NEW YORK, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Ben Silverman's next generation multimedia studio, Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), and DumbDumb, comedic actors/writers Will Arnett and Jason Bateman's new sponsor-driven advertising and production company, are officially unveiling the fruit of an exclusive partnership with Orbit gum -- a series of original branded digital shorts that continue the popular gum's juxtaposition of humor to clean-up dirty situations.

Yesterday evening at a DumbDumb launch party held at the IAC Building, the first of three branded digital shorts premiered as a highlight of Internet Week New York. The shorts represent the first of multiple deals that DumbDumb has signed since its launch earlier this year.

The first in the series of DumbDumb's Orbit digital shorts are currently available at http://www.youtube.com/orbitdirtyshorts and the full series will begin airing later this month in multiple online destinations.  The content, created, directed and executive produced by Arnett and Bateman with Orbit gum serving as a co-producer, utilizes web production and development expertise from CollegeHumor.com, an operating business of IAC working in partnership with Electus, whose original content creations have been viewed over 300 million times with its viewers watching 100 years worth of video content each month. Electus has an overall first-look deal and international distribution rights on all of DumbDumb's content including television, motion picture and digital. As the creative agency of record on Orbit gum, Energy BBDO (Chicago) provided creative insight into the campaign development.

"Will and I were happy when given the opportunity to partner with Orbit gum and we're enjoying the challenge of taking the brand to the next level with this type of integrated branded content," said Jason Bateman. "Starting with such a well respected brand for our first creative endeavor with DumbDumb is a rare gift -- one we've already enjoyed unwrapping and now hope to chew on for years to come. Puns are not our long suit, but we really felt like this one popped."

"It is an honor to be the first brand to partner with, develop and distribute this original digital content with DumbDumb as part of Internet Week New York," said Paul Chibe, Wrigley's Vice President and General Manager U.S. Gum and Mints. "Will & Jason are incredibly talented and working with Ben Silverman and the Electus team has offered the inherent ability to explore the appropriate areas of comedy for this project that not only entertain but that also leverage Orbit's long-standing use of humor to deliver the brand's 'for a good clean feeling no matter what' positioning."

To create this Orbit branded digital content, Arnett and Bateman engaged the highest-quality talent including fellow actors Jeffrey Tambor, Rachel Harris and members of the notable comedy troupe Upright Citizen's Brigade who lend their own perspective to the creative and elevate the caliber of programming to a level in which Orbit fans will look to share the content with their social networks.

"Major brands recognize that the media landscape is changing quickly and that their success relies a great deal on their ability to expand well beyond traditional advertising," said Drew Buckley, COO of Electus. "Orbit is a category changing brand on the forefront of this digital evolution and we are thrilled that they are among the first to join forces with DumbDumb whose content will allow audiences to view their brand in a fresh and compelling new way."

About DumbDumb

DumbDumb is a new sponsor-driven comedy enterprise led by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman in partnership with Electus, Ben Silverman's multimedia entertainment studio, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI). The twosome will create, produce and star in branded, short and long form programming for all platforms that match not only a brand's personality and marketing objectives but Arnett and Bateman's well-known comedic tone. For the new endeavor, DumbDumb will utilize web production, development, and marketing expertise from CollegeHumor.com, whose original content creations have been viewed over 300 million times. 

About Electus

Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman, in partnership with IAC, the studio connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation.

About IAC

IAC operates more than 50 leading and diversified Internet businesses across 30 countries... our mission is to harness the power of interactivity to make daily life easier and more productive for people all over the world. To view a full list of the companies of IAC please visit our website at www.iac.com.

About Wrigley

The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate.  The Company has operations in more than 40 countries and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries.  Three of these brands – Wrigley's Spearmint®, Juicy Fruit®, and Altoids® – have heritages stretching back more than a century.  Other well-loved brands include Doublemint®, Life Savers®, Skittles®, Big Red®, Boomer®, Pim Pom®, Winterfresh®, Extra®, Starburst®, Freedent®, Hubba Bubba®, Orbit®, Excel®, Creme Savers®, Eclipse®, Airwaves®, Solano®, Sugus®, Lockets®, P.K.®, Cool Air® and 5™.  Wrigley is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, based in McLean, Virginia.  Mars is a $30-billion, family-owned company that produces some of the world's leading confectionery, food and petcare products and has growing beverage and health & nutrition businesses.

SOURCE Electus