The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions.

Shame on Anheuser Busch Campaign

ACTIVIST GUIDE

Contains:

Instructions
Sample Store Manager Letter
Sample News Release
Sample Op Ed Piece

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS GUIDE

Visit the CD section of your local Wal-Mart store to find out if they are selling "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits." Purchase a copy of "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits" to familiarize yourself with the packaging and listen to the CD to hear the commercials and get a feel for the kind of music it contains (this research will be worthwhile when explaining your concerns to the media and the CD itself will be a useful prop if you are interviewed on television). Reproduce the sample store manager letter below on your own letterhead and send it to any stores in your community that are selling "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits." Enclose information about drinking among youth, including local statistics if you have them. Within a week after sending your letters of concern to store managers, adapt the sample news release below for distribution to the city desks of your local newspapers and the news assignment editors of your local radio and television stations. Follow up with phone calls a few days later to urge the media to do a story about your concerns regarding "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits." Submit the sample op ed below to your local newspaper, signed either by a representative of your own organization, or by Max Schneider, MD, Chair of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

SAMPLE STORE MANAGER LETTER

(INSERT DATE) (INSERT NAME & ADDRESS OF LOCAL STORE MANAGER) Dear (INSERT NAME OF STORE MANAGER): (INSERT NAME OF STORE) has long had a reputation as a family-oriented store, particularly with regard to musical recordings which may have a negative impact on the youth of our community. Because we share your concern about youth welfare at the (INSERT NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION) we wish call your attention to a product now available at (INSERT NAME OF STORE) that may contribute to underage drinking, the number-one illegal drug problem in America today. "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits," a compact disk compilation which includes a dozen kid-friendly beer commercials, is a blatant marketing attempt by the Anheuser Busch brewing company to deliver pro-drinking messages through a family recreational activity. The cleverness of this Trojan horse strategy is exceeded only by its insidiousness. Children have no trouble recognizing Frank or Louie, the famous Budweiser lizards, from radio and television ads. It is easy to imagine children begging their parents at (INSERT NAME OF STORE) to purchase a CD that features two of their favorite characters. Parents probably won't offer much resistance when they see that the CD features party music they remember fondly from their own youth. Then when Mom or Dad plays the new CD in the car or at home, Anheuser Busch, with the cooperation of your store, will have accomplished what even its traditional advertising has thus far failed to do: manipulate parents into giving beer drinking their seal of approval. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. already has written to the chairman of Anheuser Busch to ask him to end this indefensible marketing strategy, but we hope that your obvious concern for children in (INSERT NAME OF CITY) will persuade you to discontinue stocking "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits" at (INSERT NAME OF STORE). Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, (INSERT NAME & TITLE OF REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION)

SAMPLE NEWS RELEASE

For More Information, Contact: (INSERT NAME & PHONE NUMBER OF CONTACT)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Release (INSERT DATE):

(INSERT NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION) URGES LOCAL RETAILERS TO STOP SELLING CD THAT ENCOURAGES UNDERAGE DRINKING

(INSERT NAME OF ORGANIZATION) has asked (INSERT NAMES OF LOCAL STORES) to stop selling a compact disk that promotes beer drinking among families with children. The actions were taken locally as the first step in "Shame On Anheuser Busch," a new grassroots campaign led by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) to expose alcoholic beverage marketing practices that threaten the health of the American public as seriously as those of tobacco companies. In letters sent to the chief executives of (INSERT NAMES OF STORES) on (INSERT DATE ON LETTER), (INSERT NAME OF SIGNATOR) asserted that "Frank & Louie's Greatest Hits," a compact music disk compilation which includes a dozen kid-friendly beer commercials voiced by the famous Budweiser lizards, is a blatant marketing attempt by the Anheuser Busch brewing company to deliver pro-drinking messages through a family recreational activity. The letters were written after Anheuser Busch failed to respond to NCADD concerns directly. "The cleverness of this Trojan horse strategy is exceeded only by its insidiousness," wrote (INSERT NAME OF SIGNATOR). "Because children will recognize Frank and Louie from radio and television ads, it's easy to imagine them begging their parents to purchase a CD that features these characters on the cover. Parents probably won't offer much resistance when they see that the CD features party music they remember fondly from their own youth. Then, when Mom or Dad plays the new CD in the car or at home, Anheuser Busch, with the cooperation of [your store], will have accomplished what even its traditional advertising has thus far failed to do: manipulate parents into giving beer drinking their seal of approval." Introduced in 1997, Frank and Louie have been seen by millions of American families, particularly during the Super Bowl, one of the highest rated events on television. They are the most recent in a long line of animals and cartoon figures used by Anheuser Busch to maintain its beer market dominance, including Spuds McKenzie (1987); Bud Man (1991); dalmatian puppies (1993); frogs (1995) and a penguin (1996). "Frank and Louie's Greatest Hits" also makes explicit references to the extremely popular frogs whose slogan ("Bud-weis-er"), heard repeatedly on the CD, could be recalled by 73 per cent of children ages 9 to 11 years in one study. "The public long ago realized how Joe Camel--who never appeared on television or radio--was being used to encourage children to smoke cigarettes," observed (INSERT NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION). "Once they recognize that alcoholic beverage companies like Anheuser Busch use the same tactics, perhaps we can generate enough outrage to make some real progress in fighting America's number-one illegal drug problem among youth." Materials to help grassroots activists participate in the "Shame on Anheuser Busch Campaign," including sample letters to local Wal-Mart stores, are available on the internet at www.ncadd.org. Status reports and information about new initiatives also will be posted there. (INSERT PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING YOUR ORGANIZATION) # # # (INSERT DATE OF RELEASE)

SAMPLE OP ED

SHAME ON ANHEUSER BUSCH When it comes to influencing public opinion about a drug that threatens the health of children, Anheuser Busch, the nation's largest brewer, has been far more successful than the tobacco industry. The company has spent millions of dollars on slick advertising to convince parents that it cares about underage drinking. The strategy appears to be working because Anheuser Busch gets away with spending hundreds of millions dollars more on marketing Budweiser beer to kids, the next generation of drinkers, with barely a peep of protest. As a result of the tobacco industry's settlement with the states, cigarette ads have been removed from billboards all over the nation. Yet our airwaves are saturated with beer commercials that feature cartoon characters remarkably similar to Joe Camel, whose appeal to children was the proverbial straw that broke the tobacco industry's back. Now, in a blatant attempt to deliver pro-drinking messages through a family recreational activity, Anheuser Busch has gone a step further with "Frank and Louie's Greatest Hits," a compact disk music compilation which includes a dozen kid-friendly beer commercials voiced by the famous Budweiser lizards. The cleverness of this Trojan horse strategy is exceeded only by its insidiousness. Children have no trouble recognizing Frank and Louie from radio and television ads so it's easy to imagine them begging their parents to purchase a CD that features these characters on the cover. Parents probably won't offer much resistance when they see that the CD features party music they remember fondly from their own youth. Then when Mom or Dad plays the new CD in the car or at home, Anheuser Busch will have accomplished what even its traditional advertising has thus far failed to do: manipulate parents into giving beer drinking their seal of approval. Introduced in 1997, Frank and Louie have been seen by millions of American families, particularly during the Super Bowl, one of the highest rated events on television. They are the most recent in a long line of amusing animals and cartoon figures used by Anheuser Busch to maintain its beer market dominance, including Spuds McKenzie (1987); Bud Man (1991); dalmatian puppies (1993); frogs (1995); and a penguin (1996). "Frank and Louie's Greatest Hits" also makes explicit references to the extremely popular frogs whose slogan ("Bud-weis-er"), heard repeatedly on the CD, could be recalled by 73 per cent of children ages 9 to 11 years in one study. Even Advertising Age--not normally supportive of restrictions on advertising--has stated that "Anheuser Busch should know better." "Trying to exploit mass market appeal," declared the editors, "is off-target when a large chunk of the new audience is off-limits as customers for their product. This CD should be stopped, before the lizards and frogs feel a real gig--through their backs." Government and public apathy about advertising that Anheuser Busch defends on the grounds that it builds "brand recognition" is remarkable given the company's success with the illegal youth market. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism nearly half of current drinkers age 16 or younger--the group which includes those children most likely to become alcoholic later in life--prefer beer. With a market share of almost 47% last year, it stands to reason that Anheuser Busch contributes more to underage drinking than any other alcoholic beverage company in America. Shouldn't, then, the so-called "King of Beers" show more responsibility for limiting the appeal of their advertising to children? After all, their product is a factor in the three leading causes of death among teens: car crashes, homicide and suicide. The nation long ago realized how Joe Camel--who never appeared on television or radio--was being used to encourage children to smoke cigarettes. Once it recognizes that alcoholic beverage companies like Anheuser Busch use the same tactics, perhaps we can generate enough public outrage to make some real progress in fighting America's number-one illegal drug problem among youth. (INSERT NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION)

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

20 Exchange Place, New York, NY 10005 phone: 212/269-7769   fax: 212/269-7510 email: national@ncadd.org   http://www.ncadd.org HOPE LINE: 800/NCA-CALL (24-hour Affiliate referral)