Corona Beer
Corona Beer, or Corona Extra, is a brand of pale lager which has been produced by Cerveceria Modelo since 1925 at a number of breweries across Mexico. Corona Beer is one of the best selling beers not just in Mexico, but across the globe, selling in over 170 different countries.
The Fashionable Bottled Beer
In the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom Corona Beer has become increasingly popular among "trendy" or fashion conscious consumers. These drinkers usually drink Corona straight from the bottle with a wedge of lime inserted into the neck to add flavor. It is viewed as a cool and stylish "designer" beer, although this is not how it was originally marketed, throughout the 1950's and 60's the brand promoted themselves as one with strong family values, even building the "Corona School" for the children of their employees. Corona Extra has been the best selling beer in Mexico for almost thirty years and since it first arrived in America in 1979, Corona Extra has grown to become the top selling imported beer in the United States today.
Unique Brand Identity
A unique selling point of Corona Beer is the packaging. Unlike many bottled beers, Corona is one of the few to be bottled in clear glass bottles. While promotional material claims this is because they use "only the finest ingredients" and therefore have nothing to hide, in reality Corona did try to implement darker glass bottles early in the brands history in order to preserve the flavor. However, this was widely rejected and Corona retained its signature clear glass bottle. Another distinctive feature is that Corona do not place paper labels on their beer bottles. The 'label' is actually printed directly onto the glass. While other brands are also beginning to follow suit, Corona pioneered the innovative technique in 1940.
Relaxed Marketing Strategy
Despite its trendy reputation, Corona Beer is a fairly mid price brand available in almost every bar, restaurant and nightclub across North America. While the brand is now less focused on family values then they were 40 years ago, Corona Beer is still marketed very much as a social beverage. Advertising campaigns tend to center around groups of friends in relaxed situations such has hanging out at the beach or enjoying a barbecue in the back yard. With its refreshing and subtle taste, Corona Beer is the perfect beer to enjoy in these settings.
Many beer drinkers have probably never tasted Corona Beer without a wedge of lime, or perhaps lemon and those who have say that without the citrus fruit, it loses its exotic appeal. Corona Beer is similar to most top American lagers with its pale, golden straw coloring and subtle flavor. However, it is seen as a somewhat exotic alternative to domestic lagers which has helped to boost sales over the years and perhaps explains its appeal to the more fashionable beer drinker. While beer enthusiasts probably will not rate Corona Beer very highly due to its lack of any individual flavor, those looking for a refreshing beer on a hot day will enjoy this beer, especially with the tangy hint of lime added.
