Paws Button
Truth really is stranger than fiction. Well, at least when it comes to marketing.
I have lived long enough now to say that I have seen just about every stupid marketing trick imaginable. This is a subset of the broader stupid human tricks genre, but confined to trying to make a buck.
So when I read this morning that Busch Beer has introduced DogBrew just in time for Thanksgiving, I shook my head. No, it’s not alcoholic, lest people have pets falling down drunk, and on a holiday no less. But it is an interesting twist on what has become Anheuser-Busch’s quirkiest brand.
Busch has regaled us with beer cans, both the standard 12-ounce and the handy stadium -friendly 16-ounce aluminum bottle, that feature a huge ear of corn. This is supposedly so that Midwest farmers and their friends will identify with the product. Truth be known, it’s more like corn is the major ingredient, not barley, as mandated by the German Reinheitsgebot in 1516.
Busch also has an apple-flavored beer, which sounds like a sticky sweet mess to me, and a waste of good water. You can’t make this stuff up. Busch is the beer of choice for those who want a buzz while on a budget. And when I say budget, I mean more than just money, but also good taste.
That said, I kind of like the idea of giving my dogs a holiday brew while the rest of us are noshing on nap-inducing seasonal favorites. Oh, and string bean casserole, of course, which has absolutely nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but is probably America’s favorite side dish.
I must confess that I have given my dogs a taste of the brewer’s art—the real stuff, not flavored water, mind you—through the years. Never enough to cause harm, even though we never have to worry about them getting behind the wheel. They lapped it up. Today, I find them staring wistfully through the clear glass door of my beer fridge.
The brew, which is made from pork broth, vegetables, and spices, is available online at the Busch website. It costs $15 for a 4-pack, making it a premium treat and not one you’d want to do on a regular basis, no doubt. But it’s only available for a limited time, so you better hurry.
I recall about 40 years ago a different twist on pet refreshments. Puppy Pop and Pussy Pop were available in pet stores. You know. The kind that used to be in every shopping mall. I can’t imagine why you’d give a carbonated beverage to a dog, which probably explains why these did not sell very well, and collectors have driven up the price of these cans.
While DogBrew is clearly intended to elicit chuckles, it’s still potent, albeit not potent potable, marketing bluster. It’s a perfect match for a brand that has decided to make fun of itself a bit, all the while aiming squarely at a very specific demographic.
And I’m sure that families across America, especially in the Midwest, will be roundly entertained when they pop open a can of this for the beloved fur babies. For even more levity, you might try slipping a little bit in a glass for your inebriated uncle. He’ll never notice. The fun never ends. I mean, unless he starts barking for more. Truth.
Dr “I Have A Treat For You, Summit and Huck!“ Gerlich
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