New Faces of Targeted Beer Drinkers: Joe College and Hipsters

From Joe Six-Pack to Joe College, the face of the desired beer drinker has changed in the past few years with growing sales of craft beer brands and fruit flavors. Joe College, unlike his older and more blue-collar counterpart, Joe Six-Pack, is a “lot more experimental than [he] used to be, sampling craft beers, cocktails and flavored malt beverages.” According to AdAge, Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors have been in hot pursuit of college-age drinkers and hipsters, respectively.

The conglomerates haven't exactly helped their own causes by raising prices on “subpremium” brands during this time. (We're talking about beers like Natural Light, Busch Light, Busch, Miller High Life and Keystone Light.) It's why this year, as the publication noted, each has added new packaging and promotions to reinvigorate sales and public interest. To combat a slackening in sales, Busch, Miller High Life and Keystone Light are pursuing consumers through social media, giveaways and in-store promotions.

In late January, the Justice Department blocked the $20.1 billion proposed sale of Grupo Modela to Anheuser-Busch, which would have given the latter giant access to brands like Corona, Pacifico and Negro Modelo. If the sale had gone through, it would have meant Anheuser-Busch would hold a total of 46 percent in U.S. beer sales. A sobering thought.

And in related news:

– The Dudes' Brewing Co. in Torrance Debuts First Four Beers + Cans Coming in June

– Budweiser Allegedly Watered Down Beer + 5 California Craft Alternatives

– Q & A With Rich Marcello of Strand Brewing Company: This Weekend's Bottle Release, Texts From Fans + How the Beer Scene is Like NASCAR

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