It was a business stunt. In the early 80′s the price of sugar was going up and going up faster than the bottlers, who were at that time (and perhaps still are) independent businesses, could sustain. They demanded that the formula be changed to decrease or eliminate sugar. Thus New Coke. Less sweet, less taste, less zing. Flop. Then Coke Classic makes an appearance. Same formula as original (so the story goes), except less sugar and (I believe) the first appearance of high fructose corn syrup in a soft drink. The only real difference in taste (to me) between original Coke and “Coke Classic” is less zing – produced by the confluence of sugar, caffeine, and carbonation.

Did they know that New Coke would flop? I find it hard to believe that they didn’t do some blind taste testing and know it would go over like the Edsel. I think they were more concerned about keeping the bottlers happy and their business model favorable.

The product is reduced in some fashion and the price is kept the same or even still increased. What these idiots didn’t want to do was add the expense of rejiggering their bottle size, an enormously expensive operational undertaking, and their foolish brain trust thought diluting the product would make the customers happy to pay the same (remember, wholesale) price. If there were half the raisins in the raisin bran, would customers still pay the same in the same numbers? Of course not.

It’s been eight years and the ice cream is more expensive, by far, yet still smaller. They think somehow things will get better, the poor dears.

I would be interested in the politics of this so-called business leader. Probably the laughingstock of the monthly CEO Roundtable.

My solution? Drink Scotch.

Polish Rifle on February 12, 2013 at 10:06 AM

Cheers to that…

Does anyone remember New Coke? What a flop! People don’t like it when you mess with a proven product. We here in Kentucky love it just like it is.

generouse on February 12, 2013 at 10:48 AM

To this day, I’m still not convinced that wasn’t some publicity stunt.

Makers Mark isn’t revamping their product into something entirely different like the Coke/New Coke debacle (along with Pepsi Clear) They’re simply diluting their bourbon, a “premium” liquor, so it can stretch out it’s production, much like a cocaine dealer would cut his product in order to make his inventory go further, thus selling more, and making a tidy profit.

I’m no big fan of bourbon…I’m a single malt scotch fan…but this whole idea of a brand like Makers diluting their product in order to meet demand doesn’t make much sense on any level. Brand image is highly important for liquor makers and distillers…it’s probably the biggest single factor influencing consumer choices. Why screw around with that image that was finely tuned and presented over the years?

Makes no sense. Unless it’s some gimmick…unlikely, but not entirely unheard of.

JohnnyL on February 12, 2013 at 9:56 AM

In other words Americans are suckers for gimmicks..

Beam owned “Makers Mark” now also owns one of my favorites– “Old Crow”.

But the MBA marketing types know their prey (whether it be Makers Mark or BMW) and they will maximize profits at the bottom line over loyalty to a silly beverage recipe (ie: screw you Mr Consumer !!).

Lowering the alcohol content is not noticeable to most suckers….but if you do away with the “red wax” or change bottle packaging to help corporate bottom line …that’s serious bad marketing as suckers notice these things..but they don’t notice changing the ingredient of the swill being produced

As for just raising prices on suckers? ..Beam MBA marketing types apparently think this is a bad idea in the highly competitive booze industry…The “fluffery” around tradename “Makers Mark” could be dampened by a price hit….yuppies would look for another gimmicky bourbon at better price…oops..maybe they would flock to “Old Crow” …then Beam could jack up the Old Crow price….and I’d be looking for another brand of sour mash whiskey !!

Mainly, my position is that it won’t be that I’ll stop buying Maker’s Mark…it’s that Maker’s Mark has stopped making it.

JohnTant on February 12, 2013 at 8:24 AM

And that about sums it up !!

Best comment on the thread

Makers Mark is riding a fad right now. They have an established market of long-time consumers, but added to that are about a Million Hipster Douches who are ordering Makers Mark in bars because they heard it was cool. But the one thing a Hipster Douche fears even more than the heartbreak of Psoriasis is looking like a sucker. As soon as they learn that Beam is playing them for fools, they will switch to some other drink, like Bushmills and Grapefruit Juice or something.

DAT60A3 on February 12, 2013 at 8:11 AM

Well, I’ve been an Ambassador for years (since the program first started, in fact). I’ve always been a fan of Maker’s as a good easy-drinking Bourbon. While I appreciate the heavier Bourbons out there, Maker’s was always a good everyday drink for me. Neat, no ice, and I’m pretty sure in that serving many lay drinkers will also notice the difference.

You can definitely tell the difference between Maker’s and other brands (Maker’s doesn’t have rye, which tends to figure more prominently in other brands) as it drinks softer. Similarly, add water in the proportion needed to dilute the whisky from 90 proof to 84 proof, and again, I’m confident that the difference will be noticeable. 3% is not insignificant. It’s the difference between a plane-jane IPA and a double IPA.

Circling back, my Senior Ambassador barrel is going to be ready for bottling soon and I’m a little bitter that it will be the 84 proof instead of the 90 that I’ve been drinking for years.

Mainly, my position is that it won’t be that I’ll stop buying Maker’s Mark…it’s that Maker’s Mark has stopped making it.

The reboot of Schlitz is really pretty good. It’s a much better beer than anything else in that price range, and has pretty much become my go to beer for keeping on hand in the fridge.

AP’s analogy : Makers Mark vis-vie BMW…is appropriate as Makers Mark drinkers are the same type/snoots that would purchase/drive BMW

But if you really want to drink good sour mash corn liqqor you just gotta reach out and grab a bottle of OLD CROW ;)

PS: Don’t whine you Makers Mark drinkers….it’s a bonafide liberal solution to the problem :D

Woodford Reserve.

KCB on February 11, 2013 at 8:45 PM

That’s the obvious choice, but for something more exotic you can try Buffalo Trace, or Town Branch, even thought it’s a bit of a bastard since it’s distilled in TN and Bottled in KY.

yeah…I remember those days.
barely.

exsanguine on February 11, 2013 at 10:07 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Without all that alcohol (etc., etc.) I would have been on my third or fourth Nobel Prize by now and Ben Carson would have been begging me to perform brain surgery on him.

I’m the *hick* Reverend Jim of my *hick* generation.

Call it divine intervention. I think I’ll stick with the Gentleman Jack, though.

I prefer Bulleit, but am drinking Evan Williams

rbj on February 11, 2013 at 9:12 PM

I like Bulleit, but it is a “special occasion” bourbon. You know, like Saturday night. Their rye is excellent, too. My everyday bourbon is Evan Williams, and I like their higher end products too.

As I said in the headlines thread, you can’t just ramp up bourbon production. It has to age. Increases in distillery production now won’t hit the market for years.

Stupid move by the Maker’s people. They have a niche product whose identity is tied to snob appeal, and they’re going to destroy the snob appeal. After they destroy the brand, no doubt they will wind up in gubmint service.