“This Bud’s For You.” That classic slogan is all the more apropos today on the heels of Time magazine naming “You”–with control over your programming and media choices–the person of the year in 2006.
Indeed the recently launched online entertainment network bud.TV is for “You.” There are no overt ad pitches–just entertainment content that’s true to the Anheuser-Busch (A-B) voice established over the years in its Super Bowl commercials and in such fare as the “Leon” commercials (featuring an egocentric athlete) and the “Real Men of Genius” campaign.
“The goal is to create content of entertainment value that’s in sync with what the brand is about. We are programming for a network so the idea is to have a program that some people will relate to–while others might enjoy another program or programs,” said David Rolfe, production director, content, at DDB Chicago, lead agency for bud.TV. “While all brands can find ways to communicate and create dialogue through content, Anheuser-Busch is in a special position. The launch of a bud.TV network is a natural extension of the entertainment and sports cache the brand has built over the years.”
The block of “Happy Hour” programming from DDB Chicago includes: The Arrogant Fake British Rich Guy, Guided Meditation With The Billy Lama, Donnie Briggs: Life Coach, Future Man, Channel 5-4-6 Puppet News Team and Ice Vision & Chef. The quirky, tongue-in-cheek humor of these series is true to the spirit of the client brand, a Bud personality that’s been honed over the years in its advertising.
The Arrogant Fake British Rich Guy and Guided Meditation With The Billy Lama were directed by the team of Don & John–Don Shelford and John Knecht–of bicoastal HSI Productions. “I know them [Don & John] from their agency creative backgrounds,” related Rolfe. Shelford and Knecht were creatives at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, and later went to Amsterdam where Knecht served as a copywriter at 180 and Shelford as a group creative director at Wieden+Kennedy. Shelford and Knecht came aboard HSI as a directorial duo late last year.
Meanwhile Donnie Briggs: Life Coach, Future Man, Channel 5-4-6 Puppet News Team and Ice Vision & Chef were all directed by Matt Piedmont, who came aboard DDB Chicago as bud.TV executive producer. Piedmont was a writer turned producer on Saturday Night Live from ’96 to ’02.
“This has been a really unique experience. In some respects you have to be more brave–and more patient in order to allow an audience to find and like a show,” observed Rolfe, noting that the contributions of A-B’s Jim Schumacher and DDB Chicago managing director/creative Paul Tilley have been invaluable.
“It’s been an interesting ride thus far,” continued Rolfe, who hopes the sojourn leads to a longer-form road. “That’s definitely part of the client’s and our thinking, that any one of these programs could build audience and momentum and take on a life of its own, leading to a [half-hour or hour] series on television or another outlet outside of bud.TV.”
L.A. Location Lensing Declines In 2024 Despite Uptick In 4th Quarter
FilmLA, partner film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and other local jurisdictions, has issued an update regarding regional filming activity. Overall production in Greater Los Angeles increased 6.2 percent from October through December 2024 to 5,860 Shoot Days (SD) according to FilmLA’s latest report. Most production types tracked by FilmLA achieved gains in the fourth quarter, except for reality TV, which instead logged its ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year decline.
The lift across all remaining categories came too late to rescue 2024 from the combined effects of runaway production, industry contraction and slower-than-hoped-for post- strike recovery. With just 23,480 SD filmed on-location in L.A. in 2024, overall annual production finished the year 5.6 percent below the prior year. That made 2024 the second least productive year observed by FilmLA; only 2020, disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, saw lower levels of filming in area communities.
The continuing decline of reality TV production in Los Angeles was among the most disappointing developments of 2024. Down 45.7 percent for the fourth quarter (to 774 SD), the category also finished the year down 45.9 percent (to 3,905 SD), which placed
it 43.1 percent below its five-year category average.
The two brightest spots in FilmLA’s latest report appeared in the feature film and television drama categories. Feature film production increased 82.4 percent in the fourth quarter to 589 SD, a gain analysts attribute to independent film activity. The
California Film & Television Tax Credit Program also played a part, driving 19.2 percent of quarterly category activity. Overall, annual Feature production was up 18.8 percent in 2024, though the... Read More