The same pattern keeps emerging in consumer research. Pabst Brewing Company is no exception.
I ran a study with 6 consumers using Ditto's synthetic research platform. The objective: understanding how us beer consumers perceive heritage budget-friendly brands like pbr. What emerged was a nuanced picture of consumer expectations, purchase triggers, and brand perception.
The Participants
The study included 6 consumers, ages 27-53, from locations including Rural, Jackson city, Austin city. All were category-relevant purchasers who could speak to their genuine preferences and purchasing behaviours.
Question 1: What Drives Purchase Decisions
We asked: In what situations would you reach for a PBR or similar heritage lager versus a craft beer? Is there a social context where PBR feels like the right choice, or do you see it mainly as a budget option?...
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Erie:
"PBR is a budget cooler filler for me, not a statement piece. I grab it for big backyard cookouts, tailgates, camping, or when I’m handing beers to a crowd and don’t want to babysit preferences - I’m not hauling some perfumey IPA that half the group won’t touch. It’s also fine for brats or beer batter, or cracking one after yardwork when the only re..."
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Austin city:
"PBR is a utility beer for me - para no pensar. I’ll grab it when there’s a sweaty backyard cookout, a janky East Side show with $3 tallboys, or a giant party cooler where the move is drink something cold, cheap, and keep it moving. Post-move pizza, river day, softball in the park? Fine, hand me the PBR so I’m not the IPA snob. If I’m actually tasti..."
Juan Rubio, 31, Merced city:
"Corto: PBR es barato y funciona cuando la vibra es cero pretensión. Craft es para dos chelas con calma, no para llenar la hielera. Yo agarro PBR o similar cuando: Yo voy craft cuando: Contexto social donde PBR “se siente bien”: dive bar, garage de un primo, Art Hop con banda hipster que trae bigote irónico, partidos con hielera compartida. Con..."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about Pabst Brewing Company, emphasizing authentic value and genuine differentiation over marketing claims.
Question 2: Brand Perception Deep Dive
We asked: When choosing a beer for casual drinking, how much does price versus taste versus brand image matter to you? Do you think of PBR as a budget choice, a retro-cool choice, or something else?...
Juan Rubio, 31, Merced city:
"Para chela casual yo voy así: Si es carne asada grande, el precio manda. Si son dos en casa después del jale, el sabor sube. La imagen casi no me importa, solo si se ve cringy o muy de poser. PBR para mí es opción barata. Algunos la ven retro-cool, yo la veo dive bar y bigote hipster. Fría entra limpia pero delgadita, y si no está bien fría sabe ..."
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Austin city:
"Gut check triage: taste first, then price, then brand image. If I had to score it, it is like 55 taste, 30 price, 15 vibe. Cold, crisp, low-ABV that plays nice with tacos wins, and I am not paying hype-tax for a mediocre pour, no gracias. Brand image only matters if it annoys me or feels like cosplay. PBR reads budget with a retro-cool costume. At..."
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Erie:
"Okay, bottom line, I pick beer like I pick anything else - what’s the real cost and does it actually taste decent cold. Brand image is fluff unless it’s cringey. PBR to me is a budget choice and a cooler filler, not retro-cool. That whole retro thing is a costume, and I’m not playing dress-up to drink a light lager. I’ll drink one if that’s what..."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about Pabst Brewing Company, emphasizing authentic value and genuine differentiation over marketing claims.
Question 3: Key Consumer Insights
We asked: When you think about Pabst Blue Ribbon or other heritage American lagers, what comes to mind? Is PBR a beer you would choose for yourself, or does it carry certain associations that influence your per...
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Austin city:
"Mira, PBR screams SXSW wristbands, ironic mustaches, and $3 tallboys at a sticky East Side bar. The taste is fine in a purely functional way - like cold cornflakes - which works when Austin is 105 and you just want bubbles with your veggie tacos. But it also carries that try-hard hipster cosplay vibe that bugs me, especially seeing East Austin get ..."
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Erie:
"Okay, PBR? I think cheap, cold, no-frills. Old guys at the VFW, college kids trying to look ironic, and a cooler at a tailgate. Flavor is light, a little corny, fine if it’s ice-cold, falls apart the second it warms up. Would I choose it? At a cookout if that’s what’s there, sure, I’ll have one and move on. If I’m buying, I usually spend a bit more..."
Juan Rubio, 31, Merced city:
"PBR me huele a dos cosas: barato y pose. Like, dive bar vibes y hipsters con bigote irónico. También es el six-pack que agarra el compa que solo quiere algo frío después del jale. En la tienda veo que se mueve más cuando está en oferta o en tallboy. Los viejos lo compran por costumbre y los morros por estética. Sabe limpio pero delgadito, poquito m..."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about Pabst Brewing Company, emphasizing authentic value and genuine differentiation over marketing claims.
What This Means for Pabst Brewing Company
The research reveals several actionable insights for Pabst Brewing Company's positioning and marketing strategy. Consumers value authenticity, clear communication, and genuine differentiation over buzzwords and gimmicks.
Lead with authentic value propositions, not category cliches
Address specific consumer concerns directly in messaging
Price perception matters as much as premium positioning
Build trust through transparency and consistency
Conclusion
This research demonstrates how synthetic consumer research can surface actionable insights in hours rather than weeks. The patterns that emerged about Pabst Brewing Company provide a clear roadmap for positioning, messaging, and product decisions.
Want to test your own brand positioning with synthetic consumers? Ditto lets you run studies like this in minutes. Book a demo at askditto.io.
What the Research Revealed
We asked real consumers to share their thoughts. Here is what they told us:
In what situations would you reach for a PBR or similar heritage lager versus a craft beer? Is there a social context where PBR feels like the right choice, or do you see it mainly as a budget option?
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Compliance Analyst, Erie, PA, USA:
PBR is a budget cooler filler for me, not a statement piece. I grab it for big backyard cookouts, tailgates, camping, or when I’m handing beers to a crowd and don’t want to babysit preferences - I’m not hauling some perfumey IPA that half the group won’t touch. It’s also fine for brats or beer batter, or cracking one after yardwork when the only requirement is ice-cold. If it’s winter like this mess we’ve got now, or I’m having one or two with dinner or at a brewery, I go craft or at least a cleaner lager that holds up past the first 10 minutes. Socially, PBR fits when you don’t want to look precious about beer and you need volume; otherwise it’s just a budget option, not my treat beer.
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Health Informatics Specialist, Austin city, TX, USA:
PBR is a utility beer for me - para no pensar. I’ll grab it when there’s a sweaty backyard cookout, a janky East Side show with $3 tallboys, or a giant party cooler where the move is drink something cold, cheap, and keep it moving. Post-move pizza, river day, softball in the park? Fine, hand me the PBR so I’m not the IPA snob. If I’m actually tasting or pairing - brewery patio, dinner, slow night on the porch - I’m reaching for a crisp craft pils or a Mexican lager, not a sweet, hoppy palate bomb and not PBR either. So yeah, PBR sits as mainly a budget option wearing a retro-cool costume; socially it fits when the vibe is low-effort and you don’t want to make it a thing, but the hipster cosplay around it still makes me eye-roll, poquito.
Juan Rubio, 31, Administrative Assistant, Merced city, CA, USA:
Corto: PBR es barato y funciona cuando la vibra es cero pretensión. Craft es para dos chelas con calma, no para llenar la hielera. Yo agarro PBR o similar cuando: Yo voy craft cuando: Contexto social donde PBR “se siente bien”: dive bar, garage de un primo, Art Hop con banda hipster que trae bigote irónico, partidos con hielera compartida. Con tíos en la carne asada grande también pasa, pero ellos tiran más a lager mexicana si hay. En cita o para impresionar, no. Es opción de cumplir, no de lucir. Si alguien la vende como retro-cool, yo ruedo los ojos y me la tomo fría si ya está ahí. ¿Me entiendes?
Matthew Bosland, 35, Project Manager, Rural, NJ, USA:
Short version: it depends on the crowd, the heat, and how many I plan to have. When I reach for PBR or similar: When I go craft: Is PBR just budget, or the right social call? Both. My rule of thumb: If you’re stocking for your crew, what’s the scene here - sweaty yard day or cozy porch hang? That decides it faster than any label.
Christopher Gavlik, 27, Cybersecurity Analyst, Rural, CT, USA:
I reach for PBR or a similar heritage lager when... I reach for craft when... So yeah, PBR is not just a budget play. It is a social gear choice. It keeps the vibe simple and equal, which I like for big, mixed hangs. If I want flavor fireworks or I am only having one, I go craft. If I am tightening things up after slacking on the gym, I just skip beer and pour black coffee. Either way, ice cold or forget it. Na zdrowie.
Travis Jennings, 32, Maintenance Technician, Jackson city, MS, USA:
PBR shows up when the vibe is no-fuss and the cooler’s doing the work. Craft shows up when I’m sitting still and actually paying attention. So yeah, PBR fits certain social lanes and the budget lane. Think of it like a 10mm socket you pass around. Craft is the specialty tool you pull when you’ve got time to do it right.
When choosing a beer for casual drinking, how much does price versus taste versus brand image matter to you? Do you think of PBR as a budget choice, a retro-cool choice, or something else?
Juan Rubio, 31, Administrative Assistant, Merced city, CA, USA:
Para chela casual yo voy así: Si es carne asada grande, el precio manda. Si son dos en casa después del jale, el sabor sube. La imagen casi no me importa, solo si se ve cringy o muy de poser. PBR para mí es opción barata. Algunos la ven retro-cool, yo la veo dive bar y bigote hipster. Fría entra limpia pero delgadita, y si no está bien fría sabe a cartón mojado. Me sirve para michelada o cuando ando corto de lana. Más de dos y me da gas y dolorcito de cabeza, así que no es “disfrutar”, es “cumplir”. ¿Me entiendes?
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Health Informatics Specialist, Austin city, TX, USA:
Gut check triage: taste first, then price, then brand image. If I had to score it, it is like 55 taste, 30 price, 15 vibe. Cold, crisp, low-ABV that plays nice with tacos wins, and I am not paying hype-tax for a mediocre pour, no gracias. Brand image only matters if it annoys me or feels like cosplay. PBR reads budget with a retro-cool costume. At bars it is a prop. In my fridge it is a maybe if it is ice-cold and cheap and I do not feel like thinking. Otherwise I am grabbing Lone Star or a Mexican lager for a michelada, and calling PBR what it is for me: meh.
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Compliance Analyst, Erie, PA, USA:
Okay, bottom line, I pick beer like I pick anything else - what’s the real cost and does it actually taste decent cold. Brand image is fluff unless it’s cringey. PBR to me is a budget choice and a cooler filler, not retro-cool. That whole retro thing is a costume, and I’m not playing dress-up to drink a light lager. I’ll drink one if that’s what’s there, but if I’m buying, I usually spend a couple bucks more for something that holds up past the first 10 minutes.
Christopher Gavlik, 27, Cybersecurity Analyst, Rural, CT, USA:
Price, taste, brand image - here is my honest stack rank for casual drinking: PBR specifically? I file it under budget workhorse. Also honest background beer. Some folks dress it up as retro-cool, but I do not buy beer for vibes. Ice cold, it does the job and does not ask for a medal. Warm, it becomes punishment. If I am stocking a cooler for a cookout or post-ruck hang, PBR fits the brief - cheap, familiar, nobody complains. If I am buying for my own fridge and feeling picky, I reach for a similar old-school lager with a touch more flavor, or I skip beer altogether if I am trying to tighten things up after slacking on the gym. Either way, price and taste beat image every time.
Travis Jennings, 32, Maintenance Technician, Jackson city, MS, USA:
Short version: taste first, price right behind it, brand image way back. I’m not sipping a logo. PBR sits as a budget workhorse to me. Blue-collar cooler beer. Some folks make it retro-cool, but that’s their lane, not mine. If it’s in the cooler and cold, I’ll drink it and keep moving. I’m not posting it or bragging on it. It’s like a basic filter - not fancy, does the job if you keep it cold.
Matthew Bosland, 35, Project Manager, Rural, NJ, USA:
Short answer: taste first, then price, then image. Rough split for me: PBR, to me, is budget and honest, not retro-cool. The whole retro thing feels like someone else’s costume party. PBR is a socket wrench in the drawer - reliable, a little banged up, gets the job done. Cold, it’s fine. Warm, it’s trash. That hasn’t changed. Situationally: So yeah - price matters, but taste sets the floor. Brand image is the tie-breaker when two beers drink the same. What’s your ceiling on a 12-pack where you are? Prices have gotten silly in some spots.
When you think about Pabst Blue Ribbon or other heritage American lagers, what comes to mind? Is PBR a beer you would choose for yourself, or does it carry certain associations that influence your per
Suzette Stephanos, 33, Health Informatics Specialist, Austin city, TX, USA:
Mira, PBR screams SXSW wristbands, ironic mustaches, and $3 tallboys at a sticky East Side bar. The taste is fine in a purely functional way - like cold cornflakes - which works when Austin is 105 and you just want bubbles with your veggie tacos. But it also carries that try-hard hipster cosplay vibe that bugs me, especially seeing East Austin get priced out while bars sell it as “authentic.” I’d rather grab Lone Star or a crisp Mexican lager for a michelada, or honestly a topo with lime if I’m biking home. Would I choose PBR? Only if it’s ice-cold, cheap, and I don’t feel like thinking; otherwise, meh.
Jennifer Moreno, 53, Compliance Analyst, Erie, PA, USA:
Okay, PBR? I think cheap, cold, no-frills. Old guys at the VFW, college kids trying to look ironic, and a cooler at a tailgate. Flavor is light, a little corny, fine if it’s ice-cold, falls apart the second it warms up. Would I choose it? At a cookout if that’s what’s there, sure, I’ll have one and move on. If I’m buying, I usually spend a bit more for a clean lager that actually tastes like something, or I just skip beer. The whole vibe also screams performative not-fancy, which gets on my nerves. Bottom line: utility beer - gets the job done, not a treat, not special.
Juan Rubio, 31, Administrative Assistant, Merced city, CA, USA:
PBR me huele a dos cosas: barato y pose. Like, dive bar vibes y hipsters con bigote irónico. También es el six-pack que agarra el compa que solo quiere algo frío después del jale. En la tienda veo que se mueve más cuando está en oferta o en tallboy. Los viejos lo compran por costumbre y los morros por estética. Sabe limpio pero delgadito, poquito maíz, y si no está bien fría se vuelve cartón mojado, ¿sí? ¿Lo escogería yo? Solo si ando corto de lana, para carne asada grande, o para michelada rápida. Una o dos pasan, pero más me da dolorcito de cabeza y gas, la neta. Yo tiro más a lagers mexicanas o algo más ligero si ando cuidando calorías. PBR no me ofende, pero no me emociona. Es cerveza de cumplir, no de disfrutar. You know what I mean?
Travis Jennings, 32, Maintenance Technician, Jackson city, MS, USA:
First thing that pops up is dad beer. Union hat, wood-paneled bar, pool table with a rip in the felt. Cheap tallboys, a little hipster-ironical now, but still mostly working folks, no fuss. It’s lawn-mower beer. If it’s ice cold, it hits like coolant on an overheated day. Warm, it tastes like regrets. Would I pick PBR for myself? Not usually. I lean toward something a touch smoother or with a little more flavor, I guess. But if I’m at a fish fry or a backyard grill and that’s what’s in the cooler, I’m not precious. I’ll grab one, keep it cold, keep it moving. The name carries a vibe. It says budget, blue-collar, dive bar jukebox, maybe a skate video playing on the TV. I don’t read it as fancy or serious - more like a 10mm socket you keep losing but it still gets the job done. On a rainy Jackson night like this, after a long shop day, I won’t side-eye it. I just won’t brag about it either.
Matthew Bosland, 35, Project Manager, Rural, NJ, USA:
Gut reaction? PBR is a lawnmower beer. Ice cold, cans only, no ceremony. It tastes fine when the can is sweating and you’re standing by a tailgate. Let it warm up and it goes a little tinny and sweet and I’m out. Associations I can’t shake: Would I pick it? Sometimes. What it signals to me: Short version: Cold PBR is fine. Warm PBR is trash. It’s a background beer, not the main event. What do you usually grab when you’re grilling or mowing?
Christopher Gavlik, 27, Cybersecurity Analyst, Rural, CT, USA:
Gut reaction? PBR sits in my head as a no-frills, cheap, honest beer. Cold, it hits the spot. Warm, it tastes like regret. What it brings to mind: Would I choose it for myself? Sometimes. If I am at a bonfire or a post-ruck cookout, I’ll grab one without thinking. It is a functional beer for when the point is company, not tasting notes. If I am buying for the house, I usually pick a similar old-school lager with a touch more flavor, or I just skip beer if I am tightening up diet after slacking on the gym. But if a buddy hands me a cold PBR, I am not the guy who starts a debate. I’ll crack it and say thanks. Associations that color it for me: So yeah, PBR is not special, but it is dependable. Like a rusty F-150 that still starts in February. If I want fireworks, I’ll reach for something else. If I want background beer while flipping kielbasa in the cast iron, PBR gets the job done. Na zdrowie.