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PHILADELPHIA — Over the Labor Day weekend 100,000 fans gathered behind the city of brotherly love’s skyline for a celebration of music, community, and freedom.
Budweiser’s Made In America Festival spanned several city blocks and was the first ticketed event the Benjamin Franklin Parkway has ever hosted.
The atmosphere was incredible, there were people of all ages and all walks of life coming together to celebrate America and good music.
The two-day festival was headlined by Jay-Z and Pearl Jam, but there was certainly entertainment for everyone there.
Click here to jump straight to photos of Made In America>
We spoke with Anheuser-Busch Vice President of U.S. Marketing, Paul Chibe and learned about the company's involvement in the event.
Below is a slightly-edited transcript of our conversation:
Business Insider: How does this eclectic group of music fit into the Budweiser brand?
Paul Chibe: I wouldn't necessarily say this group is eclectic, I think the important thing to note is inclusiveness.
Budweiser is an inclusive brand and we wanted to express that inclusiveness in how we brand with music. If you think of where America is today, the lines are falling apart and you don't have the barriers that were there in the past. That is what this festival and musical acts represent.
BI: How closely did you all work with Philadelphia to make this event happen?
PC: The Mayor's office, fire department, police department, and city planning...every single group that we have touched has been amazing and extremely accommodating. The thing that is really cool about this event is the transformational aspect for Philadelphia. To think about this area as a venue is amazing with the Art Museum and Rocky steps in the background.
We learned that a portion of the ticket sales was going to be donated to charity benefiting the entire Tri-State area.
BI: What spurred the charity aspect? Was it Budweiser's decision to donate a portion of ticket sales to United Way?
PC: Working with Jay-Z and putting on the event we felt like there needed to be a cause. We discovered the United Way and what they have been doing in the Philadelphia area and beyond and it was a natural fit. This event is about connecting the dots on community.
BI: We've heard a bit about the advertising for this event, how far did it stretch?
PC: We ran a 60-second special version of the Made In America ad during the Olympics. And if you listen to the words that Jay-Z says, it really represents everything that this event is about.
Here is the 60-second ad:
BI: From a broader standpoint, what were Budweiser's goals for this event?
PC: Budweiser has always been a major force in music. Our goal for this even was to provide opportunities for everyone. Budweiser is the King of Beers and it should be the King of Music, the Budweiser brand lets musicians and artists express themselves in a way. The Made In America theme is true to the fabric of Budweiser.
The Budweiser Made In America Festival was a 2-day celebration of music and community, held in Philadelphia.
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Budweiser had branding all throughout the venue. This is where the Brewmaster station was housed.
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We were able to sample 12 different beers. Three will be included in a special Budweiser pack available this Fall.
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