Anheuser-Busch Pulls "Spykes"

(AP)  Anheuser-Busch said Thursday it will stop selling a malt beverage called Spykes, a product under fire from critics who charged that it appealed to underage drinkers.

Chief Executive August Busch IV made the announcement during a panel discussion at the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association annual conference in La Quinta, Calif., the brewery confirmed.

"Due to its limited volume potential and unfounded criticism, we have ceased production of Spykes," Michael J. Owens, Anheuser-Busch Cos.' marketing vice president, said in a statement.

He said Spykes was introduced about two years ago in test markets, and nationwide in January, but had not performed to expectations. Critics said the product was designed to attract underage drinkers.

Owens rejected that criticism, saying that Spykes was the lowest-alcohol content product in its market segment. The brewer has said younger drinkers favor products with higher alcohol content.

"Nonetheless, it was unduly attacked by perennial anti-alcohol groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Marin Institute," he said.

The Marin Institute, an alcohol industry watchdog based in San Rafael, Calif., said it was pleased with Anheuser-Busch's decision after many organizations and dozens of attorneys general raised concerns that the brewer was targeting underage drinkers with the product.

"It's fine to point fingers, but it wasn't just us screaming bloody murder against this product," said research and policy director Michele Simon.

A phone call seeking comment from the Center for Science in the Public Interest was not immediately returned after business hours Thursday.

Spykes is a 2-ounce bottle of flavored-malt beverage meant to be mixed with beer or other drinks, or consumed as a shot. Packaged in colorful bottles, Spykes contains 12 percent alcohol by volume.

Critics, including more than two dozen state attorneys general, say those characteristics are attractive to underage drinkers. They say the flavor masks the strong taste of alcohol.

Spykes comes in four flavors — lime, mango, melon and hot chocolate. It also contains caffeine, ginseng and guarana, which are components of energy drinks popular among teens and young adults.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said, "This move by Anheuser-Busch, ceasing sales of Spykes after attorneys general raised significant concerns, is a significant victory in the fight against underage drinking."

He said Spykes appealed to children in taste, packaging and marketing.

"Anheuser-Busch is doing the right thing about Spykes — and should become a model for the entire industry by stopping marketing of all caffeinated alcoholic drinks that appeal to underage drinkers," Blumenthal said.

[peaceforusa]

sanfelz said "Before it continues making alcohol beverages marketed to kids, Anhueser-Busch should learn how to make beer for adults."

Amen to that!

[peaceforusa]

Glad my kids are all above the legal drinking age. I would have had to kick their butts if I ever caught them with stuff like this. Now all I have to worry about is one teen granddaughter who appears to be of a healthy mind, but you can bet, mom, dad, and granparents are watching her every action. And this is my whole point, if the kids want, it they will find it,..packaging, etc isn't going to make the difference. It is what they are taught at home and how involved the family is in their lives that makes them upstanding people. Peer presure rears its ugly head to teens, but that is where the parents must keep the vigil. At the first sign of drug or alcohol use, dig deep. Find out where it came from and report it along with the persons involved. Not only will you save your child, but you may also save other lives. Don't worry about humiliating your child either..a little humility goes a long way.

[sanfelz]

Before it continues making alcohol beverages marketed to kids, Anhueser-Busch should learn how to make beer for adults.

[acauble1]

Children learn from what they see,what are you showing to your kids?
Posted by Verla2 at 02:04 PM : May 18, 2007
.....

That's exactly right! Children do learn from what they see, more so than someone shaking a finger at them. Unfortunately, that's all we seem to be doing in this society.

As I've said in a previous post, perhaps some things should be allowed in our society. Steroids, for example, is thankfully a drug that only destroys the person who is taking them, and has not been the cause (that I know of) of any disaster that kills innocent by-standers.

I know this subject is not about athletes and steroids, but as an example, would our children learn better when they see the consequences of the actions of others right in their face? Would the children learn when seeing their favorite athlete collapse half way between second and third base from an overdose of steroids, blood flowing from their ears, DEAD?

Very few children to young adults learn by having someone shake a finger at them.

More learn when the consequences of poor judgement is put right in their face. From a dead pro-athelete that they worshipped, to a dead best-friend that they loved.

It's sad it has to come to that, but learning is best done by visualization. The saying "you have to see it to believe it" definitely holds true. From overdosing on alcohol to overdosing on steroids or whatever, most humans have to see the consequences before we believe them.

[verla2]

Whatever happened to communication with your kids?What about parental control?What about right and wrong?-have we lost all of our rights as parents to take charge of our own and not blame the companies or anyone else.Children learn from what they see,what are you showing to your kids?

[gooberzz]

The alcohol business differentiates between Primary Demand and Secondary Demand. Primary demand products appeal to people who don't drink, secondary demand means changing what a person drinks. Product that produces primary demand is always being sought.
There is no doubt that Spykes wouldn't appeal to a whiskey drinker or even a beer drinker. It's designed to bring someone over from Coke or Fanta. I doubt anyone could even drink Spykes for very long, the idea isn't to build a loyal following of Spykes drinkers, but get people over the hump of the body's natural revulsion to alcohol, so that they can become Bud Drinkers.

Spykes will disappear, but something else will appear to replace it, these brands aren't long term investments, and the next primary demand product will be even slicker, based on the marketing information generated by the Spykes experiment.

[acauble1]

This is almost like steroids for athletes!

We're so worried that these products are going to corrupt the "innocence" of the kids and/or pro-athletes of our country.

GUESS WHAT..... IT'S TOO LATE!

If they don't hurt anyone else, then have a blast!

Inject all the steroids you want. Drink all the booze you want. JUST DON'T HURT ANYONE ELSE...

... and let God determine the outcome!

[gordon.couger]

I doubt kids today take much longer to figure out that 90 to 100 proof whiskey gives the most bang for the buck than I did 40 years ago.

Flavored 12% alcohol is expensive cause a good deal of wear and tear on the pluming and most of it leaves you with a industrial strength hangover compared to Old Crow, Jim Beam or other modestly priced whiskey.

Anyone of any age interested in the effects of alcohol doesn't drink 12% stuff very long once they they try something better.

Kids are not stupid.

GC.

[verla2]

Whatever happened to communication with your kids?What about parental control?What about right and wrong?-have we lost all of our rights as parents to take charge of our own and not blame the companies or anyone else.Children learn from what they see,what are you showing to your kids?

[verla2]

Whatever happened to communication with your kids?What about parental control?What about right and wrong?-have we lost all of our rights as parents to take charge of our own and not blame the companies or anyone else.Children learn from what they see,what are you showing to your kids?