College Sports-Themed Beer Cans

Rah, rah sis boom beer. This month, Bud Light released a new series of beer cans featuring the colors of 27 college-level sports teams. The goal of the new can design, says Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Bud Light, is to “connect with fans of many sports.” But university officials and the Federal Trade Commission worry that the cans are, in effect, marketing drinking to underage college students. Janet Evans, an attorney with the FTC, says the FTC has “grave concerns” that the college-friendly cans could promote underage drinking on college campuses, adding, “This [marketing] does not appear to be responsible activity.” Many universities are also protesting the cans, and some are even thinking about suing Anheuser-Busch for violation of trademark. So far, the University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, University of Colorado, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University, Boston College, and New York’s Stony Brook University have come out against the campaign. Says Jenny Hwang, an associate dean at Stony Brook, “It’s sending a message to students that maybe even the college is endorsing drinking.”