Say Goodbye To Sparks, It’s Being Discontinued

MillerCoors LLC will stop producing and marketing caffeinated alcoholic drinks, including the current formulation of its top-selling Sparks brand, under a settlement with more than a dozen state attorneys general.

The beer giant had come under fire from attorneys general and consumer-advocacy groups for allegedly targeting underage drinkers through its marketing of Sparks.

“Attorneys general from around the country are gravely concerned about pre-mixed alcoholic energy drinks because these products are dangerous and look and taste like popular non-alcoholic energy drinks,” Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe said in a prepared statement.

Today’s settlement specifically addresses concerns about the marketing of Sparks. Although MillerCoors denied acting improperly, it agreed to make some major changes. These include:

Stop using images that imply power (battery-themed +/- symbols on the can) and that appeal to underage youth to market the product.

Not renewing its contract with William Ocean (I’ll be doing a post on him soon), a MillerCoors-sponsored air guitarist who back flips onto an opened can of Sparks at his shows.

Immediately discontinue the Sparks website.

Reformulate Sparks brand products without caffeine or other stimulants and agreed not to produce any other caffeinated alcohol beverages in the future.

Sparks is the shit. What other company sponsors an air guitarist who backflips onto open cans of Sparks as part of his show? We will miss you, Sparks. You have energized and intoxicated us for the past few years and we will never forget you. RIP SPARKS.

Thanks to Nat Drive for the article.