While most of us continue to work together to ensure that Salt Lake City, the state of Utah and the United States will host the best-ever Winter Olympic Games in 2002, a local anti-alcohol group continues to stand alone in its desire to ban Anheuser-Busch's participation as a sponsor of the Olympics. This group is certainly entitled to its convictions. However, not everyone shares this group's opinion nor do they support its quest for a ban.
Anheuser-Busch has been a proud sponsor of the Olympics for 20 years, and on each previous sponsorship occasion, beer drinkers and nondrinkers had a safe, enjoyable experience. We predict the same outcome in 2002.When it comes to sponsorships and promotions, we strictly adhere to the Brewing Industry Advertising Code that says we will limit our involvement to those activities where a majority of the audience is reasonably expected to be above the legal purchase age. Neilsen audience research studies tell us that more than 88 percent of the audience for the 1998 Winter Olympic Games was 21 years of age and older. What's more, according to a national Roper survey, teenagers overwhelmingly say that their parents are the most influential on whether they drink, not advertising or sponsorships.
We respect the beliefs of those who abstain from drinking and hope the abstainers will extend the same respect to beer drinkers. Further, we are confident that when the world comes to Salt Lake City, they will see our participation in the 2002 Olympics for what it is: an opportunity for all of us to support international competition and camaraderie.
John T. Kaestner
Senior group director
Consumer Awareness and Education
Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.