NWSF Bullet: The Controversy Over Malt Liquor "Energy Drinks"

The old dudes in the neighborhood used to have a saying when someone was trying to insult their intelligence with misinformation...


"Don't pee (um...urinate) on my shoes and tell me it's raining!"


The makers of Four Loko Malt Liquor Energy Drinks(I'm sorry they are PC now, Four Loko Caffeinated Malt Beverage) are trying to justify their pushing of their product to convenience stores and their cute little internet (mis) infomercials.


http://durhamcounty.mync.com/site/durhamcounty/news/story/35583/durham-man-thinks-malt-liquor-drink-looks-too-much-like-soda/


Classic case of a "straw man" argument (arguing a position but evading the main point.)


I wonder how they would respond to this study done by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center a few years back ?


http://www1.wfubmc.edu/news/NewsArticle.htm?ArticleID=2193

"See,what had happened was.....our product is not an energy drink....it's an alcoholic energy booster...like if you accidentally mix your Starbucks with a Colt 45...."

But ,yeah, I hear you, homie when you make the argument that there are other alcoholic energy drinks on the market, why are ya'll pickin' on poor little me?

Let's use dialectical reasoning for a moment that will defeat their argument...

"OK, Skeeter, granted that there are other caffeinated liquor energy drinks, why should the average connoisseur of malt pick your product instead of your competition's?"

"Well, it's because we have 11% alco....we sell cool caps...we get a lot of hits from kids on youtu....we market to a younger Hip Hop demo...DARNIT!!!!!"

It must be noted that folks are concerned about "malt liquor energy drinks" (with less alcohol) in cities across the country.

http://cbs4.com/seenon/i.team.miller.2.643928.html

Public pressure, also, forced Miller/Coors (makers of the popular "Sparks") to take the caffeine out of the drink months ago.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/19/business/fi-drink19

But I guess that the makers of Four Loko think that the folks in Durham are like ghetto versions of Mikey from that old school Life cereal commercial who the neighborhood kids used as a guinea pig.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc

"I'm not gonna try it, you try it.."

"I'm not gonna try it..."

"Give to Mikey!"

"Hey Mikey!...Mikey?....Wake up Mikey!"

"Somebody call 911 !!!"

Unfortunately, the folks at Phusion Projects are banking on the fact that their target market, the boyz in tha 'hood, college binge drinkers and sports minded weekend alcoholics won't question their marketing techniques nor be overly concerned about possible health risks.

Although some people might be cool with Four Loko and will find a way to even justify the sell of Arsenic Apple Cider, some of us Durham folks ain't drinkin' the Kool Aid!




In 1998, Paul Scott led a succesful campaign against Phat Boy Malt Liquor. For information about the IMANI (Inspiring Men to Act Against Negative Influences) lecture on alcohol marketing to young people, contact (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com