Ads and Retail Signage Reinforce Responsibility Message ST. LOUIS, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest brewer, is helping the federal government spread an important public service message about underage-drinking prevention. The company will place ads in national publications to support the government's "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign aimed at fighting underage drinking. The initiative is part of an industry-wide effort timed for summer when many teens have increased freedom, are attending parties, and may, potentially, find themselves in situations where they are tempted to drink alcohol. The campaign, which launches today, also includes outdoor billboards and signs in convenience and grocery stores. Initiated in 2006, "We Don't Serve Teens" provides parents and other adults with tips and information to prevent underage drinking and its negative consequences. Detailed information about the program is available at http://www.dontserveteens.gov/. "The ads we've rolled out across the country remind all adults to do their part, now, and throughout the summer, to prevent teen access to alcohol," says Carol Clark, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Stopping underage drinking is pretty simple, really: if teens can't get alcohol, they can't drink it. We're pleased to help deliver the important message that buying alcohol for teens or providing it to them at parties is not only wrong, but also unsafe, illegal and irresponsible." According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R) for Anheuser-Busch, most parents with children under 21 years of age do not think it is okay for parents to provide alcohol (82 percent) or purchase alcohol (85 percent) for their teens or others' teens at parties or gatherings. In addition, the survey shows most parents with teens ages 15 to 20 (79 percent) would not allow their teens to attend a party where other teens are drinking, even if parents would be present. Fortunately, research shows the majority of teens today are making responsible decisions concerning underage drinking. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) report released last week shows that fewer teens are drinking today. According to the report, "Today's high school students are less likely to engage in many health risk behaviors than high school students in the early 1990s." In addition, according to the government-funded 2007 Monitoring the Future Study, the percentage of high-school seniors who reported having a drink in the last 30 days is at the lowest level since tracking began in 1975. And teen drunk-driving fatalities are down 63 percent since 1982, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. "The progress made in the fight against underage drinking is one of our nation's greatest success stories, but there's more work to do," concludes Clark. "Supporting this important campaign allows us to encourage parents and other adults to talk with teens and relay a clear message that underage drinking will not be tolerated." Anheuser-Busch is the global alcohol industry leader in promoting responsibility. Since 1982, the company and its 600 wholesalers nationwide have invested more than $675 million in alcohol awareness and education programs and partnerships. In 2008, for the fifth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine's "America's Most Admired Companies" and "Global Most Admired Companies" lists. To learn more, visit http://www.beeresponsible.com/. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Anheuser-Busch between May 7 and May 9, 2008, among 3,104 U.S. adults aged 21 years and older. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available. About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research that is powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit http://www.harrisinteractive.com/. DATASOURCE: Anheuser-Busch CONTACT: Christine Pesout of Anheuser-Busch, +1-314-577-7292, Web site: http://www.beeresponsible.com/ http://www.dontserveteens.gov/ http://www.harrisinteractive.com/

Copyright