Anheuser-Busch is leading the industry's campaign to change beer's image. "We recognize that we have to become better at recapturing our market share," said Anheuser-Busch's Robert Lachky, executive vice-president for global industry development. "Liquor companies are doing a good job at targeting beer drinkers and beer-drinking occasions. So we know who the enemy is and we have to do something about it."

Working with the industry trade group The Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch plans to launch a new marketing campaign next month that will include TV ads and a website called Herestobeer.com. The campaign will focus on beer's social role in America, noting its lower alcohol potency by volume and educating consumers about the brewing process. Information on pairing beer with certain foods also will be included.

"There's more to beer than just knowing how to drink it," Lachky said.

Brewers also have become interested in getting third parties to get the word out about the purported health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. "I don't think wine has anything over beer in terms of health benefits," said Lachky. "But we won't say that. It's better that others study it and then we have an open dialogue about it."

Wharton School associate marketing professor Patricia Williams said the types of people who drink beer and when they drink it are unlikely to change quickly, however. "It is a challenge in general to change an image, especially the image of an entire product category," Williams said.

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