Image via vengerof / Shutterstock.com
Corona Extra beer is losing its crowning glory after being associated with the novel coronavirus that is sweeping across the world.
The word “corona” translates to crown in Latin and Spanish. Unfortunately, it also refers to anatomical parts that resemble a crown, including the distinct spikes of COVID-19 when
viewed using a microscope. Internet users have thus confused it as a disease caused from the Mexican beer, and terms like “beer virus” and “corona beer virus” surged on online searches.
According to data by
YouGov, Corona Extra’s branding took a beating following the outbreak, with purchase intent from US adults dipping at its lowest in two years.
YouGov added that Corona’s buzz score, which reflects if American adults have heard positive or negative sentiments about the brand, fell to 51 from a high of 75 at the start of 2020.
As the coronavirus invaded more areas across the world, shares of parent company Constellation Brands plunged by eight percent in New York, according to
Bloomberg.
Corona Extra maintained in January that it was confident customers wouldn’t confuse the disease with the beer.
“We believe, by and large, that consumers understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business,” Constellation Brands revealed.
[via
Bloomberg, cover image via
vengerof / Shutterstock.com]