Budweiser also has to consider that consumers who stopped drinking Bud Lite have likely discovered other better tasting beers. IMHO Bud Lite was nasty stuff and even venerable old Pabst was a vast improvement. It is interesting that the 1# selling beer in the US these days is Mexican import Modelo. Consumers, particularly younger consumers, are also likely trying regional and craft brews and discovering a whole new world of beers. Bud Lite is likely to continue its slide to oblivion and no amount of slick advertising is going to save it.
As the author stated, the powers-that-be at AB are going to look back fondly to when they were Number 14 in sales.