This might be sacrilegious for a copywriter to say, but personally, the best form of advertising, is no advertising at all. What really makes me go into buy mode is word of mouth.

Now having said that, I think that you still need advertising if you want to reach the masses. Yeah, Pabst Blue Ribbon

I've been wearing a pabst blue ribbon bowling shirt since I bought it in 1989, as often as possible. I think they should pay me for elevating their brand to hipsetrness. ;)

for the humor-impaired, I'm kidding about the payment thing. The shirt bit is true though. (can ya tell I'm getting strange emails lately?)

Pabst are lucky to have their market tell them how they want their beer - cool and cult. Now Pabst, gaining fame for being unfamous, needs to hone this carefully with a proper strategy that plays on their Cult status - as you point out, making it into the Times is announcing the end of their "no publicity" reign.

If they play their cards right, stay humble with any advertising/publicity or other form of marketing and speak only in the areas where their already Cult-consumers are, they may just be able to pull this off.

I too loved Pabst when I was in College, 2 dollars for a six-pack in my day!