Advertising Age

January 8, 2007

By Marc Graser and T.L. Stanley

What flew (and what failed) in Hollywood

The Five Best

1. Sony Pictures' 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

The deal: Sony wallpapered the Will Ferrell comedy with marketers. There were 10, including Sprint Nextel, Wonder Bread, Coca-Cola's Powerade and Goodyear.

Why we liked it: Though the successful satire boosted every brand associated with it, Wonder Bread might have been the biggest winner. The Interstate Bakeries Corp. brand, which has been in bankruptcy since 2004, did not pay to be embedded into the movie and isn't an official Nascar sponsor. Yet its logo appeared clear and in focus for 11 minutes, 32 seconds, giving it $4.3 million in exposure, according to Joyce Julius & Associates.

2. Bud.tv

The deal: Anheuser-Busch is taking an unprecedented step by launching a 24-hour internet-based TV network, diverting money from traditional TV advertising to fund it.

Why we liked it: Yeah, we know it hasn't launched yet, but Bud.tv helps prove that branded entertainment is no longer an afterthought for marketers. A-B will make Bud.tv the largest piece of an online budget that makes up 10% of its $607 million media war chest. Plans call for seven or eight channels of entertainment content.