Case 8 Battle Of The Beers Beer Essay Example for Free

Case 8 Battle Of The Beers Beer Essay Introduction This case is about the intense battle between beer rivals in the United States, particularly between Anheuser-Busch (A-B), the world’s largest brewer, and SABMiller, the world’s second largest brewer. It discusses about how the companies used advertising in their brand positioning in order to compete with each other and increase the sales. This case starts by describing the strategies used by the both company when the battle began since the South African Breweries (SAB) purchased Miller Brewing Company in 2002. The 2 leading beer brewing companies uses different strategies to fight with each other in order to communicate how its beer differ from competition to draw in more consumers. First, Miller emphasized on the light beer, taking advantage of the health conscious trend where consumers were looking for low-carb beer by using comparative advertising campaign claiming that the Miller Lite has half the carbs than Bud Light. This prompted counteroffensives from A-B that mock Miller Lite’s low-carbs claims and challenge beer drinkers to choose on taste. To counter that, Miller then attack back by emphasizing also on the taste of the light beer. Things become worse when Miller also launched a new offensive campaign which lampooned Budweiser for its self-proclaimed title as â€Å"King of Beers† and Budweiser lashed back by labelled Miller Lite as â€Å"Queen of Carbs†. Miller filed a lawsuit against Budweiser asserting the false and misleading claims by Budweiser to Miller Light which will definitely affect the image of SABMiller. Then, Miller used blind taste tests and shifted to emphasizing taste and flavour instead of stuck with a carb positioning. In 2004, the companies used comparative advertising, where Miller launched new advertising campaign attacking Budweiser, and A-B also launched direct counterattack, and this made the battle become even more intense that others are being pulled into the fray. Television networks were refusing commercials on both sides because their unduly disparaging or appear to contain taste claims that are unsubstantiated and misleading. While Miller continue to press on the taste issue, A-B introduced a new product promoting as having no lingering aftertaste and also emphasizing the freshness of its beer. The battle between the 2 companies goes back and forth. Questions: 1. What attributes are most important in determining beer purchasing decisions? How does this vary by market segments? There are many important attributes that need to be considered in determining beer purchasing decisions. As described in the case, these includes taste, aroma, and appearance. (i) Taste/Flavour/Aroma Taste is the most important attribute in determining beer purchasing decisions as consumers buy beer for the taste. As evident in the case, Miller spent huge amounts on advertising the taste advantage they hold over Budweiser. They held blind taste tests where consumers were seen to choose Miller over Budweiser in the tests. Their success in providing good taste led to Miller recording a 2.6 % increase in sales volume in 2003 as consumers felt that Miller beers were better in taste. Aroma is extremely important to beer’s overall taste and it determines the purchase decision of a beer. The market segments that emphasize on aroma in their beer purchasing decision are mostly experienced beer drinkers. The repeat beer purchase will takes place when the taste of the beer suit the customers. Health-conscious consumers who are looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake might opt for beer which are less sugar. Consumers who give more preference to the aroma of beer might look for strong aroma beer or beer which suit his or her taste. Some market segments might prefer beer with no lingering aftertaste. (ii) Appearance The process of purchasing a beer begins with its visual appearance. Many people make hasty judgments of taste (food or beverage) based entirely on sight alone. In terms of beer appearance, what consumers looking for are colour, clarity, and head retention. Although one colour is not necessarily better than the others, and none indicates directly how the beer will taste, but many beer drinkers will just have their own preference and perception of beer colour. Also, if a beer can’t form a head, either it’s improperly carbonated or the vessel into which it’s poured is dirty. Many beer drinkers will most probably emphasize on the appearance of the beer and are obsessed with beer clarity; if the beer is not crystal clear, they would not drink it. Some markets segments might prefer darker beers like stouts whereas others might prefer lighter beers such as wheat beers. (iii) Price Many people judge or determine a product quality based on the price. This is also true for beer purchases, and is especially true for those non-experienced beer drinkers. Higher price could have one of two effects on consumer preference: it could cause the product to seem higher in quality, or it could make the product less desirable because of the extra expense. Although most of the time price may reflect the quality of the beer (higher quality, higher price, and vice versa), but this is not all the time. For those who are emphasize on the quality of the beer, they might probably prefer to buy the higher-priced beer. Higher-income beer drinkers also might choose the higher- priced beer which they perceived that the beer has higher quality. For those market segments who just drink beers for enjoyment for example peers gathering, they might just buy the cheaper beers. (iv). Brand name Brand is the most important non-sensory factors affecting consumers’ choice decisions of products. It seen as a promise, a guarantee or contract with the manufacturer and a symbolic mean and sign of quality. Beer drinkers will choose their beers based on their own beer brand preferences too. Researchers had found that ultrapremium beer was rated higher than inexpensive beer when brand names were unknown, hence shows that brand name do affect beer purchasing decision. In the market segments which earned a higher-income might prefer branded (usually higher-priced) beers. Younger generation might also choose those cheaper but well-known brand due to the exposure of the advertisements and they tend to follow the trend. 2. How would you construct a valid taste to determine beer buyers’ preferences? The methods used to construct a valid taste to determine beer buyer preferences based on different attributes would be as follows: Based on taste/flavour/aroma: Conduct blind-taste tests by providing the participants the cups of different beers to be tested which labelled A through E. Participants will be asked to taste each of the beers, and then spit out the beer into an empty glass. Between each beer taste, participants will rinse out their mouths with water to avoid cross-contamination among trials. After tasting all the beers, participants will rank order the five beers on the basis of the quality of their taste. Based on appearance: Conduct tests by providing the participants different beers with differences colour and level of clarity. For example by providing the participants different cups of beers with different colour and clarity labelled with A, B, C, D, and so forth without the acknowledge the participants what type or brand of the beers are. Differences in preferences across the samples will demonstrate whether consumers prefer one colour (eg. darker colour) than the others. The preference of beer based on the label colour, design, logo, or the shape of the packaging can be tested as well. Based on price: Conduct tests by providing the participants different selections of beer with different prices to assess whether consumers use price to disambiguate taste. For example, the beers selected varied in price, from $7. 99 per six-pack to $2. 69 per six-pack. The prices per six-pack were as follows: Brand A: $7. 99; Brand B: $5. 99; Brand C: $3. 99; Brand D: $3. 49; and Brand E: $2. 69. Participants will rank the different beers according to their own preferences and on the basis of their prior knowledge about these beers. Based on brand name: Conduct tests by providing the participants different selections of beer with different brand names. For example, different beer brands such as Anchor Steam, Samuel Adams, Budweiser, Miller Genuine Draft, and Schlitz will be provided to participants. Participants will be asked to rank the different beers according to their own preferences and on the basis of their prior knowledge about these beers. Conclusion: Consumers’ attitudes, beliefs, and feelings play important role in deciding if they are going to purchase the Anheuser-Busch or SABMiller beer brand such as Budweiser or Miller respectively. The beer marketers need to be able to identify the target markets’ shopping, purchase, spending, and consumption patterns in order to predict what consumers want from such product. Consumer intention acts as a helpful indicator to the types of marketing activities to carry so that they are able to attract the right market segment, thus leading to high profits. In conclusion, understanding consumer behaviour is significant because marketers want to attract the right consumers to purchase their brand.

I Miss Feeling Uncomfortable :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

I Miss Feeling Uncomfortable Going overseas was indeed one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It has had a lasting impact, an impact I feel every day of my life. After living in Swansea, Wales last year, I had grown accustomed to biking along the Atlantic Coast Bay to class everyday, hiking amongst sheep-littered cliffs, more green than I could imagine, and walking the beach, just a quarter-mile from my dorm, on moonlit nights, contemplating the world and my place in it. However, I had also grown accustomed to days on end without seeing the sun, days without talking to anyone, and daily drenchings from riding an old, rusty bike in the rain, which never seemed to stop. Living such a life, completely out of my comfort zone, not knowing a soul, and not being oriented to my new community, I began to feel very depressed. I questioned why I had come and what I was doing there. I missed my friends, my boyfriend, Dagwood's sandwiches, and driving a car down Kirkwood. I missed feeling comfortable. And the furthe r I sank in this depression, the more compassionate and understanding of the human experience I became. I can now see how someone's emotional state truly affects their outlook on life and how they interact with others on a daily basis. Before this, I honestly had no concept of why people were ever rude, mean, and inconsiderate. Sure, we have all had our bad days, and this can influence how we treat others, but I had never had bad months. And in realizing this, through being depressed from being out of my comfort zone, my capacity for compassion and understanding has grown tremendously. When someone commits an injustice to another human being, instead of so quickly judging them, I slow down and ask, "What is it in their life that is causing them to behave in this way? Where are the feelings stemming from? They must be facing some unhappiness in their life." I can relate on a level I had not known before. This has translated into my job at the Shalom Community Center, and into my dail y life in my interactions with people. It has really affected how I see the world and deepened my understanding of the human experience tremendously. After the first few months of isolation and depression, things did pick up! I began to make new friends who I still keep in contact with, from all over Britain and other exchange students from North America.

Historical Recount: Marco Polo and His Voyage to China Essay

In 13th and 14th centuries, many people believed that Marco polo and his family have been one of the first Europeans to visit China with a famous book The Travels of Marco Polo that had been written by a writer called Rustichello. The most appealing thing about Marco Polo is that Marco and his father were not explores. Marco Polo was born in 1254 in Venice, Italy. He grew into a wealthy merchant family and had an education, which would have prepared him for a career in business. Marco learned basic literacy skills, arithmetic, book- keeping, and the basic theology of the Latin Church. He also had an intimate knowledge of French and Italian. In 1260, Marco Polo’s father and uncle, Nicolo and Maffeo Polo traded regularly with Orient. They had spent a lot of time in Constantinople, Crimea and around the Balkans. When Marco was six years old, his father and uncle set out on their trip to Far East. In 1265, they arrived at the court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor who ruled over two thirds of Asia and asked them to bring 100 European priests to his court. In 1269, Nicolo and Maffeo polo returned to Venice, and they had known that Marco’s mother had died while they were on their journey. In 1271, Marco Polo joined his father and uncle’s another journey east. They passed through Armenia, Persia, Afghanistan and along the Silk Road to China. After three years, the Polos reached China. In this time, Marco’ father introduced him to Kublai Khan and certainly, the King was thoroughly engrossed in Marco’s knowledge and his behavior. So that, Marco family had got important positions at the king’s court. The Polos stayed in Kublai Khan’ court for 17 years. They had much of gold and jewels but they always worried about returning Venice. Marco Polo feared that if Kublai Khan died, he would not get his property out of the country because Kublai Khan was in late seventies. Finally, in 1292 Kublai Khan allowed Polos to come home on one condition that they accompanied Princess Kokachin whose Kublai Khanâ€⠄¢s daughter and her wedding party to Persia. After two years, the Polos arrived in Persia before continuing their journey home. In 1295, Marco Polo arrived Venice where was currently at war with Genoa. Marco was commander of a Venetian galley in the war against Genoa. After that, his ship was destroyed, so Marco was taken as a prisoner of war by the Genoese. For one year in prison, he met a writer called Rustichello of Pisa; Marco related clearly to him stories of Marco’s travels and experiences in China,  which then became a book The Travel of Marco Polo. In the summer of 1299, Marco Polo was released from prison in Genoa and returned home in Venice where he had been keeping doing business. In 1300, he married Donata Badoer and together they have three daughters. Marco Polo lived in Venice until he died of old age in 1324 at 70 of age. Although Marco Polo and his family were not the first Europeans to reach China by land, some of information in his book is a geographical reference in Asia, and it becomes useful experiences with many explorers for centuries later. The book also includes understanding about the Silk Road and Far East’s culture.

A Survey On Homelessness And Poverty - 1404 Words

According to a recent point in time by a survey provided by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an estimated 740000 individuals are experiencing homelessness at any particular time in America (Aratani). Additionally, an approximated 3.5 million individuals are at risk of experiencing temporary homelessness at a certain point in a particular year with some 1.35 million children based on the report by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (Aratani). In 2005, 50 percent of the cities in the US were surveyed and reported domestic violence, classified as a traumatic life event, to be the primary cause of homeless (Philipps). The cities that were surveyed include Cedar Rapids, Chicago, Los Angeles, Burlington, Nashville, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Trenton, Seattle, and Nashville. In addition, a survey carried out in 2003 about the homeless mothers across the country found out that one quarter had been abused physically in the past year and nearly all had witnessed or experienced domestic violence over their lifetimes (Fertig). Another report indicated that 47 percent of the homeless school aged children as well as 29 percent of the homeless children under the age of 5 have witnessed domestic violence in the families. Another study carried out in 10 cities indicated that 22 percent of the individuals who had left their last residence was because of domestic violence. While the common impression is that the homeless individuals are mainly episodicShow MoreRelatedHomeless People And The United States1648 Words   |  7 Pagesthe highest rates of homelessness among developed countries, homelessness in the U.S. is at epidemic levels in large cities (Agans 1). With the number of homeless people rising, the attitude of the general population towards the unhoused grows to be increasingly negative. Regardless of the difficulty of tracking and recording data on homeless people, one fact remains clear: Despite efforts to end homelessness in the United States, homeless people are are often held in poverty by the negative socialRead MoreHomelessness And The Homeless Population1570 Words   |  7 Pagesanalysis of homelessness in the United States and the relationship between the number of homeless persons and multiple other factors. A study of the linear regression concludes that poverty and housing units are the two variables that interpret the fluctuati ons in the homeless count. Given this information, there is a need for further research in order to mitigate future increases in the homeless population. Keywords: homelessness, income, housing, unemployment, veterans Homelessness Since theRead MoreHomelessness : Poverty And Lack Of Permanent And Stable Housing1244 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness is the situation where individuals lack safe and adequate housing resulting in sleeping in the streets, their cars, and family or friends homes or in shelters. According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a homeless person is an individual who does not a have a permanent residence place, but rather has a temporary nighttime residence which is not designed for the accommodation of human beings (National Health Care for the Homeless Council, n.d.) SuchRead MoreHomeless Veterans Are Becoming More Prevalent Of The United States886 Words   |  4 Pagesveteran is an individual who lives on the streets, in abandoned buildings, vehicles, encampments, shelters, or transitional housing (Veterans Today, 2013). 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National Law Center of Homelessness and Poverty reports that homeless population in United States is estimated around 3.5 million, but on the other hand there are nearly 18.6Read MoreThe Factors Associated With Youth Homelessness And Arrest, By Kim Fielding And Cheryl Forchuk Essay1553 Words   |  7 Pages Poverty has long been a consistent characteristic in crime. Numerous theories like Social Disorganization, Labeling Theory, and Strain Theory have been created to try to explain the connection between poverty and crime. As these theories demonstrate , the devastating external factors that poverty causes contribute to crime. Yet, the connection between poverty and crime continues to deliver new data, adding to the way criminologist analyze crime. These studies develop new methods including governmentalRead MoreHomeless in America Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesThe problem of homelessness in America is growing dramatically. Its a problem that can strike anyone when you least expect it. Therefore you should address this as a major crisis that affects our society. I feel as Americans we should come together to create solutions to end a growing epidemic of homeless people. Statistics show people living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless. Economically they are at a higher risk of losing what little they already have. The number of homelessRead MoreEssay on Should Homelessness Be Criminalized?1007 Words   |  5 PagesDid you know that Applied Survey Research counted a total of 4,539 homeless people last year in Sonoma County alone? I can vouch for the authenticity and methods used in this survey because I assisted as a counter. I am passionate about the social issue of homelessness, mainly because I was part of this population a decade ago. Applied Survey Research defines homelessness in part as, â€Å"An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The sad fact is that there are not enoughRead MoreThe Perception of the Homeless1092 Words   |  5 Pagespeople in the United States alone (National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness). Within this amount of people there are challenges beyond not having a home that most citizens with a home do not face that include thinking about appearance, quality and source of food, living space, and sourc e of money. These are just a few things that non-homeless may overlook when thinking about the challenges of homelessness. The way that we as a nation perceive others around us comes into play here, becauseRead MoreThe Perception of the Homeless1206 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States alone (National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness). Within this amount of people there are challenges beyond not having a home that the majority of citizens with a home do not face. These include: thinking about appearance, quality and source of food, living space, and source of money. Those mentioned are just a few things that non-homeless people may overlook when thinking about the challenges of homelessness. As a nation the way we perceive others around us comes into play