Dear Harry: 

There was something missing from the BBD Truth Squad Survey: a mirror.

Yes, a mirror. It seems that the overall premise, including your set up…”how to prevent wine and spirits from taking more share…” was all about “them” and nothing about “us.”

This intramural stuff just drives me nuts. Read through the results you printed. It’s all about “them” and not very much looking in the mirror!

Yeah, I realize that the knee-jerk response to this from far too many will be who does-he-think-he-is! Well, I have been in this business since the mid-seventies. I actually wrote the press release that sent Lite Beer from Miller national (that was before it was Miller Lite!), so I do have a perspective.

The gratuitous slap at Smirnoff Source (which is a beer guys!) notwithstanding, possibly a look at the label will help: it says “Smirnoff,” it says “alcohol,” it is high priced, and it’s low ABV.

Hello….McFly, are you there?!

Harry asked my to speak at the BBD meeting back in February in Phoenix. Together we outlined some BIG issues facing the industry. One of the biggest issues is that we all throw spears at each other. The anti’s don’t need to, they can just sit back and watch.

Check out that speech. It outlines why “the enemy is us.” It also says that we asked Harry to carry a box every week on who in the industry is supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” program. It is comprehensive. It is well thought out. It was developed with the help of members of our industry.

So Harry: where’s the box?

Cheers!