Free range

In MySpace everyone can hear you stream

MySpace Music (which launched last week) sees the introduction of four major brand sponsors of free music – McDonald’s, Sony Pictures, State Farm, and Toyota. The new venture will enable unlimited ad-supported, full-length audio streaming, letting users create playlists for both personal and public consumption. It has the backing of the major labels and publishers as well as a number of independents.

Toyota Tuesdays will see the car brand offering up free music downloads. McDonald’s will appear on MySpace Music’s personal music player, also giving away a selection of free music downloads. Sony Pictures is to brand users’ profile playlists with promotional skins for an upcoming movie, whilst State Farm will utilise rotational ads across Featured Playlists on the new site.

So what?: MySpace’s re-charged music vehicle is aiming for pole position – with brands very much in the driving seat. Toyata Tuesdays apes mobile operator Orange’s Orange Wednesdays film offering with its day-specific venture, and the others offer equally hard-hitting integration here. With brands falling over each other, eager to deliver exclusive cost-free music options into the hands of their consumers, extracting real ‘value’ becomes key to satisfaction for both parties.

“As the world’s first free mobile network for 16-24-year-olds, nobody else out there understands the pull of ‘free’ better than Blyk. Our business model is built upon it and we have extended this into our music offering for members. It’s encouraging to see brands like MySpace developing the idea; it can only be of benefit to brands who want to provide the right environment for building long-term relationships with young people.”
Dean Merrion, Director, Member Sales & Marketing, Blyk

www.myspace.com