Budweiser Gives Fans Worldwide a Shot at the Big Time

BRUSSELS, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Step aside ballroom dancers, jungle survivors and cake decorators. Building on the success of Bud United: Bud House, the ground breaking online reality show during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, Budweiser is now taking the concept to the next level.  Bud United presents: The Big Time is the reality show everyone will want to star in – a global program that will fulfill young adults' dreams from racing professional racecar drivers and suiting up for a global soccer powerhouse to pitching for a professional baseball team or even walking the catwalk alongside legendary supermodels.  Not only will fans have the chance to live their Big Time dreams, Budweiser has also enlisted stars and star teams to coach and mentor fans as they get their shot at the Big Time.  

Cast via Budweiser's social media sites, including Facebook and Renren, Bud United presents: The Big Time will give millions of people from around the globe the chance to participate in an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make their Big Time dreams come true, and, for some lucky winners, to star in the show, be mentored by their heroes and change their lives forever.  

A creative team led by @radical.media, an Emmy and Academy Award winning global entertainment company creating some of the world's most innovative content, and Co-Executive Producer of The Amazing Race and six-time Emmy Award winner, Evan Weinstein, are partnering with Budweiser to produce the show, which will be distributed globally by FremantleMedia Enterprises.

"Talk about a dream project," said Chris Burggraeve, Chief Marketing Officer of Anheuser-Busch InBev. "We want to leverage Budweiser's unparalleled access to international sports, entertainment and lifestyle assets to give our fans around the world the shot of a lifetime.  Working with our partners, @radical.media and reality TV guru Evan Weinstein, we'll bring Big Time dreams to life on an unprecedented global stage."

Jason Warner, Global Vice President for Budweiser, added, "In 2010, we introduced Bud United, a proprietary global experiential platform connecting consumers' passion points with the brand.  As official sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ we connected with consumers on their number one passion point – football – through Bud United: Bud House.  Fans around the world loved the concept, so in 2011, we're going bigger and better, engaging consumers across multiple passion points and bringing their Big Time dreams to life.  Whether someone is passionate about music, football, cooking or car racing, Budweiser is giving fans a shot to make it big, and supporting them on their journey with expert advice from celebrity mentors."

Individuals from all over the world – regardless of their location – have the opportunity to be selected for the global show by submitting a casting application online from May 16th until June 29th at www.Facebook.com/BudUnited or in China at http://page.Renren.com/600009537.

Based on the casting videos, Budweiser fans will be selected to take part in the global show.  Four passionate fans from around the globe will be chosen to compete for their shot at the Big Time in their dream scenario.  Each episode will focus on a different Big Time dream, such as becoming a Big Time racecar driver with the help of Kevin Harvick or taking to the kitchen of an award-winning Las Vegas restaurant with the help of celebrity chef Hubert Keller.  A special episode will see participants from around the world come together to bring AB InBev's dream to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World to life via Budweiser.

"I love this concept," Weinstein said.  "Watching everyday people from around the world score a once-in-a-lifetime shot to achieve their dreams.  That kind of passion and drama will get viewers around the globe cheering."

Dream fulfillment – via Bud United presents: The Big Time – will not be limited to the individuals selected to appear on the show. Additional Budweiser fans will have an opportunity to get a taste of The Big Time through local market events and interactive online content.  

Budweiser is giving consumers a shot at the Big Time, the rest is up to you.  For more information about Bud United presents: The Big Time, or to submit an application to appear on the show, visit Budweiser's Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BudUnited.

About Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with an American Depositary Receipt secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD).  It is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies.  A true consumer-centric, sales driven organization, AB InBev manages a portfolio of well over 200 beer brands that includes global flagship brands Budweiser®, Stella Artois® and Beck's®, fast growing multi-country brands like Leffe® and Hoegaarden®, and strong "local champions" such as Bud Light®, Skol®, Brahma®, Quilmes®, Michelob®, Harbin®, Sedrin®, Klinskoye®, Sibirskaya Korona®, Chernigivske®, and Jupiler®, among others.  In addition, the company owns a 50 percent equity interest in the operating subsidiary of Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer and owner of the global Corona® brand.  AB InBev's dedication to heritage and quality is rooted in brewing traditions that originate from the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium, dating back to 1366 and the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery, which traces its origins back to 1852 in St. Louis, USA.  Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, AB InBev leverages the collective strengths of its approximately 114 000 employees based in operations in 23 countries across the world.  The company strives to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World.  In 2010, AB InBev realized 36.3 billion US dollar revenue.  For more information, please visit: www.ab-inbev.com.

Our Dream: To be the Best Beer Company in a Better World

Through our commitment to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World, Anheuser-Busch InBev is the beer industry leader in social responsibility initiatives, ranking as the No. 1 brewer in social responsibility in FORTUNE Magazine's "World's Most Admired" beverage companies' list.  Our Better World efforts focus on three pillars: promoting responsible drinking; protecting the environment; and giving back to the communities in which we live and work. Around the world, we develop and implement social responsibility programs and campaigns in partnership with parents, government officials, community organizations, retailers and others.  From promoting responsible drinking messages on some of the world's most watched television programming, to turning coconut husks into renewable energy to fuel our breweries, to volunteering in the community, Anheuser-Busch InBev and its employees are committed to making a difference.

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch InBev