BUD.TV GOES DARK

RAISE A GLASS TO BUD.TV. Anheuser-Busch’s much-hyped entertainment website has gone offline. Costing about $15 million the Bud.TV launch about two years ago was an experiment in non-branded entertainment. The objective was to create original online shows featuring pieces such as Joe Buck interviewing people in the back of a taxi, or office workers being replaced by chimps. The intent was that the programs would not be tied to Bud Light or Budweiser. However, the site wasn’t the huge hit A-B had anticipated. Due to restrictions on alcohol marketing, visitors were required to give personal information before gaining access and that kept thousands of potential viewers away. A-B also underestimated the effort needed to consistently produce new material to keep viewers interested. Those who made it to Bud.TV spent an average of seven minutes on Bud.TV, a stat A-B touted as an accomplishment in this age of short attention spans. Keith Levy, vice president of marketing said that, despite Bud.TV’s failure, A-B is proud of the venture because it helped show its marketing team how to use the Internet more effectively.