brand-m

Converse rolls out Three Artists campaign in Korea

brand-m — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:15 +0000

Converse is rolling out its Three Artists One Song campaign for the first time in Asia in Korea, with local indie rockers Jaurim, hip-hop band Aziatix and electronic trio Idiotape onboard. The brand has tasked the trio of artists with joining forces to create an original song.

The resulting track and music video will be released this month and available for free to music and brand fans at ConverseKorea.com.

“As Three Artists, One Song continues to champion artistic creativity globally, we couldn’t be more excited to extend this platform to the Asian market,” says Geoff Cottrill, chief marketing officer at Converse. “Korea is a leading force in music and we’re stoked to bring such a diverse group of artists together for music fans around the globe.”

Spotify live with the DJs

brand-m — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:30:56 +0000

Swedish House Mafia’s Sebastian Ingrosso and DJ Alesso have partnered with Spotify and Soundrop to slot the first interactive live DJ set into the music streaming service. The DJs will play some of their favourite tracks inside the Soundrop app, among them the single Calling (Lose My Mind), which is slated for UK release on 27 May. Listeners can then vote within the app to sort out which music will be played next. The DJs will also use the app to chat directly to fans as the Spotify party gets going on 1 June. Sign-up is on Facebook.

Powering Olympics music

brand-m — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:15:19 +0000

Duracell has launched an original song, Champions, by artists O.A.R. and B.o.B. as part of its Rely On Copper To Go For The Gold Olympics campaign. The track is available for download on the brand’s Facebook page where there’s also the official music video with O.A.R. and B.o.B. along with Duracell’s partner athletes – Dwight Howard Hunter Kemper Diana Lopez and Mark Lopez.

“For me, Champions expresses the passion of these athletes,” says Bo.B. “It’s about being faced with obstacles that seem impossible to conquer and then going into beast mode. It’s about digging deep and no matter what the circumstance, finding the power from within.”

Duracell aims to provide a portal for consumers to encourage the athletes as they train for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the brand says music is a key component of their lives.

“Whether in MP3 players, wireless headphones or docking stations, batteries power the music that motivates and inspires these athletes,” said Volker Kuhn, general manager for Duracell North America. “We thought if we could not only power their music devices, but also create a song for them that would hopefully inspire their road to London, then that would be the ultimate gift.”

Duracell has also opened the Duracell Virtual Stadium on Facebook, inviting consumers to help power Team USA by submitting their messages of support.

Toying with Kiss

brand-m — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:10:32 +0000

Rockers Kiss have cut a deal with construction toy company K’NEX – brokered by Live Nation Merchandise – for the production of buildable toys based on the band. Each figure will feature the black and white make-up, hairstyle and platform boots of one of the band members. Sets include all four Kiss musicians and their instruments, with the packaging also doubling as a stage.

“We are stoked to be able to bring The Demon, Starchild, Spaceman and The Cat to life in a new way,” says Michael Araten, president of K’NEX.

Cracking the YouTube cover

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:04:13 +0000

The most popular cover song ever posted on YouTube? That would be Walk Off The Earth’s Somebody That I Used To Know, a cover of the Gotye ft Kimbra hit, which has just passed the 100 million-view mark (and is quickly heading towards 110 million). The video features all five band members playing one guitar (at the same time).

It’s a snap for Abbey Road Beatles

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:39:23 +0000

A photograph of The Beatles walking over the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing will go on sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in London next week. Not that photo, but a rare one of them walking in the other direction. Photographer Iain MacMillan was given 10 minutes to complete the shoot and took seven shots in total – the one up for sale is the second in the series. Estimated price at auction? £7000 to £9000.

Britain’s Got Talent plugs into Shazam app

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:12:32 +0000

Some 50,000 UK viewers used the Shazam app to tag the Pepsi Max and Cadbury ads in just 60 seconds of TV airtime during ad breaks in Saturday’s Britain’s Got Talent final, Shazam reports.

Users were able to enter contests to win summer music festivals from Pepsi Max and an Olympic Ceremony package from Cadbury. The Pepsi Max Crowd Surfing ad also featured the chance to get other prizes, free screen savers, merchandise and a link to download the Calvin Harris track Let’s Go, the ad’s official soundtrack.

“We make it simple for brands to amplify their message and deepen engagement by turning 30 seconds of television into 3 minutes of interaction,” says Andrew Fisher, Shazam CEO.

God save the Anti-Jubilee Punk Party

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:15:22 +0000

Get ready for next month’s Anti-Jubilee Punk Party in London, hosted by Sailor Jerry rum and music magazine Clash. The nation has been handed a right royal day off on 3 June to mark the queen’s 60 years on the British throne, and appropriate Anti-Jubilee music festivities will take place in London at Sailor Jerry’s recently opened Charing Cross Street venue Hotel Street.

Clash will present a cross-section of ‘insurrectionary talent’ from the past and present, thuogh the mag is currently keeping quiet about the full line- up (the headline act will be revealed soon). We do know there will a punk DJ set from Clash Magazine vinyl artists.

Sailor Jerry opened Hotel Street – the name comes from Honululu’s Chinatown where Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins made a name as tattooist – last month, with the location acting as a shop and gallery during the day, before morphing into a dive bar in evening.

Hacking at the fest

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:10:46 +0000

The Music Tech Fest has opened in London and features the entire music technology ecosystem under one roof (at Ravensbourne College on the Greenwich Peninsula). That means major music industry players and media, music tech start-ups and apps creators, developers, artists, performers, creatives and hackers.

Music Tech Fest highlights include an overnight Music Hack Camp, where the aforementioned hackers will find new uses for old music technology, plus an interview for Wired Magazine streamed live on the web.

Pokket DJ plugged

brand-m — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:47 +0000

We bring you the Pocket Mixer. What is it? It’s a portable mini mixer from Pokket Mixer for DJs. It connects to all devices with headphone output and allows users to control volume, treble, mids and bass. Comes in grape and other tones.