Page 10-Thursday, February 5, 1981-The Michigan Daily
Advertisement THE GREAT AMERICAN BEER SWITCH Advertisement
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48% of 200 loyal:
Budweiser drinkers
also prefer Schlitz
Schlitz' impressive showing
against Michelob wasn't the
first time loyal beer drinkers
picked Schlitz over their brand.
Results were similar in earlier
tests against number one sell-
ing Budweiser.
In a live TV taste test con-
ducted just before the second,
half of the Oakland/Houston
playoff, game, 46 out of 100
loyal Bud drinkers preferred
Schlitz over their own beer. A
week later, 100 more Bud
drinkers were tested. This time
50%-exactly half-pulled the
switch for Schlitz.
All in all, 48% of the loyal
Bud drinkers tested liked
Schlitz better. Prior to the test,
the panelists had signed affida-
vits affirming that Budweiser
was their beer. Most of them
seemed confident that Bud
would be their choice in the
test. At least 48% left with a
new outlook-and some, per-
haps, with a new beer.
50 out of 100 Michelob
drinkers pick Schlitz
on live Super Bowl TV
100 million fans watched as
Schlitz took on Michelob in the
finale of "The Great American
Beer Switch'.' The dramatic test
was conducted live during half-
time of the Super Bowl game.
The huge audience wit-
nessed 100 loyal Michelob
drinkers choose between two
unlabelled beers-their own
Michelob and today's Schlitz.
The outcome proved a surprise
to many Michelob drinkers who
found themselves preferring
the taste of Schlitz over the
taste of Michelob.
Each of the 100 loyal
Michelob drinkers was served
two beers, one Schlitz and one
Michelob, in unlabelled ceram-
ic mugs. Tasters were told to
indicate a tie, or make a choice
by pulling an electronic switch
left or right in the direction of
the beer they preferred. To in-
sure fairness, the testing was
conducted by a leading inde-
pendent consumer research
firm. The results were vali-
dated by another top statistical
research company, Elrick and
Lavidge, Inc.
Before the test, the Michelob
drinkers probably thought they
would pick their own brand. A
lot of them seemed surprised
as they watched the number
of Michelob drinkers who pre-
ferred Schlitz flash up for na-
tional TV.
41
It was Schlitz vs. Michelob Beer - and former NFL Referee Tommy Bell called the
score for Schlitz in the live TV taste test.
200 Miller drinkers Beer fans surprised at choice of Schlitz
preferred by 37% Panelists who decided their attested Bill Weber, "I could many of the Bud, Miller an
beer was seond ehst and rhe drink it All night'" Mirhplnh drinkers when h
d
I was confident"
states Schlitz Chief
Frank Sellinger
The results of the taste
tests were not unexpected for
Schlitz Chief Executive, Frank
Sellinger.
"Some people thought it was
risky to do live TV taste tests
in front of millions of people"
says Sellinger, "but it didn't take
nerve, it just took confidence"
Sellinger, a master brewer
for 40 years, has helped brew
some of the world's finest beers.
Since joining the company
three years ago. he has con-
In the wveeks following the
impressive showing against
#1 Budweiser, Schlitz went
head to head against another
leading beer -Miller.
In two taste tests appearing
on live television, a total of 200
loyal Miller drinkers were
asked to choose between their
beer and Schlitz. Again, a sig-
nificant number of Miller
drinkers decided their beer
was second best and pulled the
switch for Schlitz.
V^%- V 4. CEO -~AJ O . ll.AI J..L CluJ l A V'L
Schlitz expressed surprise.
Similar reactions have been
registered in other taste tests
across the country.
"I honestly selected the beer
I preferred and it wasn't Miller,"
admitted Miller drinker, Albert
Gualano.
"I'm genuinely surprised'
exclaimed Guy D'Anne, "I
thought Bud was better but I've
been proved wrong' "Schlitz
has much better flavor than
Miller, and it goes down easier,"
t.111ikig I 11611L.
Panelist Bernie Felsbit
summed up the reaction of
1 11t.11C..L'JP. '..LJ.111!10J1101 11e
said, "There may be a new
beer in my future'
Do it yourself-try the "Great
American Beer Switch" test
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