STELLA ARTOIS JOINS CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S U.S. TOUR AS ITS OFFICIAL BEER PROMOTIONAL PARTNER

ST. LOUIS (Dec. 16, 2009) - Stella Artois, the best-selling Belgian beer in the world, announced a partnership with Cirque du Soleil, which has provided high-quality artistic entertainment around the globe for 25 years.

The two-year sponsorship provides Stella Artois with signage at performances and rights to use Cirque du Soleil logos and images in local advertising and point-of-sale0 marketing in cities prior to and during performance runs of the touring shows KOOZA and OVO.
“Cirque du Soleil is the pinnacle of live performance art and continues to present engaging and unforgettable experiences,” said Andy Goeler, vice president of Imports, Crafts and Specialty, Anheuser-Busch. “Similarly, Stella Artois draws on its rich Belgian beer heritage, its signature Chalice and the time-honored Belgian Pouring Ritual to deliver a superior beer experience.”
“As KOOZA and OVO travel throughout the U.S., Stella Artois will help Cirque du Soleil connect with new audiences,” said Ryan Sandilands, senior director, Corporate Alliances at Cirque du Soleil.
About Cirque du Soleil’s touring shows:

• KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions - acrobatic performance and the art of clowning - highlighting the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility. More information is available at: www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/default.aspx.
• OVO is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. For more, visit: www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/default.aspx.