Parents Help Bottle Up Beer Ads

For almost a year, 65-foot-tall billboards resembling beer cans towered over four neighborhoods in Boyle Heights.

The Bud Light signs sparked concerns of parents who said the billboards sent negative messages to children walking past them on their way to school. Jesse Ramos, a parent at Second Street Elementary School, said children saw “that ugly beer sign and [thought] it’s all right to drink.”

Now, thanks to the efforts of Ramos and other parents and community leaders, the signs have been replaced by other ads that they do not consider as offensive.

On Monday, about 30 parents and community leaders celebrated their victory at Santa Cecilia restaurant.

In efforts facilitated by the Los Angeles Alliance for a Drug Free Community, about 60 parents collected more than 400 signatures and 50 letters of support from state and local officials, elementary school principals and community groups.

The parents met in July with a representative of Ace Beverage Co., the local distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, who agreed to replace the billboards.

The company erected new signs two weeks ago. They feature East Los Angeles boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya and a message that promotes responsible drinking.

“I’d rather have a sign that promotes education,” Ramos said. “But it’s a step in the right direction.”