Bud.tv wouldn't let me register, so I lied
Last night, while I was averting my eyes from the pasty-faced shambles of Rex Grossman's career, I decided to waste some time by checking out Bud.tv, Anheuser-Busch's $30 million branded entertainment project.
But no go. The Web site, which is protected by an age verification system that checks your data against driver's license records, wouldn't let me sign up. The log-on screen asks for your e-mail address, first name, last name and zip code. I tried no fewer than four different zip codes and three different spellings of my name. Eventually I found myself in the awkward position of sitting at a friend's house laptop in one hand, wallet in the other, as I doublechecked the spelling of my own name against my license. All to log onto a Budewiser Web site. During the Super Bowl. Sigh. Eventually I used my dad's name and birthday. Thanks dad.
Budweiser provides a 1-800 number to call if you're having logon problems, but c'mon -- who's gonna take time to do that? It's easier to do what I did, and I'm not a very smart man. I'm pretty sure teenagers can figure that trick out.
My point is this: Bud.tv is going to have a hard time achieving success when they make it this hard to get into their site. If they want to go viral (whatever that means), they've got to remove the age verification system.
It is truly a shame for their business model, but my understanding is that Bud.tv has to use good-faith age verification to keep the "health, safety and child-protection organizations" at bay. Those groups raised objections to viral marketing of a beer brand that could reach people under 21. I am sure niether side is happy with the result- which is ineffective yet annoying.
Posted by: wgolds | February 06, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Does anyone know if bud.tv accepts registration from foriegners? I live in Singapore, which is half a world away...
Posted by: Gabriel | October 02, 2007 at 09:27 AM