Corona beer won’t make any changes to its advertising campaigns despite the name’s unfortunate similarity to the deadly coronavirus which continues to spread worldwide.
According to a report, Constellation Brands (STZ), which brews several variations of the popular lager, explained in a statement that its customers fully understand there is no link between the virus and their business.
Constellation Brands spokesperson Stephanie McGuane told reporters:
“Sales of Corona remain very strong and we appreciate the continued support from our fans.”
“Our advertising with Corona is consistent with the campaign we have been running for the last 30 years and is based on strong consumer sentiment.”
The spread of the deadly coronavirus couldn’t have come at a worse time for the company, which is spending $40 million to launch its new Corona-branded hard seltzer. A portion of the promotion includes a sponsored tweet that has created criticism among netizens for using the phrase “coming ashore soon.”
Netizens expressed their sentiments on Twitter by saying the ad was made in poor taste and that the brand should lay low for a few weeks.
Meanwhile, two surveys launched this week reported that the Corona’s brand is currently suffering from a negative buzz.
5W Public Relations stated that 38% of Americans wouldn’t buy Corona “under any circumstances” because of the outbreak, and another 14% said they wouldn’t order a Corona in public. The survey includes polling from 737 beer drinkers in the United States.
In addition, another survey conducted by YouGov, the firm found consumers’ intent to buy Corona fell to its lowest level in two years. The survey also revealed that Corona’s buzz score, a metric that measures favorability, has dropped seriously since the beginning of the year.
Moreover, online searches for “corona beer virus” rose in early February, but have since declined.
Reports also said that Constellation Brands’ stock dropped 8% on Thursday, although the entire stock market has fallen deeply as fear grows about the spread of coronavirus.
As of today, the number of cases has risen to 83,577 globally, with nearly 3,000 people dying from the virus.