Anheuser-Busch Latino Marketing Team Increases 2006 Media Spending 66%.

Continuing its significant commitment in the growing Latino community, Anheuser-Busch Inc. will increase its 2006 Latino media budget by 66 percent to more than $60 million. The most significant investment comes in the area of national media spending that will increase three times the 2005 levels to more than $30 million.

As part of the enhanced Latino marketing program, Anheuser-Busch will balance its strategy with a combination of premier Latino sports and entertainment properties, including a sponsorship finalized today with Univision’s popular weekend sports news program “Republica Deportiva.” Anheuser-Busch gains product placement inside Deportiva’s bar setting, including tap handles, neon signage, bottle displays and animated billboards, multiple ad placements and logo rights to the Univision and “Republica Deportiva” marks.

“We take great pride in everything we do involving the Latino community, and this landmark media plan is another example of supporting programming that is important to adult Latino consumers,” said Tony Ponturo, vice president of Global Media and Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch Inc. “Latinos are incredibly loyal beer drinkers. We recognize they have contributed to the success of Budweiser and Bud Light in a big way, so it is central to our company’s commitment to support the TV programming, music and sports activities and lifestyle initiatives that Latinos value.”

Anheuser-Busch continues to outspend the competition in local and national Latino media support, focusing on national media that appeal to Latino lifestyles and local outlets that reach a variety of Latino communities. In 2005, Anheuser-Busch spent more than any other brewer in local and national television, print and radio advertising in Latino markets. As Anheuser-Busch increases Latino marketing investment in 2006, the margin over competition will increase too.

Key to Anheuser-Busch’s popularity among Latino consumers is the company’s commitment to developing programs and supporting events that are important to the culture. All of Anheuser-Busch’s Latino-themed TV advertising is developed with leading Latino-owned agencies. The company’s sports and music sponsorships include the Mexican National Soccer Team, the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Major League Baseball and it 26 domestic teams, marquee professional boxing events, Major League Soccer and its 12 teams, Juanes, Carlos Vives, Maxim Enfocate, as well as adverting on programming around Futbol Liga Mexicana, Premio Lo Nuestro, Latin Grammys and Primetime Novelas and late night shows.

The enhanced media plan is designed to reach a strong national television audience with emphasis on Latino cable entertainment and national sports. Additional dollars will be shifted toward the ever-increasing Latino Internet presence.

Local media buys will also see an increase, with particular emphasis on markets with high populations of Latino consumers, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Chicago, along with emerging markets such as Atlanta, Orlando and Las Vegas. Smaller markets with high Latino concentrations, such as El Paso and McAllen, Texas, will also see an increase in Anheuser-Busch spending.

Currently 11 percent of U.S. beer industry volume is made up of adult Latino consumers, and Latino beer drinkers account for 12 percent of Anheuser-Busch’s overall sales volume. Anheuser-Busch has the No. 1 and No. 2 beer brands in the Latino market, Bud Light and Budweiser. Anheuser-Busch’s market share in the Latino community is 48 percent*, compared to SABMiller’s 15 percent* share.

*IRI year-to-date for supermarkets through Aug. 7, 2005