The beer industry has seen its fair share of legendary advertising campaigns, but not all have succeeded in enhancing brand image. One infamous campaign from Schlitz Brewing Company in 1977 took a controversial approach, humorously termed the "Drink Schlitz or I’ll Kill You" campaign. This campaign featured stereotypical masculine characters, including a boxer and an outdoorsman, who appeared ready to lay down threats against anyone who dared to jeopardize their Schlitz beer.

Developed by the advertising agency Leo Burnett & Co., this ad was intended to utilize shock value to reboost sales, which had been declining for the company. Unfortunately, the campaign did not land as intended; instead of attracting customers, it became a point of ridicule and discomfort among viewers, leading to a swift pullback after just ten weeks due to overwhelming negative feedback.

Contrary to the belief that "there’s no such thing as bad press," the outrage from this campaign further alienated consumers. This was one among many factors that contributed to Schlitz’s downfall. During the 1960s and 70s, management changes included cutting costs by altering the brewing process, which compromised the quality dramatically. They replaced traditional ingredients like malted barley with cheaper corn syrup and expedited brewing times, resulting in a subpar product.

In 1981, after a four-month strike at their Milwaukee plant, the company closed its doors permanently. Following its acquisition by Stroh Brewery in 1982, Schlitz continued to struggle, with Stroh collapsing in 1999 and later assets sold to Pabst Brewing Company, which still owns the brand today. Although Pabst attempted to revive Schlitz by reverting to its original recipe, the brand has never regained its former market dominance.

For more details on the downfall of iconic beer brands and industry changes, check out this article on Schlitz.