The Next Joe Camel?

Remember Joe Camel? Joe was that smooth, lovable dromedary who, in 1997, disappeared after tremendous pressure from Congress and public-interest groups. In 1991, the American Medical Association published a study that showed that more young children recognized Joe than Mickey Mouse. RJ Reynolds voluntarily retired Joe after complaints continued to grow for six years after that study's release. To date, RJ Reynolds maintains their target audience was males over the age of 25 and people who were smoking Marlboros.

Anheuser-Busch (AB) is likely headed to the chopping block. Its newest product in distribution is Spykes - a drink that will probably face the same fate as Joe Camel. Spykes, released widely in 2006 and now being distributed widely, is a malt beverage with an alcohol content similar to wine (much higher than beer or wine coolers). It comes in a variety of flavors including irresistible "hot chocolate" and trendy "spicy mango." It in infused with caffeine and the teen-popular herbs ginseng and guarana. To really top it off, AB is selling the product in two ounce bottles, which are about the size of a nail polish bottle, and the bottles sell for about 75 cents each. While a web user must input a birthday indicating an age of 21 or older to enter www.spykeme.com, the product's website states that Spykes, "gives kick to your beer, flavor to your drink, and is a perfect shot." Seemingly, this product is sized, flavored, and marketed toward underage drinkers. Law enforcement and non-profit groups are asking retailers not to carry the product and are publicly denouncing AB for producing it.

AB, much like RJ Reynolds did in the 90s, denies the claim. The company asserts that the new product is meant to target adults who are looking for a new beverage. With adults combining the caffeinated Red Bull with vodka and looking for bright and fruity drinks, is this just a beer company's response to the trendy drinks of shows like "Sex and the City" that capture a large adult audience? AB released the following statement: