Budweiser Frogs Haven’t Really Croaked

Anheuser-Busch’s Bud-Weis-Er frogs will be getting a rest, but only to keep them fresh.

“The demise of the frogs has been greatly exaggerated,” said spokesman Bob Lachky.

Lachky reacted to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report that the company was dropping the frogs from television commercials for Budweiser beer. The ads feature three lifelike frogs croaking “Bud,” “Weis,” “Er.”

The beer maker’s use of the frogs has drawn criticism from groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving which contends the ads are geared to children.

In fact, Lachky said, the little green trio is expected to have a supporting role in an upcoming ad featuring a new character, Larry the Lizard. Earlier reports quoted August Busch IV as saying the commercials featuring beer-loving ants also would be dropped.

But Lachky said Anheuser-Busch never marketed its products to underage drinkers and did not make marketing decisions “based on the shrill comments from a few fringe critics.

” A couple ads for a beer company are not the reason for underage drinking in this country,” he said.