Thai beer brands in row over ethics

<p>BANGKOK: Thailand's Boon Rawd Brewery is playing giant killer with a 20 </p><p>million baht (USdollars 450,000) campaign for its new Super Lion beer </p><p>attacking the business practices of its market-leading competitor, Beer </p><p>Chang. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign exposes what Boon Rawd, maker of Singha and Leo beers, </p><p>considers unethical business practices of the Beer Chang brewer. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to Pirat Sirikwanchai, Spa Advertising account manager </p><p>handling the campaign, Thai Beer (which makes Chang) has been abusing </p><p>its monopoly in white whiskey by "bundling". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The practice requires vendors to buy Beer Chang with whiskey </p><p>purchases. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Although legal, this practice discourages vendor choice, and thus </p><p>consumer choice, Pirat said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's getting worse. Thai Beer has raised its whiskey prices to cover </p><p>its beer discounts, and is now forcing vendors to buy its soda and water </p><p>too," said Pirat. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We feel that consumers should know about the companies they buy </p><p>from." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign has so far featured three television commercials, the first </p><p>of which shows a rural water vendor discussing how he's being driven </p><p>under by Beer Thai's bundling practices. A second features a talking </p><p>monkey chastising Beer Thai for hurting small businesses in the country, </p><p>and a third mocks Beer Chang's famous jingle melody. Campaign creative </p><p>has been adapted for radio and POP banners. More creatives are planned </p><p>for the campaign's second phase which is expected to extend through </p><p>June. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Thai Beer has been dismissive in its response. "Our response is to </p><p>ignore them," said Thanit Thamsukati, adviser to Thai Beer. "We have a </p><p>better beer and that's why we sell better. They're trying to distract </p><p>from this issue but it won't work." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Thanit insisted that Beer Chang breweries are running at full capacity </p><p>and that demand had not faltered. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>