Big Brewers control the media.

[Hugh Grierson]

I thought that a discussion of the latest big brewery schemes to marginalise Craft Beer could be amusing.  Aside from a few beacons the mainstream media are useless at something that many people find interesting. Why? Obviously there is the kiwi weekness of only acknowledging something when its recognised overseas, but there is a deeper, more sinister reason. Big bad beer controls the media, using it big bad beer money. The Herald's beer writer is a DB employee, and both Dish and Cuisine Magazines have had big brewers swimming through their bowels at some time.
The July 2010 issue issue of Dish is an example of this, a magazine that previously carried stories about Epic or Mata has now metamorphosed into a beer wench for the worst of the    "premium craft beer", Montieths.
You can tell when has happens, only one brand of beer exists in the magazines universe, you might find a positive review or beer/food match, and of course many advertisements for the one monied brand, no reviews of any competition.
I thought that this discussion could become a collection of biased and shoddy media, maybe they just need to know we are onto them..
Oh and also if my chopper crashes unexplicably, it's not pilot error.

[Daniel Parker]

This months Drinksbiz magazine (Its a NZ Trade Magazine) mentioned that DB was going to fight for their Radler trademark.. and called SOBA a 'Fringe Group' making the society sound like a bunch of nutters. I have filed it in the round filing cabinet, so can't scan it, but it read like a press release from DB.

[Darryl]

Yeah, I saw that "story" thought the same that it read like a press release more than a non-biased story....

[Ian]

Yes, it's the old story of money muscle. On a very large scale you see it globally in industries such as pharmaceuticals, where biased results are contrived to show the target products in a good light and suppress any smaller challenge. It has even happened that a large corporation offers to purchase a massive quantity of the particular publication - thus giving financial incentive to the publication without 'paying them off.' I'm not saying that happens in NZ, but sponsoring various events that smaller operators can't afford to do can go a long way to 'encouraging' a good result in a publication. But perhaps it is just rank ignorance and writers are actually impressed by peudo European culture and products in green bottles?

[Jona Hjelmstrom]

Quote:"But perhaps it is just rank ignorance and writers are actually impressed by peudo European culture and products.."

Interesting point you make, it is a historical marketing stereotype deployed because it generates an anchored psychological response for quality, no verification necessary.
All we hear is that catch phrase "European Design" (= latest design + quality), as applied to cars, furniture, clothing etc.

[Greig McGill]

Here's the article in question, thanks to Kieran. It's a joke.

[Stu McKinlay]

jeeze, that "article" is ripe for a spoof response from SOBA...


The Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA) intends to continue its fight against the 5-year old trademark of "Radler", a 100-year old German term, despite the stance of Dutch-owned imperialistic marketing company (and part-time brewers) DB Breweries.

DB Breweries, who brew a full-strength beer infused with lemon and lime cordial, falsely advertise their product as a Radler (a 50/50 or 60/40 mix of beer with soda, and a German term synonomous with Radler) - a practice which may have disasterous effects when thousands of unwitting tourists swamp low-end Monteith's "Gastro Bars" during next years World Cup.

continues...

[Hugh Grierson]

Has anyone been watching TV3 news, any alcohol story has the image of beer bottles pasted all over it. Drunk sea captain can't walk and surrounded by empty whisky bottles, blame it on beer! Teens get munted on woodstocks, blame it on beer! Fat national party MP has big alcohol credit card bill.. MUST BE EVIL BEER!

[Reviled]

Yeah ive been thinking along the same lines Hugh, what can we do about it tho?

[Hugh Grierson]

I emailed tv3 asking for a new graphic with some other alcohols included.
dont expect they care.

[Hugh Grierson]

Luke's letter is classic. Eloquent even.

[Reviled]

letter? Where can I find that?

[Chris Banks]

This one?
http://luke.co.nz/dear-sunday-star-times-editor