As someone who occasionally gets paid to drink beer, I understand the appeal of knocking back a cold one during the workday. Most employers, though, don’t take too kindly to their staff getting liquored up on the job.
That’s where Suntory comes into the picture. Among the company’s offerings is All-Free, a zero-alcohol, zero-calorie beer. Sold in cans and glass bottles, and with an appealing golden color for the drink itself, All-Free was designed to replicate the feeling and atmosphere of drinking a regular beer, just without the intoxication. But Suntory realizes that the authentic beer-like visuals can make people feel self-conscious about drinking All-Free in the office, so now it’s released a clear version, called All-Free All-Time, that’s packaged in plastic bottles to make it look more like the innocuous soft drink it actually is.
And yes, Suntory is specifically marketing this as something to drink not just in the workplace, but while actually working. All-Free All-Time’s introduction video shows white-collar professionals keeping a bottle within arm’s reach on their work desk. The video also bills it as a great choice for mid-workday lunches or as a thirst-quencher after sports or exercise.
In some ways, All-Free All-Time seems like a natural and logical attempt to extend the success Japanese beverage makers have had with flavored but clear drinks over the past few years, since their lack of coloring gives them a more “mature” and office-appropriate image than an obvious bottle of soda or juice. However, if Suntory really wants to shield customers from judgmental attention from coworkers and clients, it might want to reconsider its decision to decorate All-Free All-Time’s label with a very beer-like sprig of barley, and also the word “BEER” in noticeable, capital letters.
It’s also worth noting that in its description of the regular All-Free, Suntory boasts that it went to great lengths to give its non-alcoholic beverage the aroma of actual beer. While the company hasn’t specified whether that’s the case for All-Free All-Time, if the clear near-beer isn’t odorless, it’s probably not going to fly at most offices, since in professional situations, even if you’re now actually drunk, it’s generally frowned upon to smell like you are .
We’ll have to wait until June 19, when All-Free All-Time goes on sale at Japanese convenience stores, to taste, and smell, it for ourselves.
Source: Suntory via IT Media
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15 Comments
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Haruka
So many wrongs just for one product.
Luddite
More bloody plastic.
maybeperhapsyes
Absolutely pointless product.
Aly Rustom
Agree with all the above
Steven Fennel
Don't worry about the ridiculousness of the idea, just get a ditzy "talent" or a "funny" comedian to appear on loud and colorful commercials and people will buy it up like hot cakes.
Speed
The world has reached rock bottom.
mmwkdw
Its' good to see more Non-Alcohol products upon the market, though so long as it remains only within Japan there's a good chance of the bottle being recycled :
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/06/10/environment/plastic-fantastic-tokyo-recycle-waste/#.WvPVEIiFOHs
That said, most of the Japanese non-alcohol beers are undrinkable (if you wish to enjoy the taste), and are overpriced in comparison to normal beers (even the undrinkables ones). So far, he best of these non-Alcohol Beers, imo, Asahi's Dry Zero.
seadog538
Should be just the thing for those uncouth individuals who drink out of the bottles!
SimondB
Two things I have never come to terms with are alcohol free beer and decaffeinated coffee. You drink beer and coffee because they give you a certain buzz/lift. Otherwise, why bother?
NCIS Reruns
Sacrilege!
Nippori Nick
In other countries this would be called a variety of things such as pop, soda, fizzy drink etc, but it would not ever be called "beer".
gogogo
hahahaha gateway beer... lets drink a beer at lunch, in meetings, in the office! go go beer everywhere!
nandakandamanda
Well, vaping has proved popular. Maybe they'll soon be offering us clear colourless alcohol-free wine with a wine-like palate, and coffee that looks just like hot water!