What does your choice of beer say about you?
[Get our Twitter updates here. And tune in to KMOX, AM 1120 today at 4:20 to hear us chat with Mark Reardon about this.]
Now this is fascinating. Did you know that, if you are a Heineken drinker, you are more likely than the average person to be a “poser”? Or if you drink Bud Light, you are more likely to be careless? Or if you drink Michelob Ultra, you might be just a little conceited?
We didn’t either. In fact, we’re not even sure we believe this stuff. But they are among the interesting data points explored in an Advertising Age story this week.
“Your choice of beer can be as telling about your personality as what kind of clothing you wear or the car that you drive,” says reporter Beth Snyder Bulik. The story is based on a survey by Mindset Media, the market researcher specializing in something called “psychographics.” Mindset interviewed more than 2,600 people online in August and September and found specific personalities and mind-sets associated with a half-dozen branded beer choices.
And here’s what they found. (The findings have been edited for length). Readers, feel free to agree or disagree. I’d be curious to hear if you recognize yourselves. Here goes (and check out the AdAge story for the full run-down):
Budweiser
Bud drinkers are sensible, grounded and practical. They are the polar opposite of daydreamers and don’t easily get carried away.
Hmm. Some folks daydream about Budweiser, though. What does the survey make of that?
Bud Light
Bud Light drinkers profile as lacking in carefulness. Bud Lighters can also have frat boy-like personalities, particularly when it comes to personal risk-taking. In regard to others, these good-time guys and gals are accepting of most everyone and generally easy to get along with.
“Lacking in carefulness.” Gotta love the euphemism for bungee-jumping.
Michelob Ultra
Michelob Ultra drinkers rate high in superiority; that is, they think highly of themselves and can be a little bit conceited. They care what other people think about them and want to appear perfect. They also tend to be take-charge types with strong opinions, and can even be confrontational.
If I was built like the dude in the Michelob Ultra commercials (you know the guy — works out over lunch break), we’d be conceited too.
Corona
Corona and Corona Light drinkers are busy and energetic people who are also extremely extroverted. They’re people persons who seek out the company of others whether in a group or just one-to-one.
I though Corona drinkers sought out the company of a beach and a sunset. Maybe I’ve been watching too many beer commercials.
Heineken
There’s a slang term that could sum up Heineken drinkers: posers. These self-assured people believe they are exceptional, get low scores on modesty and high scores on self-esteem. They love their brand badges-a role the distinctive green glass bottle may play-and in fact, this group is attracted to luxury products in general. They are also energetic and dynamic and enjoy being both the center of attention and in the middle of the action.
Of course, you know the old expression — a Natty Light drinker is just a Heineken drinker who’s been laid off.
Blue Moon
Moonies are socially liberal and usually quite willing to go against convention. They really hate moral authorities, and believe children should be exposed to moral dilemmas and allowed to come to their own conclusions. They can also be sarcastic and snide in order to get a point across.
Yikes! Sounds like our Blue Moon friends might need to lighten up a little. Corona, perhaps?
Craft Beers
This group is more likely to spend time thinking about beer rather than work. They are more open-minded than most people, seek out interesting and varied experiences and are intellectually curious. Craft-beer drinkers also skew as having a lower sense of responsibility-they don’t stress about missed deadlines and tend to be happy-go-lucky about life.
Alright, craft drinkers: You’ve read to the end of the post and spent at least four minutes thinking about beer. Now back to work.
(16 votes, average: 3.69 out of 5)
Loading ...
Jeremiah McWilliams is a native Virginian who came to the Post-Dispatch in early 2007 to cover beer and other consumer products. He previously covered manufacturing for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Va. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. 
Mom your wrong again. She would have never been a part of the “frat boy culture” Francine is a very classy lady. She was put in a very diffcult position having to always explain what the marketing department was up to. Unless you worked there you would have no idea.
Dave, you’re missing the point. It’s a “forest vs. trees” point.
I do not know her personally, and am sure Katz is “a very classy lady”…hope she wins her complaint of “frat boy culture” and unequal pay. (The trees, the internal culture of AB.)
But here’s the forest: she devoted her career to a product and company whose very existence serves and caters to the Frat Boy/Good Ole Boy culture, often at the expense of women. She has been leader of a culture that has happily broadcast a consistent communications message that values women not so much for education, experience, corporate savvy, etc. but for their bra size or glamorous gams.
Not a message for female children whose aspiration may not be to be “Bud Light Girls” or women who want to be treated equally or paid equally in a professional work setting.
I find that ironic.
Of these, I fall into the craft beer and Budweiser groups. I drive a truck, and I love “The Office”.
Abstainers 95% more likely to be no fun at all. 87% more likely to comment about the need for more dwi checkpoints and 100% more likely to be someone I don’t know.
i have drank heineken regularly for over 8 years now and i have never owned an american express, never driven a sports car, and have had about 5 cell phones in over 10 years. nice try mr. stereotype. the bottom line is that people either a) drink what they think taste good or b) drink what they can afford. who cares about the color of bottle or the label.
I love Budweiser, but don’t drive a truck, and I do tend to plan ahead. I also like craft beer but don’t really think about beer unless I’m actually drinking one (or maybe at the end of a hard day when I’m heading toward the fridge).
Some of the stuff was accurate, some wasn’t…it was still fun. One more thing…I don’t think this was a discussion forum on Ms. Katz’ problems with A-B.
Gennerally, I think this study is pretty good. I think the conductor of it, pretty much nailed it. Especially with the Heinekin drinkers as well Blue Moon and Corona… Perfect.
I would have however liked to have seen the description of Colt 45!!! But I’ll leave that one up to the imagination..
thanks for a good read
Nailed me on the head for sure! Go Bud-Lighters!
And people who write about beer are 100% unclear about the concept of percentages, apparently. “Percent” means “per hundred.” So it’s not possible that “craft-beer lovers are 153 percent more likely” to do anything. They can be “almost twice as likely” or “more than three times likely,” but it’s not mathematically possible to be more than 100% of anything, by definition!
Been drinking Budweiser since the 60’s. Former Budweiser delivery truck driver. Too bad we don’t have the Chech Bud, that is good beer.