Busch Entertainment Takes $25-Mil. Media Buying In-House

ST. LOUIS – In a move that will affect three agencies, Busch Entertainment Corp. consolidated its media buying and planning work with Anheuser-Busch’s in-house Busch Media Group worth roughly $25 million, it was learned last week.
DDB Needham Chicago; GSD&M/Austin, Texas; and D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles/L.A. lose the media buying and planning functions for Busch’s theme parks across the nation, but will still retain the creative portions.
Needham takes the biggest hit, losing the business for Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg, Sea World of Florida and Ohio; Cypress Gardens, Winter Haven, Fla.;