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Second to one A wholly-owned subsidiary of Philip Morris, Miller brews approximately 40 million barrels of beer each year. The popularity of its brands like Miller Genuine Draft, Molson, Lowenbrau, and Foster's Lager ensures that Miller Brewing remains second in U.S. beer production (behind Anheuser-Busch). Frederick Miller learned the brewing business from an uncle in Nancy, France. According to company lore he bought out the Plank-Road Brewery less than two weeks after his arrival in Milwaukee in 1854. A century later, with the founder's grandson at the helm, the company became the ninth-largest producer in the industry, shipping more than 2 million barrels of beer annually. Philip Morris bought 53 percent of Miller's stock in 1969. He came back for the remaining 47 percent the following year. The smoking scandals that have clouded Philip Morris' recent history, however, have led to some speculation that Miller may soon be spun off as an independent company or acquired by another major brewer. Slashing prices, getting weird In 1996, to stimulate sales, Miller lowered its already cheap prices to counter high-priced competition. Miller also strove for "cool" with a cutting-edge ad campaign aimed at a target audience of 21- to 28-year-old males. The "Dick" ads, which focused on Miller's Lite brand, were often funny and rarely intelligible, more like "Dali meets David Lynch" than "Tastes Great - Less Filling." Although the new, irreverent ads were highly criticized for risking the brand name (and for seemingly having nothing to do with any beer), quarterly earnings rose after they aired. While the ads may have been lucrative, some observers contend the earnings had more to do with Miller's price-cutting measures. Back to basics In 1998, Miller moved away from the "Dick" ads in favor of a campaign that mixed humor with a clear focus on product. The company also decided to strengthen its core brands. As a result, former bestseller Miller Genuine Draft received renewed attention with its first ad campaign in over seven years. The Red Dog and High Life labels also received renewed ad support, while Lite underwent a facelift, gaining a new design for its packaging. Despite these changes, overall Miller sales have continued along a roller coaster course. Off with their heads! In 1999 Miller ended 150 years of independence for Stroh brewing. The company acquired several brands from Stroh Brewing Co.; it also expanded its contract with Pabst. The combination deal ultimately adds four labels to Miller's already beefy product portfolio. Also in 1999, Phillip Morris Companies decided to "dismiss" the chief executive and heads of marketing and sales at Miller. Although the move seemed drastic, a Phillip Morris spokesperson insisted it was for the best: "This is a management change we are making in order to upgrade Miller's performance." Mmm...Beer Miller has moved beyond its late twentieth century woes, and is expanding the reach of its brands that are already ubiquitous in the States. With the addition of a brewery in Turkey, Miller now operates breweries in six countries, and is available in over 100. The acquisition of Celis Brewery in 2000 added another speciality brewer to Miller's portfolio. Innovative in ways other than beer production, Miller's patented use of acid hops to kill certain bacteria will soon be licensed out to other companies. In a move designed to placate recycler and environmental groups, Miller introduced plastic recyclable beer bottles for St. Patrick's Day 2000. The bottles are more of a boon to beer drinkers than recycling activists, as the brown bottles (so colored to protect the beer from damaging light rays) cannot be recycled with other bottles and will likely be landfilled. Miller Lite, MGD, and Icehouse are available in the plastic bottles in 16 and 20 ounce sizes, which are resealable, unbreakable, keep beer cold as long as glass bottles, and are allowed at beaches, pools, and stadiums, where glass bottles are not.
To enter Miller Web site or www.millerbrewing.com, which is home to its employment information, you must be 21 (or at least tell the site as much). If you are not, you will be greeted with the following witticism: "Good Beer Is Properly Aged. You Should Be Too." If you are legal - and can stand the company's feeble Web humor - you can scan Miller's job opportunities which are broken down by division: Sales, Brewing, Operations, Marketing, Finance, Engineering, Human Resources, Research & Development, Purchasing, and Information Systems. "Commonly open" positions are listed for each of these areas. To apply to Miller, mail a resume to Miller Brewing Company; P.O. Box 439; Burlington, MA 01803. You may also email a "text only" version of your resume to Miller@webhire.com. Note: Miller doesn't accept resumes as attachment, nor does it deem a resume a formal "application." According to insiders, recruiters are on the lookout for applicants with "business savvy, strong analytical skills, the ability to work on team projects, and the willingness to take risks." During the process, says one contact, "candidates may talk to three or four people with one leader doing the questions." Another company insider reveals: "We like to talk to people with experience in sales, but for entry-level spots we talk to folks just out of school." If you're a recent graduate looking to enter sales at Miller, you may be out of luck. Miller Brewing does not offer sales positions to inexperienced applicants. However, there are other avenues within the company. So if you make it to the interview, "Don't tell people what you think they want to hear, tell them the truth." Why? "Because Miller interviewers "see right through that." "Normally for an entry-level (position), we only do one interview before we make an offer," concludes a contact. While the same insider advises that "first impressions make the difference between a job and a rejection letter," Miller representatives attest that the interview is not the end-all of the hiring process; past production is key. Upon entering the company, everyone takes a drug test. Depending on your position there may be more inquiries into your driving history and background. While reference checks are done on all successful candidates, Miller "generally takes your word that you're proficient at what you say you can do."
Don't get sloppy "You should know that you will be working some unsociable hours" comprised of "weekends and evenings," insiders confide. Miller functions on a flex program so "starting and finishing hours are not set." However, "you need to be in the trade when it's busy." In terms of dress code, "Miller is business casual for most." This translates into "slacks and a golf shirt." No ripped jeans, though. Warns one source: "Miller doesn't want people looking sloppy." Diversity is part of the plan "Women and Latinos are actively recruited," confirms a contact. She continues, "Miller wants ideas that are different and fresh." As such, minority advancement is encouraged, "but not in a way that holds back anyone else." For the record, more than 25% of Miller's staff are members of minority groups, a figure well above the national average. In need of a morale boost Downsizing efforts that occured in 1996 temporarily left workers "worried" about their futures, and the on-going public relations nightmares at parent Philip Morris have left Miller employees "with widespread morale problems." Some say "there's the worry that working at Miller is about as prestigious as pumping gas with a college degree." Others remark that it has been difficult "to see friends be let go after years of service," although they understand "downsizing is a necessary business decision." Follows up another insider: "There are always rumors about when the next downsizing will occur, even though Miller doesn't have enough people to get the job done now." Good benefits, and, oh yes, B-E-E-R "Miller isn't going to be the highest paying company around," a contact notes. While Miller offers "full health, dental, vision, and life insurance" as well as a 401(k), the two most popular perks are the "three free cases of beer each month" and the "envy that the Miller name inspires in beer lovers everywhere."
Miller Brewing Company Human Resources PO Box 4391 Burlington MA 01803
Anheuser Busch;Coors Brewing;Heineken More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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