Speaking of Knob Creek (previous post), last week Forbes magazine ran an article contrasting Knob Creek’s supply and demand strategy with that of Maker’s Mark click here for article. The Forbes article was in response to Maker’s Mark folks announcing plans to begin watering down their product because they could not keep up with demand for it. The article noted how well Knob Creek had previously dealt with a similar problem, not by watering things down, but by appealing to their customers to be patient while they produced more of it. Now, after considerable backlash and negative publicity, Maker’s has decided not to reduce proof content.
 |
| From NPR |
Several years ago, after I first began operating Buzzy’s Country Store, a customer wearing a Maker’s Mark hat asked if we had any for sale. I had never heard of it so I asked Buzzy if we had any. When Buzzy said no, I relayed that to the customer who then removed his hat and said, “Tell you what. I’ll give you this hat for your collection but the next time I visit here I want you to have some Maker’s for sale.”
After the guy left, I asked Buzzy if he’d ever had any requests for Maker’s Mark. Buzzy said “Yes. I used to carry it because old man Charlie Davis used to drink it.”
I’ve since started carrying Maker’s and while I’ve sold some bottles here and there to folks, the hat-donating-dude has never been back in. When he does however, I’ve got it displayed front and center for him along with his hat. (Not sure how he’s going to react when seeing it placed it alongside the MD though.)
 |
| MD 20/20 Next to the Maker’s |