Samual Adams to "Sammy"

[davesarman]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the change in Sam Adams marketing over the last couple years. How the image of Mr. Adams on their packaging changed from a stern, serious looking patriot, to a younger, hipper colonial "dude". Now the image is gone altogether on some products and it's labeled as "Sam Adams", not "Samuel". The ads for the light refer to it as "Sammy" and it's an ad campaign that looks like any others macro beer ad. Don't get me wrong, they have every right to market how they see fit and they've obviously decided this is how to gain market share, and they're probably right, sadly. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

[BigIndieBeerMan]

Dave,
Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I agree with your assessment that they're probably doing it to increase their market share. It's sad to see them compromise their image, though. Hopefully they won't compromise the quality of their brew.

[mbritojr]

I noticed when they changed Sam to the younger version currently on the bottle with the little smile. Boston Brewing trying to cater to a younger market? As a college senior I can def. tell you this: The younger drinkers are maturing their tastes much more quickly. Parties on campus used to be jammed dorm rooms with cases of Bucsh Light. Now it is more like casual drinking w/ a few 6-ers of Sam or Newcastle, any other beer that isn't a generic American light. I appreciate the better beer (I actually brew my own in my dorm room) but man, were those Busch Light parties fun!:D

[Beer Nazi]

You betcha Sam Adams is hitting the younger crowds, and hard.

How about their sponsoring the having sex in public places segments of the radio station in New York? The story goes that a radio morning show would award a prize sponsored by SA to the couple that would get it on in the most wild public spot. The couples would call the station to have someone witness the event to make sure it was legit.

The spit hit the fan when one winning couple "graced" a church with their antics.

A beer that is supposed to stand for stalwortness and refinement sure has some folks thinking it belongs in 40's being guzzled in gutters.

[Jhunter]

Yeah, they are going at it aggressively. Turned some friends on to the Octoberfest brew from SA and they were stoked!

[jbrooks]

The first change from the stern, unsmiling Sam with the mug held closely to his stomach to a younger, long-hair tossled smirking Sam with his mug raised high was quite deliberate. It was done, as some of you have speculated, specifically to attract a younger audience of drinkers. Sam Adams seems convinced that their future lies with younger drinkers and introducing a craft (sort of) light beer was a further step in that direction. Coupled with the fact that light beer is the only broad beer category that has shown any growth over the last few years, they're hoping to get back some of the market share they've lost recently through the age old trick of finding a new (and in this case younger) crop of people to sell to. Incidently, since they began in the early 80's, they had the same marketing person (Lucy) calling the shots, marketing-wise. The changes to the logo began with her departure a few years ago.

[cyanide]

I really hope their beer is not the next thing to be dumbed down.

In many places, it's the only decent beer available.

I don't care what kind of image they give it, just as long as they don't cheapen the beer.