DON'T SELL THE STEAK, SELL THE SCHIZO.
I think Budweiser's plan to call itself "America" through the summer is very clever. In these days of fancy beer, heritage and value are what they have going for them, and it's generally better to emphasize the former than the latter. And if Bud ain't American, what is? (I have in my old age adopted fancy-beer ways, to my great shame, but when I visited a VFW hall in Takoma Park last year, Bud was what there was and I drank it happily and in volume, as the Founders intended.)
I would not have thought of this as a political thing at all, but here comes one Adam Schaeffer at The Federalist to tell us that the buzzword factory at which he works tested the campaign -- probably not at Budweiser's behest, or he wouldn't be publicizing the results like this -- and found it causes "Republican women" to "move +18 points toward Trump and away from Clinton."
Doubt if you will the lasting impact of such an effect, or even the veracity of his story, but feast with me on Shaeffer's analysis:
Taking a closer look, the Bud ad hits some powerful emotional buttons, themes, and stereotypes. The voiceover claims Bud is “proudly a macro brew” over a driving, stripped down, thumping soundtrack (piss off — we are who we are, and if you don’t like it, too friggin bad).
Quick cuts flash by — the pounding hooves of huge, strong Clydesdales, majestic trees, swinging axes, red …
The voiceover says Bud isn’t “brewed to be fussed over” and is “brewed for drinking not dissecting” (you’re the one who should be embarrassed, not us, you little sissy). More red, sissy men, manly men, red, large machines, victory cheers, steam, welding sparks.
It ends with a parting shot: “Let them sip their pumpkin peach ale. We’ll be brewing us some golden suds” (you’re beer is lame and so are you, we’re awesome, so there). More sissy men, manly men, logos, red, logos, red.
I’m stretching a bit here, but bear with me … what Party is most associated with the stereotype of a fussy, condescending, sissy man? And which Party goes with the stereotype of a no-nonsense, prideful, manly-man? How do these stereotypes feel about each other?
It's like the brainwashing scene in The Parrallax View, except I'm hearing "Yakety Sax" in the background. I wonder if people will still respond to these equities when America is a smoking crater?