USA: Miller Brewing Co.'s marketing assault on rival Anheuser-Busch Inc. continues in a new series of TV spots unveiled Tuesday, October 19, the Journal Sentinel posted. The three new spots feature actors portraying former drinkers of Bud Light and Budweiser - Anheuser-Busch's two biggest brands - who switched to Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. They're standing in line across the street from Anheuser-Busch's St. Louis brewery, where they take turns using a megaphone to tell Anheuser-Busch why they switched. The actors also say all American-made beers are fresh - an attempt to blunt Anheuser-Busch's focus on the freshness of its brands.

"We continue to dance with the giants in St. Louis," said Tom Bick, Miller Lite brand manager. The ads are part of Miller's strategy to create a sense of difference between its brands and those produced by industry leader Anheuser-Busch.

Miller, the nation's No. 2 brewer, last year started conducting blind taste-test promotions, comparing Miller Lite to Bud Light and Miller Genuine Draft to Budweiser. Those promotions so far have reached more than 1 million people at clubs and taverns. Miller's new goal is to reach 5 million people by the end of 2005. Also, Miller has been running TV ads that compare its brands to Anheuser-Busch brands, including some that mention taste tests. The ads have helped revive Miller Lite's sales, but Genuine Draft continues to lag. Bick said the Genuine Draft spots have been sometimes confused by consumers with Miller Lite spots. He said Miller will increase the number of Genuine Draft ads to help that brand's message better reach consumers.

Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch last month announced plans to do extensive consumer sampling of Bud Light and Budweiser. That sampling campaign, targeting millions of consumers, will be coupled with new ads that tout the freshness of Bud Light and Budweiser. Brewing industry observers say Miller is forcing Anheuser-Busch to market its products on Miller's terms, with a greater focus on taste. That's a switch from the traditional method of selling beer based on brand image, with ads that rely more on humor than on product qualities.

Lately, No. 3 brewer Adolph Coors Co. has adopted a similar approach, with TV spots that focus on the fact that Coors Light is shipped in refrigerated trucks and rail cars - a point of difference among competing brands. The spots refer to Coors Light as "the coldest tasting beer in the world."

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