Branding 9 to 5

No country for old men

Brands hitch their wagon to country music:

DigitalRodeo.com, the new country music online social network, is teaming up with country star Taylor Swift to promote her forthcoming album. One lucky fan who purchases the $75 limited-edition version of new album, Fearless, will receive a ‘Pink Ticket’ inside. In true Charlie & The Chocolate Factory spirit, they will win the ‘ultimate fan’ experience. The prize includes both flights and hotel to a Taylor Swift concert, an autographed guitar, a meet-and-greet with Taylor, and a tour of her bus at the concert.

Chocolate brand Milky Way celebrated its 85th anniversary by taking the Great American Country Tour Bus on a 27,000-mile trek across 25 states, bringing Country Karaoke and product sampling to music festivals across the US.

Recordings by country group Little Big Town are to be used exclusively by Red Roof motels in a major country music campaign with an estimated budget of $4M. The songs will feature when customers ask for wake-up calls or are placed on hold.

Banquet Select Recipes has signed up Grammy award-winning country legend Lee Ann Womack to be the face of its new So Good For So Little campaign. She will promote its line of value-priced ($1.50) and health-oriented frozen dinners.

So what?: Country music is rapidly rivaling the stalwarts of brand integration, the hip-hop community, in terms of sheer volume of product alignments and marketing tenacity.

Deals with Ford and being co-owner of the I Love This Bar & Grill chain of restaurants helped to push country artist Toby Keith to the top of Forbes’ country rich list – netting $47M in 2007. Tim McGraw (coming in third with $27M) offered up limited-edition Tim McGraw Spicy Jalapeño Fritos, with the company sponsoring his entire tour whilst he appeared in commercials for the brand. He also released his own Coty Beauty branded fragrance in August. Taylor Swift (aside from her Willie Wonka sideline) is also getting her own doll range and currently endorses Gillette’s Venus range of razors.

So, why the rise in brand interest? Firstly, country music’s reach is fairly impressive, with around 55% of women and 45% of men in the US being avid country music listeners (so reports the Country Music Association). Secondly, there is the suggestion that Americans, amid economic and presidential uncertainty, are looking backwards to simpler, more authentic times – with country music, more than ever before, standing for ‘All American’ values.

“Country music is the soul behind America’s modern history. It has become both reflective and progressive, and is now one of the few genres that is – thanks to the likes of Swift – increasingly age-agnostic. It’s time to stand by your brand.”
Giles Fitzgerald, Editor, BBF

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