A-B InBev is close to naming a new digital agency partner for its Bud Light and Michelob Ultra brands, according to a spokesperson. The company should make a related announcement at year’s end as it moves the work on those two brands to its new, unnamed agency.
This means that VaynerMedia, which had been handling digital/social for both Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, will no longer work on them. It will, however, retain a significant portion of its A-B InBev work.
“VaynerMedia is a strong partner who has helped us achieve some of our best digital content and ROI across several brands, and will continue to support Budweiser and other priority brands in the US as well as globally,” the spokesperson said.
A-B InBev declined to elaborate on the apparent digital review but did clarify that VaynerMedia will continue to offer support on the Bud Light and Michelob Ultra accounts in the interim.
A-B InBev recently cut short its “Bud Light Party” campaign starring Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen and reported disappointing sales for that brand in the third quarter. Yesterday, we learned the company had also named Marcel Marcondes as its new U.S. vice president of marketing, effective as of the beginning of January.
Last week VaynerMedia came to our attention due to its founder’s somewhat unorthodox approach to staffing decisions, which he framed as a form of data collection. Gary Vaynerchuk told us at the time that the terminations did not stem from downsizing related to any change in the agency’s client portfolio.
A VaynerMedia spokesperson has not responded to requests for comment on this story.