Sound Of The Summer
July 28, 2008
The Chairmen of the Board
What?: It’s the hottest day of the year here in the UK today (apparently), and we can certainly feel it. Staring out of the window from BBF Towers at the clear blue sky, our minds (and hearts) instinctively turn to the beach.
Next week, Europe’s largest Surf & Skate music festival – Rip Curl Boardmasters – touches down in the UK. Read more
Dell saves you a spot in the sun
July 28, 2008
What?: Visitors to parks and beaches across the US over the weekend found themselves collectively staring at 15,000 giant towels. However, this wasn’t early-morning tourists stealing the best spot; this was a marketing effort from Dell to promote its Summer Rocks Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes will offer up 10 pairs of tickets to the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Dell’s hometown - one of six music festivals that are part of the Dell Summer Rocks Tour.
http://www.delllounge.com/summerrocks/
Business class crowd surfing
July 28, 2008
What?: A new ad for Renualt Megane in Brazil invites you to leap from the humdrum stage of you work life and be carried on the crest of a crowd surfing wave to your car. All to the tune of a pulsating electro beat. “Your five senses prefer a Renault Megane,” states the tagline. Touch and sound certainly, as this ad depicts a subtle integration into the rock star lifestyle – but we’ve been in mosh pits before and we’ll pass on the ‘smell’ aspect, thanks.
School of hard rocks
July 24, 2008
Breaking free from uniform campaigns
What?: Clothing retailers are having music for breakfast:
Lenny Kravitz, Avril Lavigne, Plain White T’s, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Vanessa Carlton, and Hayden Panettiere are all to promote Kohl’s back-to-school clothing campaign which kicked off on 20th July. A Facebook competition offering $10,000, concert tickets, $1,000 in Kohl’s gift cards Read more
In the army now
July 24, 2008
Be a national Guitar Hero
What?: The US Army National Guard is rolling out its Rock Star Hero Challenge recruitment tour bus at various music festivals and other outdoor events in a bid to sign up new recruits.
The bus has been fitted with 52” touch-screen displays that allow potential recruits to participate in virtual missions and guitar-based videogames. Visitors will be encouraged to pose in front of eight different ‘green screen’ images of rock bands (that they can download via the web). Read more
Flat pack music
July 24, 2008
Ikea dances out of the closet
What?: Forsman & Bodenfors has created a quirky new Ikea campaign in Sweden to promote the ubiquitous furniture retailer. The new website (translated as ‘In The Wardrobe’) utilises stop-motion video footage of a number of eccentric characters in a number of different furnished Ikea room settings. Read more
Pedal to the metal
July 24, 2008
Karaoke in the back seat
What?: JVC Mobile Entertainment is partnering with Spin magazine (and video upload site Streetfire.net) on its Carstereoke competition. “You’ve got four wheels, a drivers licence and a voice that’s just screaming to be discovered,” says the accompanying website. Entrants are asked to submit video clips of themselves singing ‘in-car’ in order to win various prizes Read more
You should be dancing
July 24, 2008
How sticky is DanceJam?
What?: DanceJam, a dance-centric social network (founded by early-’90s baggy-trousered icon MC Hammer) is tangoing with promotional campaigns:
DanceJam is teaming up with Janet Jackson to promote and host online auditions for her upcoming reality TV series. Those between 16-22-years-old “who exhibit ‘superior’ talent” in singing and dancing will be vetted by Jackson and choreographer Gil Duldulao. Read more
An Almighty success
July 24, 2008
As we skated around in circles in London at Nokia’s recent Skate Almighty event, the people of Manchester get to polish off their boots this weekend. The free roller disco event perfectly melds fashion, music, and sport – putting the consumer right at the heart of the action. Plus, it has one of the most effective campaign takeaway messages around – it is simply great fun.
http://skatealmighty.nokia.co.uk
Baby it’s cold outside
July 24, 2008
It’s Ben and Jerry’s Sundae On The Common this weekend in Clapham, London, with bands like Ash and The Lemonheads performing. Showing just how integrated it is with music, Elton John is even getting a Ben & Jerry ice cream made in his honour. You can win one of five pairs of tickets to Sunday’s event; simply amuse us with your best ice cream/music puns. Send entries to: competitions@brandsbandsfans.com
