Okay, now we know why Inbev, hitherto understood to be a rapacious and litigious Belgian/Brazilian drinks conglomerate, wants to take over Anheuser-Busch, the iconic US brewer of Budweiser.
Most of all, it is about making sure beer-lovers in America and across the globe can enjoy a cold Bud.
Not our words, but those of Carlos Brito, chief executive of InBev, writing in Tuesday’s St Louis Today on “InBev’s commitment to St Louis and the A-B heritage.”
The paper has provided some ‘balance’ by conscripting a seasoned local investment analyst, William McGinnis, to pen an accompanying editorial entitled “Friendly? let’s call a raider a raider.”
You can read a scanned copy of both articles here.
We suspect the carefully crafted Brito piece offers an interesting pointer to the public relations strategy InBev are about to adopt - the explanation, at the end of the article, of who exactly Brito and InBev are:
Carlos Brito is the chief executive of InBev. InBev is a brewing corporation controlled by Stichting InBev, a foundation based in The Netherlands representing an important part of the interests of the Belgian founding families of InBev and the interests of the Brazilian families who previously were shareholders of AmBev.
The message is clear: this is a family alliance, with familial values to which the Busch family is now being politely invited to subscribe.
Creepy, cloying or just convivial? It probably depends whether you see yourself as being on InBev’s St Louis cost-cutting radar.
Either way, we’d recommend a visit to STLtoday.com’s extensive coverage of the bid battle, which includes an irresistible caption competition:
August Busch Croak
American Croak Icon
Budvar tastes better
St. Louis….this won’t…..hurt a bit
oh………………my………….gawd
Go back…to your…pond!
Keep Bud Wiser
No…..Way…..Jose!
At least … it’s not … the Czechs
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