BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer • Hacker News Board

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#21

Post by mbrock » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:36 PM UTC

jagheterfredrik wrote: post #18

mbrock wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also been done in actual reality. For example, one of Sweden's largest supermarket chain is the consumer co-operative Coop [1]. Their own line of budget private-label products had a very minimal "no-brand" design, though in 1979 they started using the name "Blåvitt", referring to the blue-white colors of the minimal design. I found a picture [2] of some of their products (coffee, detergent, tooth paste, tea, soa…

Also; starköl[1] (strong beer) [1]: http://cdn.beeradvocate.com/im/beers/22068.jpg

Excellent point! And "Renat brännvin" [1] ("pure booze"), with the distinction of having product ID 1 (one) at the state-owned alcohol monopoly.

[1]: http://www.systembolaget.se/ImageVaultFiles/id_9735/cf_4500/...

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#22

Post by tptacek » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:36 PM UTC

tehwalrus wrote: post #10

I'm surprised nobody posted this already: https://xkcd.com/993/

So, basically, "OK Soda"?

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#23

Post by ssalazar » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:39 PM UTC

Meh. Maybe this is an American/California thing but at the bar or supermarket there are 100s of possible brands of beer, many of which incorporate different ingredients and brewing processes that will have profound effects on flavor (and physiological effect). One utility of a brand to me as a beer drinker is to help me remember which Imperial stout was too chocolatey or which IPA had an enjoyable hoppy taste.

On the other hand I could see the point of this for the huge domestic American brands e.g. Coors, Miller, Budweiser, etc.

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#24

Post by ftio » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:41 PM UTC

"I might add: what thus seems to take place outside ideology (to be precise, in the street), in reality takes place in ideology. What really takes place in ideology seems therefore to take place outside it. That is why those who are in ideology believe themselves by definition outside ideology: one of the effects of ideology is the practical denegation of the ideological character of ideology by ideology: ideology never says, ‘I am ideological’. It is necessary to be outside ideology, i.e. in scientific knowledge, to be able to say: I am in ideology (a quite exceptional case) or (the general case): I was in ideology. As is well known, the accusation of being in ideology only applies to others, never to oneself (unless one is really a Spinozist or a Marxist, which, in this matter, is to be exactly the same thing). Which amounts to saying that ideology has no outside (for itself), but at the same time that it is nothing but outside (for science and reality)."

- Louis Althusser, Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/althusser/1970/id...

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#25

Post by Test-Grave » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:48 PM UTC

DangerousPie wrote: post #16

These are also quite well-known in Germany: http://i.imgur.com/baRUVan.jpg (5.0 is the percentage of alcohol)

Came here to post this. I feel like the idea here was partly influenced by the 5.0 brand.

It is still a little different, since, afair, 5.0 just cut their ad costs and thus are able to provide the beer cheaper. Which for them I would think was a success.

For me though, it would be weird, especially in Germany/Bavaria, to buy a beer without brand identity. I could see this in the US, but not in Germany.

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#26

Post by chestnut-tree » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:52 PM UTC

mbrock wrote: post #13

lambda wrote: post #4

It's a concept that's been done before: http://i.imgur.com/wteBl.jpg

It's also been done in actual reality. For example, one of Sweden's largest supermarket chain is the consumer co-operative Coop [1]. Their own line of budget private-label products had a very minimal "no-brand" design, though in 1979 they started using the name "Blåvitt", referring to the blue-white colors of the minimal design. I found a picture [2] of some of their products (coffee, detergent, tooth paste, tea, soa…

The Japanese retailer Muji also has a no logo or no brand approach to their products. Somewhat ironically, their 'brand' appeal (and company recognition) is due in large part to their minimal, unbranded design.

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#27

Post by k__ » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:55 PM UTC

berbc wrote: post #3

What if other people come up with their own bier and they use the same no-brand branding?

You have to write somewhere on the packaging of food which company is responsible for it.

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#28

Post by LeonidasXIV » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:57 PM UTC

Test-Grave wrote: post #25

DangerousPie wrote: post #16

These are also quite well-known in Germany: http://i.imgur.com/baRUVan.jpg (5.0 is the percentage of alcohol)

Came here to post this. I feel like the idea here was partly influenced by the 5.0 brand. It is still a little different, since, afair, 5.0 just cut their ad costs and thus are able to provide the beer cheaper. Which for them I would think was a success. For me though, it would be weird, especially in Germany/Bavaria, to buy a beer without brand identity. I could see this in the US, but not in Germany.

My main gripe with the 5.0 bear is not the lack of brand but more the fact that the beer is pretty bad (also living in Bavaria).

Not sure the brand-less concept would work out for beer, since there are clear personal preferences that make no-brand beer difficult. There's less taste preferences in other products, that's why store-brand butter etc. is popular.

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#29

Post by ErikHuisman » Sun, May 03, 2015, 3:58 PM UTC

mbrock wrote: post #13

lambda wrote: post #4

It's a concept that's been done before: http://i.imgur.com/wteBl.jpg

It's also been done in actual reality. For example, one of Sweden's largest supermarket chain is the consumer co-operative Coop [1]. Their own line of budget private-label products had a very minimal "no-brand" design, though in 1979 they started using the name "Blåvitt", referring to the blue-white colors of the minimal design. I found a picture [2] of some of their products (coffee, detergent, tooth paste, tea, soa…

Euroshopper too

https://www.google.nl/search?q=euroshopper&safe=off&client=s...

Re: BIER – Berlin’s no-brand beer

#30

Post by atomwaffel » Sun, May 03, 2015, 4:01 PM UTC

sorokod wrote: post #12

The other side of that bottle will be much more busy due to all the compulsory requirments: ingredients, etc.

A bit, but not that much. Most of it is marketing blurb. I couldn't find a good photo, but here's one that should at least give you an idea: https://instagram.com/p/teDSx_zPG7/?taken-by=bierbier_org