Coverage note
Midsize brewers shake up marketing strategies as Americans drink less
Read the original at Marketing Dive
Read “Midsize brewers shake up marketing strategies as Americans drink less” at Marketing Dive →Machine-written summary. The paragraph and the list below were written by a language model reading Marketing Dive's article, not by ABM Fuel's editors, and they describe that article rather than add to it. (model: @cf/ibm-granite/granite-4.0-h-micro) The original, linked above, is the actual reporting.
The article explores how midsize and craft brewers are adapting their marketing strategies in response to declining alcohol consumption and the growth of nonalcoholic beer alternatives. With Americans drinking less overall, these brewers are seeking innovative ways to connect with consumers, including increased media investments and new data-driven campaigns.
What Marketing Dive reported
- Boston Beer's advertising expenses rose 16.4% year-over-year in Q2 2026, while its revenue fell 3.3% to $568.3 million, partly due to the softening hard seltzer market where Truly is a major player.
- Athletic Brewing, a key player in the nonalcoholic beer segment, plans a 120% increase in national media spend and recently appointed Dan Kleinman as its new CMO after a lengthy search.
- Among craft brewers, 54% reported volume growth in the first half of 2026, a 5 percentage point increase compared to the overall industry average, indicating a stronger performance for larger craft breweries despite overall volume declines