dagblog - Comments for "Shilling for Beer? CNBC Airs Glowing Budweiser Tribute"

uh, you're right about the

Deadman — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:16:38 +0000

In reply to Actually, the point was not

uh, you're right about the program. it's total crap. i couldnt even get past ten minutes. i dont think its an ad, but if A-B didn't pay CNBC for this, CNBC should be ashamed. The ones on Mcdonalds and Wal-Mart were much, much better.

and yes, there is plenty of irony in that line.

i still say budweiser is an acceptable lager. but im probably only saying that out of civil loyalty.

Actually, the point was not

Michael Wolraich — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:45:00 +0000

In reply to g, you always amaze me with

Actually, the point was not to put down Budweiser. I take that as a given. It was about my shock that CNBC would produce a program about what a quality beer Budweiser is. Did you watch the video? It's not just a puff piece. It's a virtual advertisement. The guy that I was watching with and I had a long discussion about whether AB had taken out an extended advertisement on CNBC, and we ultimately resolved the question only with the help of Google.

CNBC followed up with a program about Nike that was a puff piece, but at least it asked real questions and interviewed people who had negative things to say about the company. The Budweiser program, in contrast, is a joke.

I will amend the point about microbrews to say that the Prohibition pushed many of them out of business. The big corporations just kept them out for half a century. The Boston Beer Company, which led the microbrew revolution, was founded in 1984. There are only a handful of family operations, like Yeungling, that survived the Prohibition and the mass-market onslaught of the big beer bottlers.

Do you not see the irony in this line?

"AB spends millions of dollars trying to convince consumers that beer is just as diverse and refined as wine."

AB made a fortune by eliminating any elements of diversity and sophistication in beer. The program repeatedly praised AB for ensuring that every bottle of Budweiser tastes exactly the same.

PS If dismissing Budweiser as a low quality beer makes me a snob, then the country is in desperate need of more snobs.

g, you always amaze me with

Deadman — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:53:29 +0000

In reply to Shilling for Beer? CNBC Airs Glowing Budweiser Tribute

g, you always amaze me with how snobby you can actually be.

cnbc has done these kind of shows on numerous large American corporations - ebay, Walmart, McDonalds, and more - i am pretty sure the network would have to reveal if they were paid advertisements or not, but i could be wrong. but as a business network, I see nothing wrong with CNBC putting out shows dedicated to explaining the history and challenges of successful American companies. while it would be great if these pieces were a bit more even-handed (and the one on Wal-Mart kind of was), I can even do with a little bit of rah-rah cheerleading. The ones I've seen - I have not seen the AB one - have been rather fascinating.

now as a native St. Louisan, I wish I could stick up more for A-B's products. But it's true their mass-market beers generally suck as they are intended to appeal to the widest possible audience as you said. (they produce a bunch of smaller brands like Red Hook, Hoegaarden, Stella, Kirin, which I enjoy a great deal - of course, I also dig Michelob Ultra so I aint the best judge for sure).

Yet i'm not sure what your point is. Americans like a lot of mediocre things. So what? And I would put up AB's beers favorably when compared to the other mass-market brews i consider competitive, like miller and coors. btw, your statement that 'even Annheiser-Busch doesn't pretend that Budweiser is a high quality beer' is a bit misleading as their drinkability campaign is for Bud Light, which is clearly piss, and not so drinkable at all really.

Yeah, AB after holding out for a long time finally agreed to be purchased by InBev. Again, so what?

Your comment that small breweries were put out of business by A-B a long time ago is laughable. You literally have dozens of options for beers at most stores and restaurants, and while a good number of them are now owned by larger breweries, there are usually several microbrews and foreign beers to choose from as well.

I know you happen to enjoy a fine bottle of Yeungling, a high-quality American brewer, and boston Beer, maker of Sam Adams, is another more-than-respectable, relatively small American brewer

Anyway, if the point of this post was your disgust that CNBC was trying to fill their programming hours with fluff pieces on the history of large corporate institutuions, then it has been duly noted. Not fully understood, but noted.

If your point was Americans should start trying better beers than the cheap swill that the big brewers put out, then that is duly noted as well.

You're obsessed. Snap out of

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:48:14 +0000

In reply to It's the eye of the tiger. I

You're obsessed. Snap out of it, man!

It's the eye of the tiger. I

quinn esq — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:12:55 +0000

In reply to I'm sorry that I asked.

It's the eye of the tiger.

I think John Stuart may have it too.

My mind is obviously too

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:39:29 +0000

In reply to Genghis you must have had too

My mind is obviously too small and inebriated to appreciate Santelli's profound and, I daresay, thunderous honesty, but thank you for making the effort to educate me.

Genghis you must have had too

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:22:02 +0000

In reply to Hillarious review of bud

Genghis you must have had too many Buds. I Love Santelli, he's always opening my eyes to things the other reporters candycoat. He's honest about the economy, and knows what he's talking about. Obama now agrees with what Rick says about the housing plan,(Obama changed the housing plan that week)and the debt we are leaving our children, he even used Santelli's exact words.So go have another Bud, and just stick to Jon Stewart for your news source, you know something you can wrap your mind around.

Hillarious review of bud

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:29:04 +0000

In reply to Shilling for Beer? CNBC Airs Glowing Budweiser Tribute

Hillarious review of bud light with clamato juice:

I’d love to tell you what the mouthfeel is like on this beer, but honestly I didn’t want it in my mouth long enough to find out...This has to be the vilest and nastiest beer I’ve drank in my life. It’s not pleasant in any way or shape. It actually brought tears to my eyes at the thought of having to drink the whole 22 ounces and made me do the “it’s icky” dance. Any of you with young kids knows what I’m talking about. I’m not joking when I warn you, for the love of all that is good and right in the world, DO NOT DRINK THIS BEER. I give it .5 out of 10. Yes, point five out of ten. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go gargle with Everclear.

Full review: http://miasmaticreview.mu.nu/archives/257157.php

I'm sorry that I asked.

Michael Wolraich — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:18:54 +0000

In reply to It's fucking close to water.

I'm sorry that I asked.

It's fucking close to water.

Nebton — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:17:03 +0000

In reply to I dunno. How?

It's fucking close to water.