As per the general drift of other comments, I don't believe it's a fair comparison.
I drink a particular beer because I like it (or think I will like it), not because of who brewed it. That said, brewers build up a track record with their products that leads me to have preconceived ideas about any new beer I might consider from a brewer I had tried before. For example, I've had XXXX, VB, Carlton Draught, Tooheys New, etc in the past and drawn my own conclusions on these beers that will most likely lead me to make a choice not to drink one of their other beers. Nothing to do with the label on the bottle/tap/can, all to do with the taste.
In general, I'm far more likely to try a new beer from a "craft" brewer because I've had good beers from craft brewers in the past and generally I know that craft brewers are setting out create something that's all about the taste as opposed to selling the most product for the lowest possible unit costs. I've had crap beer from craft brewers in the past also and choose not to revisit those particular breweries for the same reasons as those listed above.
In the past, there wasn't an option to the big breweries (and there still isn't in large parts of the country if you're not prepared to mail order), so that's what I and others drank. Now there is a choice, so I choose the tastier option, which, in my opinion, is not the big breweries' offerings.
I choose my sneakers (I can't call them running shoes, because that would be a lie) based on my own perceived comfort/fit/performance and good/bad past experiences with a brand. Those shoes happen to come from large brands. Maybe there's a niche shoe maker industry somewhere that is yet to become widely available, but probably not.
