PBR raises prices: a hipster dilemma.

Let’s get this straight. Pabst Blue Ribbon, widely known for its shitty taste and hipster cred, has decided to raise it prices. Is this smart? Market share has been on the rise, but that is mainly due to having such an incredibly low price point. The urban population that accounts for its recent popularity made PRB a beer of choice for two reasons, 1) It is cheap, and 2) It is ironic to drink such a bad-tasting beer. Somewhere between reasons 1 & 2, PBR became a loft party favorite, being gulped to the music of Girl Talk all the way from Brooklyn to Berkley.

_{i am cool. i have market influence.}

I feel like the sales of PBR over the next couple years will reveal a lot; not only about the beer marketplace and the power of branding, but also about the hipster subculture and its authenticity (or lack thereof). If sales dwindle it will make sense. PBR is entering a price range that is “out of its league.” Hipsters claim to buy Pasbt only because it is the cheapest option, so if the price goes up they will stop drinking it, right? Not necessarily. Although hipsters pride themselves on authenticity, they are a famously superficial group. And I think the new price of PBR, if they continue to drink it, might challenge their “authentic” image.

_{life is pbr and fixed gears.}

Why do people make the marketing decisions they make? How much is cost a factor in your buying choices? How much is brand image? What about peer pressure? If you are accustomed to one product and the price goes up, will you stick with your brand or find a more affordable alternative? If you choose to stick with your brand, why? Will a more expensive PBR still be cool? If prices continue to rise (or even remain steady) does that expose hipsters as superficial / “full of shit”?

_{should we ditch pabst for something cheaper?}

_{or is pbr forever legit?}