Miller Claims Bud Light Formula Different
The latest fight in the US beer battle is a matter of taste. Miller Brewing Co. says rival Anheuser-Busch has altered Bud Light in the past year to make it more bitter and bubbly, rolling out the claim about Bud Light in national television ads. The company said data it has collected shows Bud Light’s bitterness and carbonation rose from last year. Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. called Miller’s claims “another marketing ploy” and complained to cable networks that the statements are false.
Now, 10 of 32 cable networks contracted to run the commercials have put them on hold while awaiting substantiation of the claims, said Pete Marino, a spokesman for Milwaukee-based Miller, a unit of SAB Miller PLC.
“All we’re saying that they’re doing is that they changed Bud Light and that Miller Lite still has more taste,” Marino said. “We need to be very diligent in protecting our taste claim.”
Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. said Monday it has not altered its “winning formula.” However, the company added, “our brewmasters are constantly making small adjustments to address seasonal changes in raw ingredients.”
Bud Light remains the highest-selling light beer in the world, according to St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch.
