10.20.2005
unrealistic
I was surprised, this weekend, to read a bizarre article about Anheuser-Busch's promotion of "Bud Pong" the game. Francine Katz, spokesman of the Anheuser-Busch company, had this to say in the article:
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"It's catching on like wildfire," Ms. Katz said. "We created it as an icebreaker for young adults to meet each other." But Ms. Katz said Bud Pong was not intended for underage drinkers because promotions were held in bars, not on campuses. And it does not promote binge drinking, she said, because official rules call for water to be used, not beer. The hope is that those on the sidelines enjoy a Bud.
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Now, I've played the non-branded version, called "beer pong", and it's fun enough game. But to play it with water seems childish. Even at Princeton, the non-alcoholic version used milk. Anyway, it's kind of a moot point now, since I found this article on the Boston Globe's website today. It seems that someone called them on the ridiculousness of the promotion. Again, back to Ms. Katz:
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While it might seem odd for a brewery to market a water-drinking game, Katz said in an e-mail statement that Anheuser-Busch attached its name to "Bud Pong" in the same fashion the company sponsors NASCAR races or Major League Baseball games.
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I don't think anyone was buying that. That said, I think I'm a bit out of practice, but it would be hard for me to find a place to play around here. It's all about the snooker tables here, not ping pong.
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"It's catching on like wildfire," Ms. Katz said. "We created it as an icebreaker for young adults to meet each other." But Ms. Katz said Bud Pong was not intended for underage drinkers because promotions were held in bars, not on campuses. And it does not promote binge drinking, she said, because official rules call for water to be used, not beer. The hope is that those on the sidelines enjoy a Bud.
---
Now, I've played the non-branded version, called "beer pong", and it's fun enough game. But to play it with water seems childish. Even at Princeton, the non-alcoholic version used milk. Anyway, it's kind of a moot point now, since I found this article on the Boston Globe's website today. It seems that someone called them on the ridiculousness of the promotion. Again, back to Ms. Katz:
---
While it might seem odd for a brewery to market a water-drinking game, Katz said in an e-mail statement that Anheuser-Busch attached its name to "Bud Pong" in the same fashion the company sponsors NASCAR races or Major League Baseball games.
---
I don't think anyone was buying that. That said, I think I'm a bit out of practice, but it would be hard for me to find a place to play around here. It's all about the snooker tables here, not ping pong.
