacy products, sold mostly to older men without any sort of marketing push whatsoever.

I'm sure there's an explanation that makes sense, but it seems strange that a company would just let widely-recognized, historic brands wither and die like that.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

My local beer store has 10 'two fours' and 2 '12 packs' available but unfortunately no kegs.

It is only on draught it seems at the ever declining number of taverns in Ottawa. Probably more available in Quebec.

I was in a place in Gatineau recently where the only thing on tap that appealled to me (wanted something not too heavy) was Labatt 50.

It wasn't a tavern or a dive bar either.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I was in a place in Gatineau recently where the only thing on tap that appealled to me (wanted something not too heavy) was Labatt 50.

It wasn't a tavern or a dive bar either.

This is mainly why I enjoy macrobrews. I find a lot of microbrews very heavy or excessively strong... they often tend to be enthusiast-oriented. Give me a Blue or a Bud any day.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by esquire

I'm sure there's an explanation that makes sense, but it seems strange that a company would just let widely-recognized, historic brands wither and die like that.

Sure. Might as well call it 'Canada phenomenon'.

It's called: Large international brewer doesn't care to waste money promoting small regional brand when locals will just eat (er, drink) up mega-brand from other country.

Why waste a nickel keeping Blue alive, when people will happily buy Budweiser in Canada?

[Acajack]

Molson(-Coors) also pushed Coors Light a helluva lot in Quebec, though Molson is still marketed very intensely. It's very closely associated with hockey here and I doubt Coors Light would elicit the same connection.

Molson is the hockey beer, and Coors Light is the cheap backyard barbecue or cottage beer.

[esquire]

But that appetite for foreign brands didn't just materialize out of thin air. It still takes a shit ton of marketing to get people to buy Stella, Bud, Michelob or whatever.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Labatt completely stopped marketing its own beers, concentrating on slinging American horse piss instead.

What's ironic is that in Michigan Labatt Blue and Blue Light are heavily marketed. And right now they cost less in stores than Bud or Bud Light so they are selling quite well. An advantage of the currently low Canadian dollar and cheaper production costs in Canada.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by esquire

But that appetite for foreign brands didn't just materialize out of thin air. It still takes a shit ton of marketing to get people to buy Stella, Bud, Michelob or whatever.

Sure, but they were using the foreign cachet as the hook in some cases, and owned the things anyway. Even better that Bud could be promoted on US networks, sporting events, and whatnot and seamlessly cross the border in terms of culture.

The biggest mystery to me was how Miller Genuine Draft became associated with premium here, because it sure isn't premium in the US.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by esquire

It is so weird to me. The only Labatt product acknowledged in the list of brands on the Labatt website is 50. Of course, you can still buy other Labatt products but they seem to exist mainly as legacy products, sold mostly to older men without any sort of marketing push whatsoever.

I'm sure there's an explanation that makes sense, but it seems strange that a company would just let widely-recognized, historic brands wither and die like that.

Ironically, you see ads for labatt blue in the Excited States.

edit: whoops, loco101 beat me too it.

I also Labatt promoted in New York City and San Francisco. So bizarre.

I know that Blue is far from the finest of beers, but if you are going to sling horse piss, at least let it be Canadian-branded horse piss.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Molson(-Coors) also pushed Coors Light a helluva lot in Quebec, though Molson is still marketed very intensely. It's very closely associated with hockey here and I doubt Coors Light would elicit the same connection.

Molson is the hockey beer, and Coors Light is the cheap backyard barbecue or cottage beer.

My Molson Export username reflects my long ago days of being a hard core Habs fan. I stopped watching NHL hockey about a dozen years ago. At best, I am a fair-weather fan (but always, and forever, I will root for the Habs....and the Nordiques when they return). Never the Loafs or the Bruins.

I kept the export name partly out of being an Export of Molson-land (montreal). It has been a long time since I swilled MolsonEx (tavern days). I wouldn't be surprised to see myself in a photo like this:




the guy in the third photo looks a bit like my old man (who, fair to say, spent a gigantic amount of time in such watering holes).


Is that Lio lurking behind the counter, with the pickled eggs?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Ironically, you see ads for labatt blue in the Excited States.

edit: whoops, loco101 beat me too it.

I also Labatt promoted in New York City and San Francisco. So bizarre.

I know that Blue is far from the finest of beers, but if you are going to sling horse piss, at least let it be Canadian-branded horse piss.

Didn't Labatt license Blue to some US brewer, who took it and ran with it?

Maybe in 20 years time it will come back to Canada as a "foreign brand", kind of like Carling Black Label?

[savevp]

Labatt in the US is owned by an American company (different than the probably - American multinational who own Labatt here).

For what it's worth, the corporate overlords of Labatt and Budweiser seem to be pushing for Bud uniformity in the UK as well, as per a recent visit. Lots and lots of Budweiser advertising and finding it on draught at all the football grounds and big pubs.

I guess it's cheaper to brew and market American piss beer abroad than relatively higher quality Labatt beer that has some actual flavour.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

"... why no... I'm NOT from around these parts. Why?"

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by esquire

This is mainly why I enjoy macrobrews. I find a lot of microbrews very heavy or excessively strong... they often tend to be enthusiast-oriented. Give me a Blue or a Bud any day.

I never understood why, but Blue always gave me a headache, while 50 never did.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by savevp

Labatt in the US is owned by an American company (different than the probably - American multinational who own Labatt here).

For what it's worth, the corporate overlords of Labatt and Budweiser seem to be pushing for Bud uniformity in the UK as well, as per a recent visit. Lots and lots of Budweiser advertising and finding it on draught at all the football grounds and big pubs.

I guess it's cheaper to brew and market American piss beer abroad than relatively higher quality Labatt beer that has some actual flavour.

It's all owned by the same Belgian-Brazilian conglomerate. Interbrew of Belgium bought Labatts almost 30 years ago. They later merged with Ambev of Brazil to form Inbev. They acquired Anheuser-Busch (makers of Budweiser among many others) and formed AB-Inbev, which is the current parent company.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by esquire

Didn't Labatt license Blue to some US brewer, who took it and ran with it?

Maybe in 20 years time it will come back to Canada as a "foreign brand", kind of like Carling Black Label?

All of the Labatt Blue and Blue Light that I've seen in the U.S. has "Imported from Canada" on the packaging.

As far as I know Black Label beer is still made by MolsonCoors. This TV commercial from the early 1990s comes to mind when I think of that beer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmuaUND89nU

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by thewave46

Sure. Might as well call it 'Canada phenomenon'.

It's called: Large international brewer doesn't care to waste money promoting small regional brand when locals will just eat (er, drink) up mega-brand from other country.

Why waste a nickel keeping Blue alive, when people will happily buy Budweiser in Canada?

From what I remember in Ontario, Labatt products are still heavily promoted at The Beer Store.

A marketing strategy doesn’t have to involve traditional or online advertising; since Labatt partially owns The Beer Store and it still has a significant market share for B2C beer sales in Canada’s most populous province, just offering Blue at The Beer Store is probably all they need to do. Less need to spend money on advertising if it sells well anyways.

The company I work for does not advertise at all. But there are still other ways to get customers.

Eggo waffles wasn’t advertised by Kellogg’s for quite a few years, but they still sold well.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

From what I remember in Ontario, Labatt products are still heavily promoted at The Beer Store.

A marketing strategy doesn’t have to involve traditional or online advertising; since Labatt partially owns The Beer Store and it still has a significant market share for B2C beer sales in Canada’s most populous province, just offering Blue at The Beer Store is probably all they need to do. Less need to spend money on advertising if it sells well anyways.

I can generally get a good read on what sells at Manitoba Liquor Marts by the amount of shelf space allocated to it. Without a doubt, Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light, etc. are the big beer sellers. There is loads of shelf space with all kinds of packaging permutations like 6s, 12s, 15s, 24s, cans, bottles, etc. Blue used to be right up there as a major seller. Now it is down to 12 packs, cans only. There is no way they sell as much volume of Blue as they used to.

Labatt still offers it, but by no means would I consider it a big seller... as compared to 30 years ago when it was pretty much ubiquitous. At least around here.

[acottawa]

Blue is still number 5 apparently.

https://www.beer100.com/best-selling-beers-canada/

[esquire]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Blue is still number 5 apparently.

https://www.beer100.com/best-selling-beers-canada/

I wonder where he sourced that from? I couldn't find any mention. It seems hard to believe.

If Labatt Blue actually is still a big seller, like top 10, it has to be due to Ontario or some other eastern provinces. It is nowhere near that level here. Which is too bad, because I enjoy it!