ANHEUSER-BUSCH BECK'S GREEN LEMON BEER
Research Methods for Global Marketing Communication & Advertising
Boston, MA was ranked as having the highest beer drinking per capita in the United States by CNN in 2013. Do you think it could use another imported beer to add to the roster? Our team did. One of my projects required that we choose a brand or product which has not yet been introduced to the United States market and determine if it is practical for the product to enter the Boston market at the time of research. My team used primary and secondary research to help up develop our recommendation including the following tools: SWOT analysis, Surveys, Focus Groups, SPSS, and Emerson College library databases including Euromoniter, CountryWatch, Mintel, and MRI+. Beck's Green Lemon Beer failed the action standard, therefore, we concluded that Beck's should avoid introducing this line the Boston beer market considering the unfavorable conditions at this time.
Eileen Louissaint, Hien Pham, Nele Rieve, & Edwin Stubbs
2. - Founded in 1873
- Becks is in 120 different countries
- Becks Green Lemon introduced into
German market in 2005. It has been very
successful
- Beck’s Green Lemon is a shandy beer
IntroductionGreen Lemon
3. - Beck’s has been doing well in European market
- Entry level employees and students tends to spend their
disposable income on leisure and entertainment.
- Boston market is the number one beer consuming city in US
with several imported beers.
- Ample room to grow within the Boston market
situation analysis
Green Lemon
4. - Well known Parent Company
- Low Cal/Alcohol percentage
- Premium light and flavored
mix drink
- Competitive price range
- Low recall of brand name
- Currently no shandy beer
subculture
- No health benefits
5. - Boston ranked 20th place for most
drinks per capita in US
- Boston’s location provides easy access
for importing
- Large Gen Y population
- Growing health consciousness
- Shift in consumer preferences away
from regular beer and towards beer
alternatives
- Millennial’s gravitation to wine
and spirits
- Reduction of Alcoholic advertise-
ments at Boston Universities
- Saturated Alcohol market
- Brand loyalty to other drinks
among target audience.
- Competition with local and
national brands
- No shandy subculture
6. Highly Saturated Beer Market in
highest beer consuming city in the
United States
Not Unique-packaging similar to
competing brand Heineken, flavor
similar to Corona Light or Smirnoff
Too Low-alcohol content if
targeting young social-driven
market
marketing problems
7. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
To identify main attributes of
alcoholic beverages that attract
consumers
To gauge consumers attitudes
towards flavored drinks
To examine consumers motivation
to buy imported beer
Evaluate Overall Impression of
Beck’s Green Lemon Beer
8. methods - fgi
•8 participants
–2 males and 6 females
–under 29
–All graduate students
•Key measures – Beer consumption patterns,
consumer motivations of purchasing import-
ed beer, overall evaluation, likes and dislikes,
brand personality, purchase intention, and
promotional tactics.
•Procedures - Shared concept board including
pricing, packing, and mood board as well as
two TV commercials
9. methods - survey
•Data Collection Method - Both paper and web-based
and conducted our research both in face-to-face
interviews and online.
•Sampling Methods and Samples
–Non-Probability sampling with convenience
samples
–100 respondents aged of 21 or older
•34 males, 65 females, one unknown
•(56) 21-24, (31) 25-29, (12) 30 and over
•(21) less than 100K, (15) 100K-199K, (16)
200-299K, (10) 300-399, (38) more than 400K
10. methods
• Key Measures
General Beer Consumption Patterns
Perception and Acceptance of Beck’s Green Lemon
Demographics
• Data Analysis: Frequency, Cross-Tabs, T-test and
ANOVA
• Action Standards:
Top 2 Box: 60%
Mean Score: 3.50
11. results - fgi
• Style and Design
-- Labeling is contradictory to unique
contents (Negative)
-- Marketable to both male and female
(Positive)
• Brand Positioning
-- Middle Class, Millennials
-- Premium beer- German pedigree
(Positive)
-- Quality- Beck’s Brand foundation
(Positive)
-- German Beer Purity Law (Positive)
12. results - fgi
• Product Formula
-- Low Calories (Positive)
-- Green Coloring (Negative)
-- Low alcohol content (Negative)
• Promotion
-- Social Functions- Sporting
Events/ESPN, Music Festivals
-- Commercials
-- Magazine Ads
23. Green Lemon
results - survey
(AFTER CONCEPT BOARD)
Reasonable price for a six-pack: $8 - $9
(39%)
Promotion types: free samples (81%), price
discounts/ sales (63%) & buy one, get one
free (61%)
Locations: liquor stores (69%), grocery
stores (68%) & bars (62%)
Advertisement medias: Social Media (68%),
TV Commercials (60%), Billboard & Transit
Ads (46%)
24. conclusion
Unfavorable conditions for BGL to enter
the market >> NO GO
Failed action standard
Doesn’t fit in with consumption patterns
Socializing = major motivation
Likes: refreshing character, German
origin, lemon flavor, low calories
Dislikes: low alcohol content, brand
name & green color
Price of $8.99 per 6-pack falls into
accepted price range
25. recommendation
Price, Place, Product, packaging, color,
Alcohol formula, Brand name
Promotion: focus promotional efforts on
establishing brand awareness by
sponsoring social functions such as
sporting events, music festivals and other
events. develop a strong web presence
and presence on social media by i.e.
creating a Beck’s Green Lemon website
Positioning: position their brand as a
refreshing, sophisticated, seasonal,
summer beer.
26. recommendation
We highly believe that if Beck’s Green
Lemon were to implement the changes
we recommended and followed our
market entry and positioning strategies
they would be able to position
themselves as a premium beer in the
Boston market and become a thought
leader in the beer industry.
Creation and development of shandy
beer demographic in Boston will be key.
(Example: develop strong loyal
customer base)