I’m beginning to wonder what the burnout rate is for PR professionals who work for alcohol and tobacco corporations. I’m betting it is pretty high. I read an article in USA Today about Anheuser Busch’s new product, Spykes. The Anheuser Busch site describes Spykes as: 
” a malt-based beverage with caffeine, ginseng and guarana. Spykes mixes well with beer to add alcohol, caffeine and unique flavor and can also be chilled and consumed as a shooter”
Now certain groups are in an uproar about the drink, claiming it is being marketed to teens. The drink is in bright colored, smaller bottles, it’s extremely sweet, it can be mixed with beer or other drinks, it’s cheap, etc. etc. There are so many reasons consumer groups are bashing Spykes, I can’t even list them all here. Consumer groups are calling for a total recall of the product and an investigation.
When is it a PR professional’s job to step in here? Anheuser Busch claims it is marketing to the 21-27 year age bracket. Which is completely understandable. I’m a member of this demographic and I know the majority of my friends would buy Spykes because it’s fun-looking and cheap. What is seperating me from teens (besides a horizontal driver’s license)? Is it really Anheuser Busch’s responsibility to stop teen drinking? I don’t believe Spykes is being marketed to teens but if I was the PR prof. in charge, what would I do? I’d keep promoting the product. Young adults are a big audience for Anheuser Busch. They need to be reached somehow.
The consumers groups are causing quite a stir and Anheuser Busch isn’t pulling the product. I think this is a strong stand from the PR and marketing department. Sometimes, market distinctions will blur. What college students like is going to be what high school students like. That will not change. As far as my viewpoint as a PR student: if you didn’t do something wrong, don’t apologize. And Anheuser Busch isn’t.
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