- Kenneth Hein

If you could get a free T-shirt with any one of 25 beer/liquor brands on it, or one of your choice, which would you choose to wear and why? This was the basic question that ad agency David & Goliath recently posed for dozens of bar goers in California. The idea was to get a grassroots gauge on the badge value of beer and spirits brands today.

Jack Daniel’s was the most readily identified spirits brand. People can’t get enough of Jack Daniel’s association with the rock and roll lifestyle, said the report. “While the brand’s current advertising speaks to quality, consumers are more intrigued by the fact that Slash drank it on tour with Guns ‘n Roses. People feel tough, ‘bad ass’ and rebellious when thy have a JD in their hand, a strength the brand should be tapping more.”

Crown Royal, Jägermeister, Ketel One and Maker’s Mark were No.2 through 5, respectively. “Jägermeister is the most polarizing brand in the top 5,” said the report. “People either love or hate its over-the-top party image as one hell of a good time or a sign of total irresponsibility.”

On the beer side, Corona was No.1 followed by Blue Moon, Stella Artois, Bud Light and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Corona’s vacation mindset continues to resonate with consumers while Stella Artois is “considered premium and culturally unique . . . the new Heineken,” per the report.

“This simplified approach gets to the heart of what people really think and feel about beer and spirit brands, “ said David Angelo, chairman of David & Goliath, El Segundo, Calif., in a statement. “It begs the question, ‘Beyond product traits, is there a deeper mindset or association that your brand could use to connect with people?'”

Apparently, getting your spirits brand into Slash’s hands during the next Velvet Revolver tour will do the trick.