Maker's Mark reducing ABV by 3% to meet demand

[Robin Garr]

there's a new thread on this topic, but it should be noted here

Maker's Mark reverses decision to cut amount of alcohol in whiskey, restores historic level

And a link to tie the threads together:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20496

Color me impressed. I'm really, really impressed.


I wish people cared this much when Wild Turkey watered down the Rye :/

Color me impressed. I'm really, really impressed.


I wish people cared this much when Wild Turkey watered down the Rye :/

Did they announce it publicly?

Everyone else that has done this has seemed to have done it without announcement.

Color me impressed. I'm really, really impressed.


I wish people cared this much when Wild Turkey watered down the Rye :/

Did they announce it publicly?

Everyone else that has done this has seemed to have done it without announcement.

Yes- they actually sent out a press release. Guess they thought it was getting in front of the issue.
It got so much negative attention that it was actually one of the news questions on NPR's "Wait, Wait- don't tell me" when I listened to NPR on Saturday. Not the kind of brand press anyone wants to be getting...

Deb

Color me impressed. I'm really, really impressed.


I wish people cared this much when Wild Turkey watered down the Rye :/

Did they announce it publicly?

Everyone else that has done this has seemed to have done it without announcement.

Yes- they actually sent out a press release. Guess they thought it was getting in front of the issue.
It got so much negative attention that it was actually one of the news questions on NPR's "Wait, Wait- don't tell me" when I listened to NPR on Saturday. Not the kind of brand press anyone wants to be getting...

Deb

Looks like they are calling it a new product though, which is different from what MM did. It looks like the 101 is still being made, just in very short supply right now.

Sorry- Rob- I meant MM sent out a release. I don't believe Wild Turkey or others have done this.
Deb

I found out when my distributor was out for months and then delivered a watered down rye.

Sorry- Rob- I meant MM sent out a release. I don't believe Wild Turkey or others have done this.
Deb

Actually, Wild Turkey did. They announced the 81 rye product. But they didnt say, hey we are ditching the 101, like MM did.

Of course MM did, my whole point here has been that the backlash only really existed because they were upfront and honest. If they had just changed the label, few would have even noticed.

Sorry- Rob- I meant MM sent out a release. I don't believe Wild Turkey or others have done this.
Deb

Actually, Wild Turkey did. They announced the 81 rye product. But they didnt say, hey we are ditching the 101, like MM did.

Of course MM did, my whole point here has been that the backlash only really existed because they were upfront and honest. If they had just changed the label, few would have even noticed.

Rob,

From a marketing perspective ( that's what I do ), announcing a new product- " 81 Rye"- and then discontinuing an older product is not issuing a press release on changing the formula for your very well-established brand. So we are saying the same thing.

Regarding the backlash- effective marketing is rarely about being upfront and honest- that's why it's called "spin".

this whole scenario reminds me of coke changing it's formula to get massive amounts of press then changing back to the original. is this what mm had in mind the whole time?