INTERBREW AND INTERNET PARTNERS CHEER BEER.COM
By Adnews Staff
Belgium-based brewing company Interbrew, in partnership with Total Sports, Internet Sports Network, Webpersonals.com and Core Audience Entertainment, have launched a website called Beer.com to bring a beer lifestyle online. The new site, according to Beer.com president Rocco Rossi, will not focus on brands but on things that beer drinkers want to do. This is the rationale behind linking the global brewing company with several Internet companies. The site offers a range of activities designed to appeal to beer drinkers including interactive sports fantasy games, a "Spin the Bottle" online dating service, behind-the-scenes footage of musical events and interactive directories to worldwide concerts and North American bars through ConcertFinder and Barfinder. Beer.com also has a library of information about beer from around the world, including history, traditions, facts, trivia and brewing techniques. The site is intended to generate revenue through embedded sponsorships and e-commerce applications. Interbrew's brands include Stella Artois, Rolling Rock and Labatt Blue. The site will be promoted by Interbrew on beer packaging, with the beer.com logo to appear on neck labels, bottle caps and can rims. In addition an advertising campaign including Internet, outdoor and radio advertising will be created by Toronto-based Zig. Media buying will be managed by Toronto-based Hype in Canada and The Eisner Group of New York in the United States.