Ahahahaha! The Truth About the Wassup Remix...

[liz_marcs]

Earlier today I posted the vid for the Wassup Remix (8 Years Later), thinking it was a takeoff of the original Budweiser ad that ran during the 2000 Superbowl that was made by someone who DIDN'T own the concept.

Thanks to cleolinda, I learned the true story. As it turns out, the Wassup (8 Years Later) remix is, well, an official remix.

According to the article Advertising: Why Budweiser Can't Stop the 'Wassup' Remix, Budweiser doesn't even own the rights to the original 'Wassup.'

See, waaaaay back in 2000, they "rented" the concept from filmmaker Charles Stone III, who made the original film short called "True." Budweiser paid $37,000 to have exclusive rights to the 'Wassup' concept for 5 years, after which the rights were returned to Stone who could then use the concept any way that he wished.

The Wassup Remix (8 Years Later) is his first remix of the original idea.

To make the remix even more clever, Stone used the exact same cast from his original, pre-Budweiser short to make the remix.

To view the non-commercial original, go here to check it out. To see the Budweiser version, as well as the 8 Years Later remix, check out this post.

Comments

[missmurchison.livejournal.com]

Unlike Bud, this story improves as it ages.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

That is a great story. The original video is interesting too - though bizarrely I think it is improved by the addition of Budweiser!

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

That is really cool -- I'd seen the remix (and loved it) but I didn't know Bud had given up the rights to it. Unusual, and very very nice. Props to Charles for making sure he rented it only!

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

That Waasup commercial was annoying as anything, but it was kind of iconic - a fad, if you will - and the fact that it really did come out 8 years ago when Captain CooCooBananas took office makes the remix that much more effective.

[serendu.livejournal.com]

Ah ha! *cackles madly* Genius. That story made my day.

[mbumby.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the links and the story. Priceless.