Sue--Anheuser's Ad Czar steps down

Bob Lachky, chief creative officer for Anheuser-Busch, is stepping down--and will not be replaced. Anheuser spends about $500 million annually on ad time and space in the US alone. Some of Mr. Lachky's more memorable ads include Spuds Mackenzie and the Clydesdales, as well as the "Real Men of Genuis" campaign. This move may make some on Madison Ave nervous since changes in marketing departments often result in changes to the agencies a marketer uses. Mr. Lachky is most closely tied to Omnicom Group--the relationship between the two is seen as one of the most successful partenrships in the advertising business. Some industry insiders speculate that Anheuser's in-house media arm could be dismantled, however, a spokesman for the brewer says there are no changes planned at this time. Mr. Lachky will not be leaving empty-handed, he will earn 19.5 million from stock options and 1.4m from a severance package.