Victoria Bitter

Company: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Brand value: US$516 million

Change since 2018: -5%

Headquarter city: Melbourne

Industry: Alcohol

Year formed: 1854

Victoria Bitter is one of the best-selling beers in the country, readily recognized by its distinctive short-necked stubby bottles and its advertising aimed at hard-working Aussies. VB’s classic tagline, “A hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer”, has been at the heart of recent communications. In late 2018, the brand launched a competition inviting consumers to create a new ad featuring the tagline and a reworking of the theme from the Magnificent Seven, which has been strongly associated with VB for 50 years. And when fast food chain Hungry Jack’s “borrowed” its slogan, declaring “a hard-earned hunger needs a big juicy burger”, VB responded in kind, announcing “The beers are better at Victoria Bitter”. VB recently enabled consumers to personalize the labels on their bottles, and has released VB-branded clothing and other merchandise. To support its “VB Hard Earned Award”, the brand ran an online campaign recognizing hard-working NRL players, showing them helping an RAAF veteran and struggling farmers.