Fan Feedback

 

For a long time now I have thought the "Real Men of Genius" ad campaign was one of the best ever.  They were a welcome change from many radio commercials that tendtoward annoying.  When I came across the whipnet website, I realized immediately that the site had no affiliation with Anheuser-Busch and was merely dedicated to the commercials.  A fan site if you will.  It was wonderful to be able to hear the old commercials that are no longer aired, to hear the commercials I may have missed due to few opportunities to listen to the radio.  And today when I went to see if any new commercials had been posted, as I haven't heard any in a while, I come to discover that copyright laws had been thrown around and the site had been forced to be dismantled.

We can all agree that the commercials are copyrighted material belonging to Anheuser-Busch.  But unlike musicians who stand to lose money by people downloading free copies of their songs, AB loses nothing.  No one is using the internet to get these commercials in lieu of heading to the music store and buying the latest Bud Light CD.  As I understand the world, it costs money to advertise on radios, the only place these commercials are distributed.  What harm is there in dedicated fans being able to hear the commercials they like?  It's not as if AB is paying this website.

Please explain to me and the upset fans how AB accrues and harm, either monetarily or in their image, by allowing these commercials to be distributed across the internet.  I'd be curious how many people, upon reading your original "ruling", will choose to boycott Budweiser (I'm using a poor email program, and so cannot put copyright symbols after all the words I should, I apologize).  Personally, although I've never been a big fan of beer in general, will now choose to never purchase or consume your product until such a time as your demands to the website administrator are reversed.  I will also inform all of my colleagues and friends as to your decision, and ask that they to boycott your products.

You see, allowing such a website to exist only gives you a means to free advertising.  You pay nothing, not even maintenance or bandwidth costs, and thousands hear your commercials.  This website might even meet the radio for the number of people reached (how many people switch channels when commercials come on?)  However, by forcing the website to remove the commercials, lyrics, and all references and images that AB considers their property, you have done nothing but anger fans, which any economist will tell you is bad business. 

We beg you to reconsider.  By conceding the error of your ways, you show to us that a large company can be reasonable and cares about its fans.  By refusing to allow dedicated fans to hear simple commercials off the radio, you prove that AB cares nothing about people and only cares about maintaining an image of power over the little guy.  I, and the rest of the whipnet fans, are more than willing to hear your comments about the logic of your decision, as we do not understand.

Jess