Blue Lithiums MingleNow service is apparently off to a good start having snagged Anheuser-Busch as a client. They are running a promotion aimed at bringing some social networking to something that is inherently social to begin with, drinking. The Clink promotion is clever and goes a long way to overcoming any impression that MingleNow is just another way to hook up members of the opposite sex (or the same if thats what you are into).
Today MingleNow went public with a partnership with Anheuser-Busch as part of the beer industrys Heres-to-Beer marketing initiative. The partnership allows Anheuser-Busch to leverage the social media channel in keeping with the social aspect of beer itself. The Clink program utilizes the online/offline nature of MingleNow to bring the real-life camaraderie of beer drinking to the Internet. Users photograph themselves clinking beer bottles or glasses together with friends, then upload the photos to galleries on MingleNow.  Some of the first - Celebrity Clinks containing photos of MingleNow users clinking with famous people, and Creative Clinks, showcasing artistic clink photos. MingleNow will hold contests allowing other MingleNow users to vote for their favorites and give prizes for the highest rated Clink photos.Â
The thing that impressed me about the deal is that its tying together a number of initiatives, including the Heres to Beer campaign, and using social networking as a sort of glue between the parts. Time will tell if its successful but it is certainly one more data point that proves large advertisers are looking beyond television, radio, and web spots to reach the twenty-something demographic.
blue lithium, budweiser, minglenow, social networkinghttp://jeffnolan.com/wp/2007/01/19/minglenow-clink...