Show and tell

Samsung wants you to expose yourself

What?: The Presets and Gabriella Cilmi both currently appear in ad campaigns for the new Samsung F400 handset – which focuses on sharing music; and now so could you. Samsung is partnering with Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo to turn the traditional Battle Of The Band offering on its head. Instead of a recording contract or cash prize, Samsung is running a competition in which four bands can have their music appear in an ad campaign this summer. Bands can upload a 45-second MP3 sample track to the website for a chance to be selected to run in both a radio and an online promotion until the end of July.

Love Revue and King Rat are the first two to be voted in, with another two acts to be picked on 29th June.

So what?: A member of the ‘Samsung team’ posted this competition onto a music recording technology online forum, stating: “Anyone who makes music would be mad to skip this.” However, its terms and conditions (including a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free licence) were soundly torn to shreds. Where was the money for the “starving but fame-hungry bunch”, asked one post. Hats off to Samsung for trying a new approach (to what will be remembered in years to come as The Battle Of The Bands Decade), but is exposure without any substance really a better deal for either artist or brand here?

“It’s the classic ‘design us a new product and win £50’ trap. Not particularly smart, but it saves Samsung some licensing fees.”
Chris Heath, Strategist, FRUKT

www.f400share.com
www.soundonsound.com