That summer feeling: Budweiser’s frogs and Coors’ Zima
Brewers seem to believe that summer makes us feel nostalgic: that previous summers were always better than the one happening now. The memories are really fun to talk about. But now we can stop sharing memories. We can go and buy the real thing.
In the US, MillerCoors has relaunched Zima. Remember Zima, the tipple of youthful regrets? Back in the 1990s, the clear malt alcoholic beverage was a staple on grocery shelves, spawning me-toos like Australia’s Sub Zero, but by 2008 it had died the death.
Cleverly, MillerCoors has brought the drink back for a limited time. It will disappear at the end of summer on Labor Day (4 September).
The drink has embraced its 1990’s heritage with a full-on throwback website complete with flashing graphics and bright colours.
Oh, and Budweiser’s 1990s frogs are back again too. Still considered a stroke of sheer creative genius by ad men, AB-InBev decided to introduce the bloated amphibians to a new generation of beer drinkers to assist the 2017 relaunch of Bud Light beer in the UK.
This time round, however, there’s a new member in the pond, a small blue frog, which lends its croak to an updated catchphrase: “Bud Light beer”. The original frog trio ad debuted during the 1995 Super Bowl and went on to win top prizes.
When Anheuser-Busch first started selling Bud Light in the UK in 1998, the fun only lasted for two years.
All this makes me wonder: if it’s really the season to feel nostalgic for the 1990s someone had better bring back THE decade’s icon, the tamagotchi. And pronto.
