In 1951, Hank Williams bemoaned a ‘tear in his beer’ that became an anthem for male depression..Now a new Ipsos survey commissioned by Budweiser Canada, licensed, produced and distributed in Canada by Labatt Brewing Company, has found 34% of beer servings in Canada were consumed alone in 2022, up 14% over the last decade. .While male friendships are more important post-pandemic, the study has shown that 70% of men are less likely to spend a night supping suds with the boys as they get older..This prompted the question: are Canadian men getting together less with their buddies? Which in turn led Budweiser to seek external, third-party insights to shed light on male friendship trends today..The answers might come somewhat as a surprise..The survey – which queried more than 1,000 men across Canada of legal drinking age or above – found almost 80% say they have close friends, but the majority see them less in-person as they get older. .Additionally, 50% stated they see their friends once a month or less, proving male friendships exist, “but they're missing opportunities to get together,” the company said..Further, 75% of respondents expressed that spending quality time with their close friends improves their overall well-being. The data also found that when male friends do get together, eating a meal/having a drink at someone's house or out at a restaurant/bar are the preferred activities (71%). ."There's no denying that as people get older – especially men – they see their friends less, but it doesn't have to be this way," said David Sheedy, Senior Marketing Director, Budweiser Canada. "We now know that men feel spending quality time with friends improves their wellbeing.".But it’s not merely just a case of beer marketing. Multiple academic studies have attempted to pinpoint the causes and effects of isolation in men, especially post-pandemic. .According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 75% of all suicides are men. Research into sex differences in suicidal behaviour has revealed a ’gender paradox’ — while men are more likely to die by suicide, women are more likely to attempt it..Statistics Canada says, men and boys as a general proportion of the population, are more likely to commit suicide, even after factoring subgroups such as people serving federal prison sentences and aboriginals..Compared to heterosexual men, sexual minority men are up to six times as likely to experience suicidal ideation and eventually attempt it..The COVID-19 pandemic intensified almost all of the well-known risk factors for suicide in men, including psychological distress, job loss, loneliness and problematic alcohol and substance use, beer notwithstanding..According to John Ogrodniczuk, the director of the University of British Columbia’s psychotherapy program and founder of men’s depression resource HeadsUpGuys.org, men tend not to have deep friendships in the way that many women do, which denies them the opportunity to share deeply personal and emotionally sensitive information with others..Which is to say, going out for a beer with the boys once in a while may indeed have therapeutic benefits..In response Budweiser Canada has launched an ad campaign that removes the ‘Bud’ from their logo with billboards appearing on roadways across the country. In addition, it’s offering various promotions on its website to offer more than just another reason to drink.."Male friendships are often described as 'shoulder to shoulder' meaning we get together through structured activities, like watching sports," said Sheedy. "Our goal is to motivate men to deepen their connections and turn expressions like, 'let's grab a beer' into action. Because that's what buds do."
