What Your Taste in Beer Says About You

YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- The beer you drink says a lot about you -- even before you've had a few too many. The concept of beer-as-window-to-the-soul comes from Mindset Media, the market researcher specializing in psychographics. The company started out with a theory that with so many opinions and brand loyalty around beer, the choice people make must be connected to personality. Mindset interviewed more than 2,600 people online in August and September and found specific personalities and mind-sets "popped" for more than half a dozen branded beer choices. "I was surprised at how much we did find out," said Mindset Media Director-Research John Durant, who also admitted that he "doesn't just like beer, I love beer." He and his team found generic differences as well. For instance, people who prefer domestic beers over craft beers or imports are generally middle of the road in their politics. They're not nearly as conservative as people who don't drink beer at all, but not as liberal as people who prefer more exotic beer. People who drink a broad portfolio of beers are different than one-brand drinkers as well. Those "indifferent" beer drinkers are more open-minded and emotional people who enjoy a variety of life experiences. Mr. Durant pointed out that they might be the types of people who would identify with a marketing campaign like that of Dos Equis: "I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." And that is the point of the research, of course -- it's not just all fun and drinking games, but it comes with marketing lessons, Mr. Durant said. For instance, there are a lot of Bud Light drinkers in general, but there is a big difference between the ones who also drink only other domestic beers such as Coors Light and Miller Light, and ones who also prefer craft and import beers. Domestic Bud drinkers are more impulsive and less compliant to authority, while Bud Light and import drinkers are outgoing extroverts who tend to be perfectionists. Mindset Media walked Ad Age through some specific brand findings. BUDWEISER Budweiser drinkers are 42% more likely to drive a truck than the average person, 68% more likely to choose a credit card with flexible payment terms and 42% more likely to use breath-freshening strips every day. BUD LIGHT Bud Light drinkers profile as lacking in carefulness. They are grounded like their Bud brethren, but respect authority. Bud Lighters can also have frat boy-like personalities, particularly when it comes to personal risk-taking. In regard to others, these good-time guys and gals are accepting of most everyone and generally easy to get along with. Bud Light drinkers are also 48% more likely than the average person to play the lottery every day and 34% more likely to never buy organic products. MICHELOB ULTRA Michelob Ultra drinkers rate high in superiority; that is, they think highly of themselves and can be a little bit conceited. They care what other people think about them and want to appear perfect. They also tend to be take-charge types with strong opinions, and can even be confrontational. Michelob Ultra drinkers are 43% more likely than the average person to consider sustainability a priority, and 34% more likely to buy life insurance. CORONA Corona drinkers are 91% more likely than average to buy recycled products and 38% more likely to own three or more flat-screen TVs. HEINEKEN People who choose Heineken as their favorite beer are 58% more likely to have American Express cards, 45% more likely to be early adopters of new mobile phones, and 29% more likely to drive sports cars. BLUE MOON Blue Moonies are socially liberal and usually quite willing to go against convention. They really hate moral authorities, and believe children should be exposed to moral dilemmas and allowed to come to their own conclusions. They can also be sarcastic and snide in order to get a point across. People who drink Blue Moon beer are 105% more likely than the average person to drive hybrid cars, 77% more likely to own Apple Mac laptops, 65% more likely to purchase five pairs or more of sneakers every year, and 32% more likely to not be registered voters. CRAFT BEERS Craft-beer lovers are 153% more likely to always buy organic, 52% more likely to be fans of the show "The Office" and 36% more likely to be the ones to choose the movie they are going to see at the theater. ABSTAINERS People who turn down beer are 50% more likely to call themselves Republican, and are 30% more likely to never buy organic products.

What Your Taste in Beer Says About You

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