Lance Armstrong to Be Spokesman for Michelob Ultra

Cycling great Lance Armstrong has inked a deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev to be the spokesman for the company's Michelob Ultra brand of beer.

FILE - In this July 3, 2009 file photo, Lance Armstrong looks up as he prepares to leave for a...

FILE - In this July 3, 2009 file photo, Lance Armstrong looks up as he prepares to leave for a training in Monaco ahead of the start of the 96th edition of the Tour de France cycling race. Armstrong has inked a 3-year deal with Anheuser-Busch to be the spokesman for the company's Michelob Ultra brand, the company Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, file)

(AP)

The seven-time winner of the Tour de France and the brewer announced the three-year deal Tuesday.

Armstrong will appear in two television ads featuring the brand, and his image will be in outdoor, print and in-store advertising and possibly packaging.

Speaking from the company's St. Louis offices, where he had addressed 5,000 distributors, Armstrong said he's not quick to jump on endorsements and tries to limit them because of demands on his time from racing, his family and his other ventures.

He said a pairing with Michelob Ultra fit his lifestyle, which focuses on balance. The beer is marketed for health-minded drinkers.

"The key word is we tried to be authentic," he told The Associated Press. "You don't want to be in a place where you're putting your name or face or likeness in any old thing that comes along and whispers in your ear."

Anheuser-Busch InBev, which is based in Belgium, likewise said Armstrong is the perfect spokesman for Michelob Ultra, a brand that sponsors cycling and running events across the country and is sold as a low-calorie alternative to other beers.

"He's the perfect athlete to connect with adult beer drinkers who lead active lifestyles and also a balanced lifestyle," said marketing vice president Keith Levy, who was in St. Louis with Armstrong.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal is a rare one linking an athlete with an alcohol company. Many sports organizations like the National Football League bar players from signing deals to endorse alcohol brands. Armstrong isn't affected by such a bar.

The pairing makes sense for Michelob and shows Anheuser-Busch InBev's commitment to the brand, said Benj Steinman, publisher of trade publication Beer Marketer's Insights. Sales of Michelob Ultra, which debuted in 2002, are improving after falling in recent years.