Survey: Nearly 40% of beer-drinkers won't buy Corona because of coronavirus
ORLANDO, Fla. - A new study finds that 38% of beer-drinking Americans would not buy Corona under any circumstances now due to the unfortunate association with the coronavirus.
5W Public Relations surveyed 737 American beer drinkers over the phone to get their opinion on the Mexican beer brand, Corona, and the deadly coronavirus infecting people around the world.
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In addition to the 38% that won't drink Corona now, the survey also found:
- Only 4% of those who usually drink Corona would stop drinking it, but 14% said they would not order Corona in public
- 16% of beer drinking Americans were confused about whether Corona beer is related to the coronavirus
The trends data provider, SEMrush, reported that there has been a consistent uptick in searches for "corona beer virus" and "beer coronavirus" over the past few weeks.
"There is no question that Corona beer is suffering because of the coronavirus. Could one imagine walking into a bar and saying "Hey, can I have a Corona?" or "Pass me A Corona," said Ronn Torossian, Founder and CEO of 5WPR. "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. After all, what brand wants to be linked to a virus which is killing people worldwide?"
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It's probably safe to say that Corona — which is indeed a beer, and not a respiratory illness — is not associated with the coronavirus outbreak.
To protect yourself against the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with dirty hands. Also, avoid close contact with sick people and cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.