• Ad Age , Monday, September 15, 2008 10:45 AM

Bud Light Lime -- the first-ever flavor extension of Bud Light that launched in May -- hit the million-barrel mark with little apparent cannibalization of its sibling brands, driving parent Anheuser-Busch to its strongest summer in recent years.

A-B estimates that 50% of Lime drinkers either are new to beer or are buying it in addition to their existing beer habits, while another 20% of drinkers are coming from competitors such as Miller Chill and Corona. Only 30% of Lime drinkers switched from other brands in A-B's portfolio, which accounts for nearly 50% of the total U.S. beer business.

A-B's results were particularly notable because they came in the midst of the at-first hostile but ultimately friendly takeover bid for the company by InBev, an event that had the potential to be a massive distraction from A-B's oft-stated intention to capitalize on uncertainty at the newly minted MillerCoors. "It's A-B's best performance in years," says Benj Steinman, editor of Beer Marketer's Insights. "It's a striking success."

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