Typically, Molson Coors advertises its brands separately; establishing distinct platforms for both Coors Light and Miller Lite (“Tastes Like Miller Time”), which has helped both brands grow, St. Jacques said.
That growth is defying trends of category deterioration, said St Jacques, pinning that decline on Bud Light.
“We’ve still heard some criticisms that our portfolio plays too heavily in the premium light segment, which has been declining for years. Well, here’s what I’ll say, that consumers don’t go out looking to buy a premium light beer. They buy products that meet their needs and their occasions. And in the case of beer, consumers are often looking for something that tastes bright, is light and refreshing, and is highly sessionable,” she said.
“The light beer category, regardless of price point, is almost 50% of the total $115 billion beer category in the U.S. It’s big, huge. In volume, it’s six times bigger than FABs [flavored alcohol beverages], seven times bigger than hard seltzers and more than 20 times bigger than [ready to drink] spirits,” St. Jacques said. “The truth is the premium light segment is being dragged down by one competitor, and one competitor alone, because Coors Light and Miller Lite are not only growing share of premium lights, but of total light beer.”