Anheuser-Busch InBev is dropping its “Fan Cans” promotions from communities around the country where colleges have complained that the effort â?? which sells cans of Bud Light in school colors â?? promotes underage drinking and infringes on trademarks.
In some cases, such as at the University of Wisconsin, the campaign hadn’t even made it near campus yet, but the schools didn’t want to wait to tell Anheuser-Busch to drop the program.
“If you don’t protect your trademarks, you eventually lose them, so we felt it was important to at least communicate to them that we didn’t think it was an appropriate tact,” said Vince Sweeney, vice chancellor for university relations at University of Wisconsin.
He said the school in Madison, Wis., received a letter from Anheuser-Busch this week saying it would stop selling the red-and-white cans in the area.