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The acute respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus has been spreading rapidly since December 2019, with 17,390 confirmed cases and 362 deaths (as of February 3, 2020). However, the coronavirus not only poses a threat to humans but also directly endangers a beer company because it shares its name with the pandemic.
Corona Extra is a beer brand that embodies Mexican culture, with a mild flavor, often enjoyed with lime and salt.
To avoid negative associations with the coronavirus, Mexican beer producer Grupo Modelo recently announced that its most popular beer brand, Corona Extra, will be renamed Ebola Extra.
"We don't want customers to feel like they're drinking something contagious," a Grupo Modelo representative shared, "so we've decided to rename our beer brand globally."
Images of Corona beer "illustrating" the coronavirus have been widely shared on social media.
The new name, Ebola, is a witty play on words by the beer producer. It's an abbreviation of the phrase "Extremo abocadoliquido cona"cido ascórbico" (roughly translated: "an easy-to-drink liquid containing vitamin C"). Accordingly, this name change is also part of the company's upcoming advertising campaign with the slogan: "I'm doing great. I've got Ebola."
The main ingredients of Corona (or Ebola) beer include water, hops, yeast, barley, corn, rice, papain, and vitamin C.
Despite being a beer brand favored by many around the world, the name Corona Extra has recently faced negative repercussions due to its association with the pandemic, with memes and search results for the keyword "corona beer virus" surging. In fact, the name Corona beer originates from Spanish, meaning "crown." Meanwhile, the coronavirus is named after its distinguishing feature under a microscope – the virus particles are round with many spikes surrounding them, resembling a crown protruding from them.
