Budweiser parent Anheuser-Busch Cos. plans to tone down its TV ads in the wake of criticism of its Super Bowl spots.
The company confirmed yesterday that August Busch IV, speaking at an advertisers conference in Florida Thursday, said the company will no longer air the flatulent horse or crotch-biting dog ads, which drew criticism on the Hill during hearings on indecency that stemmed from the Super Bowl half-time show.
The company also released a statement from Busch saying: "We are proud of our leadership position in the beer industry, and fine-tuning our ads so they resonate with adult beer drinkers is key. Our messages must be relevant, our creative must be engaging and our delivery must be right on target.
"When it comes to mass media, attitudes and moods are shifting. It is important for all of us in the advertising community to understand not only what the public mood is, but how that mood can change from time to time."
Perhaps, but the Bud ads were among the most popular ads of the game, according to polls by AOL and USA TV.
