e" align="right" border="0" height="128" width="100" >Less than a week after its launch, Anheuser-Busch's (A-B) new "energy" beer, Be has already become a target for the national press.
The beer, which contains caffeine, guarana and ginseng, was unveiled in a blaze of glory last week, with A-B claiming it would "tap into a new drinking occasion for contemporary adults".
However, with all the predictability of a Roger Federer victory at Wimbledon, several national newspapers have gone to town on the issue.
Both The Guardian and the London Metro newspapers have lambasted Be, suggesting it will "fuel binge-drinking" and have quoted lobbyists who are critical of A-B's motives.
Andrew McNeill, director of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: "It is clearly aimed at young, heavy drinkers. And young heavy drinkers drink too much as it is."
However, A-B has rejected these criticisms saying it is marketing the product responsibly.
Jim Gorczyca, UK marketing director for Anheuser-Busch Europe, said: "We have consulted with a number of groups about this product, including The Portman Group.
"We are marketing Be responsibly as we do all our beers. BE is a beer brewed, fermented and aged in a traditional way using the same high-quality brewing process as all of our beers."
The Publican says:
What effect will the launch of Be have on the sector?
While Anheuser-Busch (A-B) is obviously trying to introduce innovation to the beer category, it's a concern that this one product has attracted so much negative publicity.
The industry has worked hard to keep binge-drinking headlines out of the media, but now the pressure has been needlessly cranked up again. The big issue surrounds concern over Be's use of caffeine. Perhaps A-B should make information on the effects of caffeine mixed with alcohol available on its advertising?
Be seems a strange product to launch when current Budweiser TV advertising stresses the importance of the quality of ingredients. It could be seen to fly in the face of the beer industry's PR offensive on improving beer's image. Can you see the Beer Academy including BE in its tasting courses or the British Beer & Pub Association proclaiming Be as a "Beautiful Beer"?
Related articles:
A-B to launch 'energy' beer in the UK (1 July 2005)