MUSIC INDUSTRY BLOG

International advertising powerhouse, Ogilvy & Mather, produced a high-octane media campaign for the Crystal Lite powdered soft drink brand by Krafts Foods.  Yet another example of consumer brands converging with music sensations to compete and differentiate in the marketplace, Kraft has aligned itself with Grammy Award winning artist, Estelle, for the pre-release and distribution of her song, “Star”.  The US campaign was launched in tandem with the Grammy Awards Ceremony last month and drew traffic to the co-venture landing page by offering a free download of “Star” prior to its release in stores this month.  Estelle fans divulged their email addresses in exchange for site access and a free and exclusive download of the song.

Associating brands with entertainment media and music celebrity is tried and tested territory for corporations such as VW, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Apple, and other leading giants of cool.  However, the phenomenon appears to be spreading to more conservative brands attempting to revitalize their message and acquire a new audience base, both to listen and to buy.

In 2006, Volks Wagon jumped on the, uh, wagon as yet another global brand tapping into the appetites of millions of people who simply want to rock.  The German car manufacturer teamed up with First Act, a musical instrument manufacturer that made millions selling cheap guitars for kids at Wal-Marts, to offer one of their guitar models, the “GarageMaster”, with a VW purchase in the US.  Apparently, the axe plugs into the VW dashboard… so you can practice your scales while cruising along the PCH.  The high-octane partnership fueled a series of ads featuring guitar heroes, Slash, John Mayer, and Christopher Guest (Spinal Tap?).  What wonderful branding on both ends…  Visiting the First Act website, you’ll notice that the “lifestyle music brand” is now working with Converse and branded their latest guitar line accordingly.  Also, a deal was announced in October 2008 for a custom Adam Levine (Maroon 5) signature series, the “222”, which was first introduced during a performance on Saturday Night Live.  The company has positioned itself like no other instrument manufacturer and will undoubtedly continue to impress through creative partnerships with enduring brands and celebrities.