NAD asks Anheuser-Busch to stop attack ads

Modern Brewery Age, April 7, 1997

BBB's National Advertising Division had investigated the ads at the request of the Boston Beer Co. under the auspices of the NAD\NARB Procedure for Self-Regulation of National Advertising. A spokesperson for Boston Beer said the Boston, MA-based company was pleased by the ruling and said "I think Anheuser-Busch was startled by the results."

Boston Beer had objected to print, radio and bar-card advertising that included statements like the following: "Why does Sam Adams pretend to come from New England when the truth is it's brewed and bottled by contract breweries all around the country?" and "Time to stop tricking beer drinkers, Jim." (the latter a reference to Boston Beer Co. founder Jim Koch).

NAD has asked A-B to refrain from statements that imply Boston Beer does not control the brewing of its beers.

Francine Katz, v.p. of consumer awareness for A-B, asserted that the campaign hadn't been used for several months, saying "This is a moot issue."

But Boston Beer president Jim Koch said the decision was a victory. "What bothered me most is that a company 100 times our size with a billion-dollar budget is using misleading and false advertising against a company that's really very little."

A source at the Boston Beer said the Anheuser attack ads had tapered off since the NAD investigation started, but said "It's been an 18-month siege. Our P.O.S. materials have been torn down, and people have been out in the market telling stories. I hope this ruling shows them they can't keep making misleading statements about us."