Confusion between coronavirus and Corona beer has been a punchline of questionable taste during the outbreak — but the matter may be no joke for the brand.
5W Public Relations conducted a survey which revealed that “38% of Americans wouldn’t buy Corona under any circumstances now.”
Ronn Torossian, founder and CEO of public relations firm 5W, which polled 737 US beer drinkers, said there is “no question that Corona beer is suffering because of the coronavirus.”
“While the brand has claimed that consumers understand there’s no linkage between the virus and the beer company, this is a disaster for the Corona brand,” Torossian said in a statement.
“After all, what brand wants to be linked to a virus which is killing people worldwide?”
The news was fodder for talk-show hosts about the collective American intellect (or lack of). Constellation Brands, the company that markets Corona beer in the U.S., shot back immediately, pointing out Corona beer sales rose 5% over the four-week period ending February 16.
In the end, of course, there is no connection between the beer and the virus. A coronavirus is named for the “crown like spikes” on its surface, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common cold viruses are coronaviruses. The virus causing so much turmoil today is “novel Covid-19.”