THENEWRATPACK - Strategy

“He loved that we we
Nicely played
Nothing says 'look at me' like free CDs
By Terry Poulton
CD cover painting by Kelly Haigh
Exemplifying the imaginative, multi-featured path it’s now possible – and
imperative – for media to pursue, Exclaim! magazine, CBC Radio 3, Mint
Records, HMV, Puma and Mazda are teaming up in an exceptionally
sticky, youth-oriented initiative whose end result will be a concert tour
and free CD giveaway.
The kickoff concept was an anniversary celebration for Exclaim!, the
Toronto music publication that’s been promoting new music to Canadian
fans with concert tours since 1991. “Past sponsors have included Jeep and
Levi’s,” says publisher Ian Danzig. “And this year we once again brought
together organizations which are looking to target our readership.”
The magazine buddied up with Vancouver-based label Mint Records
for an Oct. 9-22 concert tour dubbed the “Exclaim! Mint Road Show”
featuring Mint label artists The New Pornographers, Immaculate Machine
and Novillero. Mazda then came on board with the “Mazda Start Up Band
Search,” an interactive microsite where bands can upload their music and
fans can choose their favourites. Based on the results, three bands will be
selected for opening slots at the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver shows.
Puma will outfit the bands and provide incentive items throughout the
tour at the merchandise table.
While the tour is in progress, HMV will provide promotional signage
highlighting the star bands, plus tour-related listening posts at all of its
113 retail outlets across Canada – giving away (for free!) 3,000 copies of
the Mint/CBC CD.
CBC went all out, contributing 15 tracks of exclusive sessions they
recorded with Mint artists in their Vancouver studios, including the bands
on the upcoming tour. The resulting CD packaging promos the Exclaim!
Mint Road Show tour and CBC Radio 3 will promote the tour through its
podcast, terrestrial radio and Sirius satellite radio programs, plus have
some of its personalities do the MCing. CBC will also be giving away
Sirius satellite radios at each of the shows as well as providing them to
the performers in a serious co-seeding effort.
10 STRATEGY September 2006
Quick thinking
It’s not who you think it is.
A recent print execution for Kronenbourg by Montrealbased
agency Amen features a shot of what looks like French
football star Zinédine Zidane cooling his head with a bottle
of Kronenbourg beer, presumably sore from dishing out an
angry head butt.
When Amen CD Nicolas Massey saw the now-famous World
Cup head-butting moment, he saw an opportunity to leverage
some of the buzz. The Monday after the incident, he told
his art director, Carl Robichaud, that he wanted to shoot
an ad with a Zidane lookalike. They found one in their offi ce
building, took him to the building’s parking garage and did
the photo shoot that same day.
With a unique camera angle and a little Photoshopping
(they had to add Zidane’s signature v-shaped receding
hairline), voila,
the ad was done,
all within the
span of a few
hours. It’s very
simple, with
small, minimal
copy that
says: “Cool off.
Kronenbourg,
premium
French beer.”
Massey sent
the ad to his
unsuspecting
client,
Kronenbourg
Canada brand
manager Pierre Deblême, who was thrilled about the surprise
ad. “He loved that we were opportunistic, and didn’t wait for
his approval,” says Massey. “We wanted to do this as quickly
as possible.”
The ad ran a few days later in two Montreal alt-weeklies,
Mirror (in English) and Voir (in French). AB
www.strategymag.com