Budweiser Hopes "Bow Tie" Can Boosts Sales

We'd always heard that the beer industry was pretty much recession-proof. In good economic times, people drank because they were happy. In bad economic times, people drank perhaps even more because they were depressed.

Well, so much for that, at least according to Anheuser-Busch InBev. The brewer saw sales of its signature Budweiser brew drop 2.3 percent last quarter, a dip blamed on the on-going recession and high unemployment among its primary consumer -- young men.

So, how to combat the slumping sales?

Easy. Repackage the brew in the hopes of generating buzz. And that's just what AB-InBev has done, announcing yesterday that the company has redesigned the Budweiser can for just the twelfth time since 1936. The new can will hit store shelves this month.

"Our refreshed packaging design gives Budweiser an updated look, which dramatizes the iconic Budweiser bow tie and incorporates the brand hallmarks that loyal Budweiser drinkers will recognize and appreciate," said Rob McCarthy, vice president for Budweiser, in a statement.

Question is, will the "bow tie" can encourage consumers to "tie one on" and thus drink Budweiser out of its sluggish sales? What say you?