The takeover of one of the most well-known and beloved American brands, second only to Disney in popularity, by a Belgian company actually controlled by Brazilians is a fascinating drama that went largely unreported in 2008, coming as it did in the midst of a economic crisis of unimaginable proportions. When the dust settles, there will be questions, if not curiosity in how it was pulled off and how Americans let one of their most treasured brands be captured by foreigners. An American family dynasty will surely take the blame for their poor management, familial infighting, and just plain bizarre behavior. Once lauded by the beer industry (from factory workers to distributors) and virtually the entire state of Missouri, the Busch family name is now mud, Augie III despised and Augie IV a laughingstock. From the very local heart of the heartland to the European continent to Brazil, the story of the takeover of Anheuser-Busch by InBev, a Belgian company actually controlled by Brazilians, is fascinating, wide-reaching, and profound. It presaged America's dwindling political and financial dominance, coming just before the economic crisis of 2008 exploded, taking down great U.S. financial institutions and virtually the entire U.S. auto industry. Few even noticed that Bud, the king of beers (and Rolling Rock and Michelob, and so on) had been captured in the midst of such carnage. Julie MacIntosh, the leading reporter worldwide covering the story, toiled away breaking news and breaking down sources. Much of her reporting for the FT ended up being cut to give space to the economic crisis, at the time a far larger story. Now that things are starting to return to normal, questions are being asked but the news cycle has moved on. Now is the perfect time for a book that uncovers the story behind the takeover to show exactly how InBev pulled it off and the missteps the Busch family and AB board made. Sure to be a great narrative of a classic dynasty taken down, this book will also become required reading in business courses worldwide. As business has become all about brands, then getting the right brands is the new game of business. Dethroning the King is a corporate caper and a classic case study in how to get the brand.
