Some have questioned whether it was a problem for Jackie Robinson to appear in a new Budweiser ad campaign, but his daughter Sharon Robinson said there was no issue because it has "done a number of things" for the late Baseball HOFer and for his foundation, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. Sharon Robinson serves as Vice Chair for the foundation and said, "Because of that campaign we got increased visibility but more importantly we’re going to be able to open the Jackie Robinson Museum this year.” Hoornstra notes the advertisement was "directed by Spike Lee." Robinson said, “We thought about it as a family and decided to move forward with it because it would have impact on our museum.” Budweiser’s partnership with Jackie Robinson "only begins with the ad." A billboard featuring Jackie Robinson now "sits in Manhattan." In addition, "specially marked bottles featuring Robinson’s signature alongside the Budweiser logo are available at major league stadiums and bars until the end of the MLB season." Anheuser-Busch will "donate 42 cents from the sale of each bottle to the Jackie Robinson Foundation." Robinson’s latest endorsement deal has "an opportunity to extend his legacy in more ways than one" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/18).
