Molson Coors Brewing Co. is making a revolutionary move in the Beer market with the introduction of their iced-tea flavored beer. The citrus-like, iced-tea flavored beer will have about 4% alcohol but no caffeine. Molson Coors aims to create greater variation within their product in order to expand their consumer base and differentiate themselves. However, it is questionable to me whether or not this product will succeed.
Largely, the move stems from consumers’ increasing preference for exotic cocktails and liquors over traditional beer. In recent years, beer sales have been close to nil in Canada, and continuously declining in the U. S. Liquor sales, on the other hand, have been steadily increasing in both regions. In fact, liquor companies have been gaining a larger market share in the U. S with the introduction of products such as Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow Vodka and Smirnoff Twist Vodka Raspberry. Given this, it seems logical that beer companies would dispute their competition by introducing flavored beer, right? However, at the same time, beer remains a staple to American tradition and, some might say, a true “man’s drink”. So will adding flavor to a conventional drink be accepted well in America? From the reading “Note on Sensing Opportunity”, let’s evaluate the iced-tea flavored beer product.
Relative Advantage: 4/10
Iced-tea flavored beer offers the advantage of possibly appealing to a more diversified consumer base. For example, people who crave more fruity, diluted flavors could be attracted to Iced-Tea Beer as a “softer” drink. In my opinion however, if you enjoy citrus, fruity flavored alcohol, you would choose products like Smirnoff Ice or Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper rather than flavored beer. Given there are so many other successful flavored alcohol products out there, Iced-Tea Beer does not seem to offer a great advantage to consumers.
Compatibility: 3/10
To me, flavored beer would rank low on the compatibility scale given that it is a brand new product that is not consistent with existing values and experiences. Beer has always been viewed as a hearty drink with a unique taste; flavored beer completely changes this ideology and therefore does not fit with consumers’ established ways of doing things.
Complexity: 1/10
This product is most definitely not hard to understand or use. It requires no skills to master, and therefore ranks low on the complexity scale.
Trialability: 8/10
Experimenting with different flavors and finding the right “mix” of beer:ice tea ratio would be feasible and not overly expensive. I would therefore rank flavored beer high on the trailability scale.
Observability: 7/10
It seems to me that flavored beer would rank relatively high on the observability scale. It would be easy to observe someone’s reaction to this new product. However, at the same time, one often has to try something for themselves to truly have an opinion on it since everyone’s taste palet varies.
Overall, I would say that Iced-Tea Beer falls under the “Sure Failures” category. The degree of product change is low — Molson Coors simply added citrus and iced-tea flavors to their traditional beer to create a differentiated taste in their product. However, the degree of behavioral change is high. Americans take pride in drinking traditional, robust-tasting beer; changing the taste of this staple American drink will be hard for many people to get used to. Beer is traditionally viewed as a masculine drink and it seems to me, adding fruity flavors into beer takes away from this conventional perception.
What are your opinions? Would you purchase Iced-Tea Beer? Do you think it will be successful in America?
Largely, the move stems from consumers’ increasing preference for exotic cocktails and liquors over traditional beer. In recent years, beer sales have been close to nil in Canada, and continuously declining in the U. S. Liquor sales, on the other hand, have been steadily increasing in both regions. In fact, liquor companies have been gaining a larger market share in the U. S with the introduction of products such as Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow Vodka and Smirnoff Twist Vodka Raspberry. Given this, it seems logical that beer companies would dispute their competition by introducing flavored beer, right? However, at the same time, beer remains a staple to American tradition and, some might say, a true “man’s drink”. So will adding flavor to a conventional drink be accepted well in America? From the reading “Note on Sensing Opportunity”, let’s evaluate the iced-tea flavored beer product.
Relative Advantage: 4/10
Iced-tea flavored beer offers the advantage of possibly appealing to a more diversified consumer base. For example, people who crave more fruity, diluted flavors could be attracted to Iced-Tea Beer as a “softer” drink. In my opinion however, if you enjoy citrus, fruity flavored alcohol, you would choose products like Smirnoff Ice or Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper rather than flavored beer. Given there are so many other successful flavored alcohol products out there, Iced-Tea Beer does not seem to offer a great advantage to consumers.
Compatibility: 3/10
To me, flavored beer would rank low on the compatibility scale given that it is a brand new product that is not consistent with existing values and experiences. Beer has always been viewed as a hearty drink with a unique taste; flavored beer completely changes this ideology and therefore does not fit with consumers’ established ways of doing things.
Complexity: 1/10
This product is most definitely not hard to understand or use. It requires no skills to master, and therefore ranks low on the complexity scale.
Trialability: 8/10
Experimenting with different flavors and finding the right “mix” of beer:ice tea ratio would be feasible and not overly expensive. I would therefore rank flavored beer high on the trailability scale.
Observability: 7/10
It seems to me that flavored beer would rank relatively high on the observability scale. It would be easy to observe someone’s reaction to this new product. However, at the same time, one often has to try something for themselves to truly have an opinion on it since everyone’s taste palet varies.
Overall, I would say that Iced-Tea Beer falls under the “Sure Failures” category. The degree of product change is low — Molson Coors simply added citrus and iced-tea flavors to their traditional beer to create a differentiated taste in their product. However, the degree of behavioral change is high. Americans take pride in drinking traditional, robust-tasting beer; changing the taste of this staple American drink will be hard for many people to get used to. Beer is traditionally viewed as a masculine drink and it seems to me, adding fruity flavors into beer takes away from this conventional perception.
What are your opinions? Would you purchase Iced-Tea Beer? Do you think it will be successful in America?
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