Budweiser is benching the Clydesdales

Budweiser claims to be the King of Beers, but the brand is in the midst of a steep decline: Drinkers in the coveted 21-27 demographic have roundly rejected Budweiser in favor of craft brews, sugary malt beverages, and other alternatives. Faced with these sobering facts, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev is taking a drastic step: retiring Budweiser's iconic Clydesdales for the first time in almost 30 years.

As part of "a very considered, long-term view of what will turn around the brand," Budweiser plans to bench the Clydesdales — who have appeared in Budweiser's annual holiday commercials since 1987 — in favor of a new campaign "featuring people in their 20s looking directly into the camera and calling out friends' names." Subtle!

But that's not the only trick up Budweiser's sleeve. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Budweiser wholesaler Time Bauguess described several other creative methods he has used to increase Bud sales — including "Bloodweisier," a red-dyed Budweiser sold during Halloween.

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