• Chicago Tribune, Monday, May 18, 2009 11 AM

MillerCoors CMO Andrew England aims to pull Miller Lite out of its tailspin with some of the tricks he used to make Coors Light such a success. Shoring up Miller Lite without significantly cannibalizing Coors Light will be a tall order but a top priority, reports, Mike Hughlett.

Shipments of Coors Light climbed 6% from 2006 through 2008, far higher than the industry's overall growth rate, while its U.S. market share rose to 8.1% from 7.8%, according to Beer Marketer's Insights.

Not coincidently, the "Rocky Mountain Cold Refreshment" theme blossomed during those years. It may have seemed like a goofy gimmick -- mountains pictured on bottles of Coors Light turn blue when the brew inside is frosty cold -- but the strategy helped to make the brand the toast of the mainstream beer world. Gimmick or not, Coors Light's packaging innovations create buzz and sell beer, says Harry Schumacher, publisher of Beer Business Daily.

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