President and Chief Executive Officer
Anheuser
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118

Dear Mr. Stokes:

I am writing on behalf of Equality Now, an international human rights organization that works for the protection and promotion of the fundamental rights of women and girls around the world. The mission of Equality Now is to end violence and discrimination against women and girls through the Women’s Action Network, an effective force comprised of over 25,000 individuals and organizations in over 160 countries around the world that have the capacity to mobilize public pressure and provides rapid response mechanisms that can end discriminatory laws and practices.

Last week, we received a call from Donna Ferrato, the executive director of the Domestic Violence Awareness Project and a resident of Hoboken, New Jersey about a Michelob ad painted on the floor of the Hoboken station of the PATH train. As you must be aware, the ad in question features a headless woman in a scant red bikini. Thousands of commuters have no choice but to step on the image of this woman every day, leaving footprints on her exposed body.

Equality Now was present at the press conference and protest of the Michelob ad that was held in Hoboken on Friday, May 9, 2005 at which the Mayor of Hoboken was also present, providing his support. In the television coverage that ensued, your colleague Francine Katz, Vice President of Communications and Consumer Affairs stated that Equality Now would do better if it issued temporary orders of protection to victims of domestic violence. At no point did Donna Ferrato, I or anyone at Equality Now have the opportunity to speak with Ms. Katz, nor have we issued any statement about domestic violence. We were surprised and disappointed to note that instead of agreeing with concerned citizens and consumers that the ad must be removed, Anheuser-Busch took a defensive stance with a statement that had no relevance to the issue at hand.

We are calling for the immediate removal of the said Michelob ad from the floor of the PATH train. Equality Now believes that corporations have a social responsibility to produce and distribute advertisement that is not degrading to and does not objectify women. The image of thousands of footprints on a woman’s body is not a responsible way to sell your alcoholic beverages, including Michelob beer. Instead, Anheuser-Busch should establish panels of gender-sensitive advisors who can help ensure that your advertising campaigns promote respect and dignity of women as human beings.