US: A-B attacked for "Spyke-ing kids"
Author: just-drinks.com editorial team | 5 April 2007
A US consumer watchdog has attacked Anheuser-Busch for its "kid-friendly" marketing of Spykes.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest said yesterday (4 April) that it believes the brewer is trying to "get children interested in alcohol" through its positioning of the drink. Spykes are available in what the body describes as "kid-friendly flavours" such as Spicy Mango, Hot Melons, Spicy Lime and Hot Chocolate. The CSPI is asking A-B to launch an immediate nationwide recall of Spykes and is calling on state attorneys general to investigate.
"Anheuser-Busch should immediately pull Spykes off of shelves, apologise to parents, and hope that in the meantime, no young person wraps his or her car around a tree after being Spyked once too often at the prom," said George Hacker, director of alcohol policies at the CSPI.
"Anheuser-Busch is practically begging to be investigated, subpoenaed, sued, or hauled before a Congressional committee to explain this one."
The two-ounce drinks are fortified with caffeine, ginseng and guarana - ingredients which the CSPI claims are "typically associated with energy drinks that are popular with young people".
The body has threatened to launch private litigation if its call to state attorneys general goes unheeded.
Although no-one was available for comment at A-B when contacted today, a spokesperson told local press that the brewer is "adamantly opposed to underage drinking.
"No company has done more to demonstrate its commitment to proactively fighting this problem," the spokesperson continued, adding that the CSPI is "a perennial, fear-mongering, anti-alcohol group whose members are in the business of spreading misinformation".
Sectors: Beer & cider
Companies: Anheuser-Busch
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There is currently 1 comment on this article
A.B. will try anything to get more product into the hands of consumers, underage or not. Anyone who thinks that the tag line "drink in moderaton" is going to STOP kids from trying any new alcohol related product is deluding themselves. 21 years (in retail chain operations), I found that AB tried just about any trick they could to get more product on the floor, from 12 paks, 18 packs, 30 packs and any other size they could. They, at this time control the retail floors and will buy as many taps as they can in bars etc. In their ads they have never shown what the real beer drinker LOOKS like, ie pot bellied,over weight etc. It is always a slim, good looking model, either male or female. Their attempt to get younger (underage) drinkers is a hidden agenda of theirs, and I dare AB to deny this. Their displays in stores around college campus will attest to this fact, esp. the specials they will get the retailer to run on keg sales. Almost ALL the stores and bars around colleges will have huge signs, custom made for the bar/retailer promoting weekend sales. They are aware that only when students get to their Senior year, will some of them even be 21 (the legal age to drink in the US. )
I will be happy to go head to head with any one from AB who would like to deny this program of theirs.
Norman Weiner, USA
May 1,2007...I posted this 25 days ago, and not one reply from A/B. Strange that such a large Corporation who claims to only have the "purest of aims" will not comment on my remarks!!! I guess A/B won't dare to say what I claim is wrong. NW usa
Moderated by Norman weiner Date: 01 May 2007
Norman weiner said at 3:20 pm, April 6, 2007
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