When nearly every national media outlet covers the controversy, you know things are bad. From MSNBC to Fox News, the word is out - Anheuser Busch’s new product, a miniature portion of sweetened alcohol called Spykes, is clearly aimed at young consumers.
 
What's the problem?

• Spykes come in four kid-friendly flavors: Spicy Mango, Hot Melons, Spicy Lime, and Hot Chocolate.


• They are packaged in cute 2-ounce bottles easily mistaken for nail polish and even more easily concealed.


• Despite being called a “malt beverage,” they contain significantly higher alcohol content than beer – 12 percent.


• The products contain “energy” ingredients: caffeine, ginseng, and guarana, virtually guaranteeing youth appeal.


• The Spykes site is full of teen-friendly features, such as ringtone and wallpaper downloads.  
  

While Anheuser-Busch denies luring underage drinkers, Spykes is just the latest attempt to hook teens on alcopops, sweetened alcoholic beverages designed to be easier to drink than beer. Like other alcopops, Anheuser-Busch is deliberately calling Spykes a malt beverage so that it can get away with the lower taxation rate for beer (although it tastes nothing like actual beer). In turn, Spykes is being sold for less than a dollar a piece, a price that undoubtedly appeals to youth.

While the media has chosen to single out this product, the proliferation of alcoholic beverages with youth appeal is much broader. That’s why a coalition of groups in California has petitioned the Board of Equalization (BOE) to begin correctly classifying Spykes and other alcopops as what they are -- distilled spirits. This shift would result in a much higher state tax for Anheuser-Busch, a higher cost for all alcopops and less appeal to youth.  

Back to the Alcopops Battle »

MEDIA COVERAGE

CBS NEWS

FOX NEWS

REUTERS

WASHINGTON POST 

LOS ANGELES TIMES

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE

THE GUARDIAN (London, UK)