Anheuser-Busch Favorably Settles Cybersquatting Lawsuit.

Business Editors

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2000

Beer or Michelob Light? A cybersquatter quickly learned it was an easy decision for Anheuser-Busch to go to the courts to bring about an immediate transfer of ownership of the Micheloblight.com domain name.

Anheuser-Busch Companies (NYSE: BUD) announced today it has favorably settled a cybersquatting lawsuit involving its Michelob Light brand against Gulf South Limited, based in Roswell, GA.

Specifically, Gulf South agreed to immediately transfer ownership rights in the Micheloblight.com domain name to Anheuser-Busch. No additional settlement terms were disclosed.

"As it should have been, this lawsuit was quickly settled in our favor," said Stephen K. Lambright, group vice president and general counsel, Anheuser-Busch Companies. "There is no question that Anheuser-Busch owns the Michelob Light trademark. We've used it for over 20 years, and have obtained a trademark registration from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

"Furthermore," he adds, "we won't hesitate to pursue such action again should it become necessary to protect the rights associated with our many trademarks."

In July, Anheuser-Busch joined with Disney, Harley-Davidson, adidas and AMC, Inc., an Atlanta-based organizer of trade shows and exhibitions, in filing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Georgia against Gulf South Limited. Gulf South registered domain names using trademarks owned by Anheuser-Busch and its co-plaintiffs, and was trying to sell several of the domain names for profit.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. is the world's largest brewer and one of the largest theme park operators in the U.S. The Company also is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and the world's largest recycler of aluminum beverage containers.

SOURCE: Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.