Tracker Pixel for Entry

​King of Mistakes

Letters to the Editor | February 4th, 2015

To the editor:

There were two “King of Beers” commercials last night, the first one hit home being I am a dog owner, and oddly enough so did the second even though there were no cute pets or “What’s Up?” phone calls.

I can easily admit that I am not a “Budweiser drinker” nor am I am drinker of most macro beers. I enjoy a full flavored, robust beer with hops, and where the brewer pushes the creative boundaries of developing unique and good tasting beverage.

On Sunday night Budweiser ran a $9 million, 60 second advertisement during the Super Bowl that snubbed craft brewers and the people who drink craft beer.

I was not really shocked to see this commercial during the Super Bowl because big business has a way of stepping on the little guy and putting them down even though they usually have a very quality product. What did intrigue me was the after effect this will have on small breweries and the decisions they will be making with representation and their long term goals. The thing is big and small breweries depend on getting their product out on the market and that is where smaller local companies become involved in distribution. These companies take pride in the products they carry and sell to local bars and liquor stores throughout a major region.

Most distribution companies are split up into the big three and I am sure you can figure these out. Money wins out on these contracts a lot of the time and some businesses’ catalogs are much larger than others. Which makes me think what the hell was Budweiser doing insulting the little guy. It just lost business for its own distribution and also made the small time brewer think, “Why should I work with a company that will disregard us like that?”

This example of Budweiser’s folly should also apply to almost all major corporate businesses. I think we can agree that this is just not a smart business practice, it makes us think twice before we will make a purchase or visit certain establishments.

-J Earl MillerFargo

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comDairy Queen restaurants across the country will raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals during Miracle Treat Day on Thursday, July 31. At least one dollar from every Blizzard…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comFM Pride Week returns to the Fargo-Moorhead metro August 3-10. A snapshot of events are listed below. Discover event descriptions and locations as well as volunteer opportunities online at…

August 28, 6-8 p.m.Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Ave. N., Fargo See this major exhibition firsthand and hear about Rimer Cardillo’s work from the artist himself at 7 p.m. Cardillo is an internationally renowned multidisciplinary…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com I’m going to go ahead and say it. I have trust issues with a lot of things and artificial intelligence (AI) is one of them. Yes, it’s a tool that can sit shotgun and make your everyday tasks…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comTrump: the new man for all seasonsFive hundred years ago, Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas More of England refused to write a letter to Pope Clement VII of the Roman Catholic Church asking that he annul…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com There seems to be a renaissance in Italian restaurants in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. It’s a welcome change from just sporting an Olive Garden as a lone option. No offense to Marilyn Hagerty’s…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Bluegrass is a genre of music that is often associated with the American South. Many people would express incredulity at being told there is a thriving bluegrass and folk music community…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com There are so many memorable moments in the short life of musician Jeff Buckley that filmmaker Amy J. Berg could easily have gotten lost in an endless highlight reel. The veteran documentarian,…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks three years of the Annual Vergas Area Backroads Art Crawl. The art crawl is sponsored by the Vergas Arts Club. The Arts Club also happens to be part of the Vegas Community Club and both…

Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comPenn & Teller are returning to their roots. The legendary magic and comedy duo will appear on the Crown Stage at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, Minnesota, where they first…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Dr. Marc Sapir, MD, MPHjessica@pellienpublicrelations.com Across America, families are quietly struggling with a rising challenge: how to care for aging parents, siblings, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Most seniors want…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…