Lisa Lundy, mass communication assistant professor, said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille that the competition for products such as beer is so high that companies are seeking ways to differentiate their products.
“Mockler Beverage (the local distributor) is trying to strengthen brand loyalty for Bud Light among LSU supporters,†Lundy said. “This seems like a savvy way to do that. I imagine they are hoping when LSU fans fill up their cooler at the supermarket on the way to tailgate, they’ll choose Bud Light over its competitors because of the LSU tie.â€
But these cans are not officially affiliated with the University.
“My understanding of the program is that it’s a corporate campaign and the local distributors can sell the cans they want,†said Brian Hommel, director of Trademark Licensing. “Just because it’s purple and gold does not mean it’s approved by LSU. We didn’t sell [trademark] rights, we didn’t get money.â€
Hommel said Anheuser-Busch is coming out with a variety of color schemes that appeal to a wide range of fans.
“To my knowledge, they have about 24 different color schemes they’re doing,†Hommel said. “They’re calling it Team Pride. They’re not calling it an LSU can. Places where the color schemes are popular, they’ll sell the cans. This is not just LSU.â€
Hommel said his department and the Collegiate Licensing Company are monitoring the situation for infringement issues.