E-Malt.com News article: USA: Anheuser-Busch is launching an in-house film and TV production company

Anheuser-Busch is reportedly launching its own in-house film and TV production company following in the footsteps of marketers like PepsiCo and Starbucks that have entered the world of content production, Adotas reported August 21. As stated in an Advertising Age report, the brewer will be creating humorous shorts and sitcom-type programming to be broadcast over the Internet and to cell phones.

Anheuser-Busch has previously pursued content endeavours such as Bud Productions’ producing of NFL preseason games for the St. Louis Rams and “Bud TV,” an online production promoted during the Super Bowl. With its own production company, the brewer will be able to produce a steady stream of original content and eventually even launch into full-length films.

“We’re always looking for new ways to reach beer drinkers through innovative means of communications, but it’s our practice to not comment on rumors and speculation,” said an Anheuser Busch spokesman.

However, Mike Fox, a California-based Anheuser-Busch distributor, added, “They’ve made it clear that they think the future is online, and I think we’re going to see a lot of short films and sitcom-type stuff.” He also stated that, “A lot of us wholesalers have been pushing for them to do more entertainment stuff for a while.”



25 August, 2006