Carlton Dry

Company: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Brand value: US$412 million

Change since 2018: 1%

Headquarter city: Melbourne, VIC

Industry: Alcohol

Year formed: 1854

Carlton Dry is a low-carb beer that is less bitter than regular lagers; it has been popular with male and female drinkers as a result of its taste and its advertising, which focuses on fun and reducing stress. The brand often partners with music festivals and sporting events, underlining the message of fun and relaxation. Recent advertising has used the tagline: “Be uncomplicated. Be like the beer.” In late 2018 there were also ads providing tongue-in-cheek instructions on how to open a ring-pull bottle, though ring-pulls have since been swapped back to twist caps; consumers noted that the introduction of ring-pulls to make consumption more convenient had been quietly accompanied by a 20mL reduction in bottle size, without a matching reduction in price. In early 2019, Peter Filipovic replaced Jan Craps as CEO of Carlton United Breweries in Australia; a CUB veteran of 21 years, he takes over the top job at a time when beer consumption nationally is declining.