Page 12 THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1981
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THE GREAT AMERICAN BEER SWITCH
Advertisement
50% of Michelob fa
£
pull the switch
for today’s Schlitz
48% of 200 loyal
Budweiser drinkers
also prefer Schlitz
Schlitz’ impressive showing
“ ‘ :he
fc
against Michelob wasn’t the
first time loyal beer drinkers
picked Schlitz over their brand.
Results were similar in earlier
tests against number one sell
ing Budweiser.
In a live TV taste test con
ducted just before the second
half of the Oakland/Houston
layoff game, 46 out of 100
oyal Bud drinkers preferred
Schlitz over their own beer. A
week later, 100 more Bud
drinkers were tested. This time
50%—exactly half—pulled the
swatch for Schlitz.
All in all, 48% of the loyal
Bud drinkers tested liked
Schlitz better. Prior to the test,
the panelists had signed affida
vits affirming that Budweiser
was their beer. Most of them
seemed confident that Bud
would be their choice in the
test. At least 48% left with a
new outlook—and some, per
haps, with a new beer.
'1 was confident”
states Schlitz Chief
Frank Sellinger
The results of the taste
tests were not unexpected for
Schlitz Chief Executive, Frank
Sellinger.
“Some people thought it was
risky to do live TV taste tests
in front of millions of people’,’
says Sellinger, “but it didn’t take
nerve, it just took confidence’.’
Sellinger, a master brewer
for 40 years, has helped brew
some of the world’s finest beers.
Since joining the company
three years ago, he has con
centrated on making Schlitz
the best premium beer on the
market.
“They brought me here to
brew the best’,’ says Sellinger.
“And this Schlitz is it’.’
It seems quite a few of the
Bud, Miller and Michelob
drinkers tested agree.
50 out of 100 Micheloli
drinkers pick Schlitz
on live Super Bowl TV
It was Schlitz vs. Michelob Beer—and former NFL Referee Tommy Bell called the
score for Schlitz in the live TV taste test.
100 million fans watched as
Schlitz took on Michelob in the
finale of “The Great Americaii
Beer Switch!’ The dramatic test
was conducted live during half
time of the Super Bowl game.
The huge audience wit
nessed 100 loyal Michelob
drinkers choose between two
unlabelled beers—their own
Michelob and today’s Schlitz.
The outcome proved a surprise
to many Michelob drinkers who
found themselves preferring
the taste of Schlitz over the
taste of Michelob.
Each of the 100 loyal
Michelob drinkers was served
two beers, one Schlitz and one
Michelob, in unlabelled ceram
ic mugs. Tasters were told to
indicate a tie, or make a choice
by pulling an electronic switch
left or right in the direction of
the beer they preferred. To in
sure fairness, the testing was
conducted by a leading inde
pendent consumer research
firm. The results were vali
dated by another top statistical
research company, Elrick and
Lavidge, Inc.
Before the test, the Michelob
drinkers probably thought they
would pick their own brand. A
lot of them seemed surprised
as they watched the number
of Michelob drinkers who pre
ferred Schlitz flash up for na
tional TV.
c
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k
£>
test^&hStais^ Beer fans surprised at choice of Schlitz
preferred by 37%
In the weeks following the
impressive showing against
#1 Budweiser, Schlitz went
head to head against another
leading beer—Miller.
In two taste tests appearing
on live television, a total of 200
loyal Miller drinkers were
asked to choose between their
beer and Schlitz. Again, a sig
nificant number of Miller
drinkers decided their beer
was second best and pulled the
switch for Schlitz.
Panelists who decided their
beer was second best and chose
Schlitz expressed surprise.
Similar reactions have been
registered in other taste tests
across the country.
“I honestly selected the beer
I preferred and it wasn’t Miller,”
admitted Miller drinker, Albert
Gualano.
“I’m genuinely surprised’,’
exclaimed Guy D’Anne, “I
thought Bud was better but I’ve
been proved wrong’.’ “Schlitz
has much better flavor than
Miller, and it goes do wn easier?’
attested Bill Weber, “I could
drink it all night’.’
Panelist Bernie Felsbit
summed up the reaction of
many of the Bud, Miller and
Michelob drinkers when he
said, “There may be a new
beer in my future’.’
Do it yourself-
American Beer
■try the “Great
Switch” test
This test requires two iden
tical mugs, a Schlitz and your
regular beer, at equal tempera
ture. Label the mugs “1” and
mugs
“2” so the taster won’t know
which beer is which. Pour the
beers to equal heads out of the
taster’s sight. f
To ensure that the choice is
made on taste alone, serve the
beer in non-transparent mugs
or have the taster dose his eyes.
Now let the taster sample both
of the beers and choose the one
that tastes better. Now you
taste both beers yourself. Did
u pick your regular brand?
today’s Schlitz?
Loyal Michelob drinkers chose between unlabelled mugs
of their Michelob and today's Schlitz.
©1981, Jos Schlitz Brewing Company, Milwaukee,Wl
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