SACRAMENTO BEE

Jesús Rangel, vice president of community relations for Anheuser-Busch, is responding to the May 3 Op-Ed "Brewers target Latino kids in bid to gain market."

The Op-Ed by members of Latinos and Latinas for Health Justice painted a misleading picture of Anheuser-Busch's relationship with the Latino market. Our company's advertising reflects dignity and the utmost respect for our culture, and we are adamantly opposed to underage drinking.

In accordance with the Beer Institute Advertising and Marketing Code, we place our ads only on programming that meets a 70 percent adult placement standard. This is in keeping with the percentage of adults ages 21 and older in the U.S. population, according to the Census Bureau.

Reports from the organization cited in the article, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, were evaluated by the Federal Trade Commission in its 2003 Report to Congress, which noted that "potential distortions" could arise from the way the center looks at the data.

READ MORE: http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/945702.html

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