ATLANTA — Several college administrators are upset over a campaign by Anheuser-Busch called “Fan Cans,” which feature beer cans mimicking the school colors of 27 universities around the nation.
Near Louisiana State University, the cans are purple and gold. Near Iowa State University, they’re red and gold. The Wall Street Journal reported that the campaign is renewing the debate over the role of beer makers in encouraging college drinking.
Some administrators are demanding that the sales be stopped because the promotions could contribute to underage drinking and binge drinking and give the impression that the schools are endorsing the beer.
Even the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expressed disapproval of Anheuser-Busch’s effort at reviving the sales of Bud Light, whose sales are expected to register the first annual decline in its 27-year history.
“Our concern about the campaign is that when you’re talking about a college campus, you’re talking about a population of many underage students, and you’re adding to it a population of mostly binge drinkers,” said Janet Evans, an attorney at the FTC. “It was not the most responsible thing to do.”
Tammy Purves, spokeswoman for the Collegiate Licensing Co., which represents about 200 colleges, said they have complained to Anheuser-Busch about potential trademark violations. As many as 25 schools with the group have formally asked the brewer to stop the campaign, she said.
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