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Will brand sponsorship bring back music videos?

For most bands in the slumping music industry, the day of big budget videos is a luxury of the past. But last week undisputed kings of the viral music video, OK GO, found a new avenue to make their art a reality: corporate sponsorship.

The band’s clip for “This Too Shall Pass,” which features a mind blowing two story Rube Goldberg contraption, was bank rolled by none other than State Farm Insurance. In a brilliant move, the band also arranged the deal so that State Farm paid for the right to make the YouTube clip embeddable anywhere on the web. The band’s singer Damian Kulash recently wrote a piece for The New York Times questioning EMI’s decision not to allow embedding of YouTube videos and State Farm graciously presented a work around solution.

This is the first example of prominent corporate sponsorship of a major music video that we know of and State Farm’s bet has paid off handsomely– the clip received close to a million views a day in the first week of launch. The video includes a toy car with the State Farm logo as well as a State Farm teddy bear and a closing thank you to the brand for making the video possible.
The deal was put together by the band’s label Capitol, which still maintains ownership of the video. I spoke to the band’s guitarist Andy Ross, who says their experience with State Farm was great. ”They paid for the video without getting in the way,” says Ross. “They had minimal requirements.”

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Coca-Cola and Maroon 5 Set to Make Music History with the "Coca-Cola Music" 24hr Session

On March 22 live from London, Coca-Cola and Maroon 5 are bringing fans from around the world together for an unforgettable moment.
Coca-Cola has recruited US pop group Maroon 5 to write a song for the brand, based on fan-sourced material from a 24-hour streamed event. Fans will be able to watch the band in the recording studio and contribute to the creative inspiration to lyrics, riffs and rhythms for the new song via the site coca-cola.com/music on 22 march.
Followers can also participate through the Coca-Cola Facebook page and Coca-Cola Twitter feed.

Converse & 100 Club

London's 100 Club has been saved from closure after its owner struck a deal with the Converse shoe company.

The iconic venue had been threatened with closure due to rent increases. Musicians including Paul McCartney, Liam Gallagher and Mick Jagger came out in support of keeping it open.

Now owner Jeff Horton has revealed that Converse are set to sponsor the venue – although he told XFM that this would not mean the venue would be dominated by logos and other corporate presence.

He said the company "wanted to give us a hand".

Converse released a statement saying: "Converse and the 100 Club both share a love for music and this partnership is a great opportunity to reunite the 100 Club with a generation who experienced history inside its walls, as well as introduce it to a new generation with a vow to bring the best in music to its legendary stage."

Sex Pistols, The Libertines, The Clash, Gallows and The Specials are among the acts who have played at the Oxford Street club.

See The100club.co.uk

BodyTrain with Kimberley Walsh and PUMA!

Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh has partnered with sports brand PUMA to front a new campaign by the company.
The pop beauty will endorse the brand's new fitness and toning trainer BodyTrain, which will be available from January 1st, 2011.
The shoes are designed to help tone, shape and give a beautiful derriere. We think they chose very well indeed, Kimberley has one of our favourite, shapely celeb bums! And doesn't she look as pretty as a picture in the....well, pictures.

In a statement, Kimberley says of the venture: "I am really excited to be involved in the launch of BodyTrain.
"With such a busy lifestyle I often don’t have time to go to the gym and so this is the perfect way to do something positive for my body."

Vauxhall's new pop act!

Katie Melua has been named as Vauxhall's new "brand ambassador" as the car firm intends to inject a little celebrity stardust into its range.

The partnership was announced this week, as Vauxhall and Opel revealed that they were headline sponsors for the songwriter's European concert tour in spring 2011.
"We are thrilled to be working with Katie," said Peter Hope, Vauxhall's Marketing Director. "Vauxhall is all about being British, forward thinking and energetic and we think Katie embodies these values perfectly. In addition, we are passionate about consistent environmental awareness and social responsibility; as a subject very close to Katie's heart, it only makes the partnership more fitting."

Katie Melua follows in the footsteps of many other celebrities who have endorsed Vauxhall, including Boyzone's Shane Lynch, actors Ross Kemp and Bradley Walsh, model Jennifer Ellison, actress Amanda Holden, cricketer Angus Frazer and comedian Griff Rhys Jones to name but a few.
"I like the way Vauxhall addresses topics like environmental efficiency and sustainability," said Melua. "I feel very comfortable with the partnership; it's a great fit."

Thomas Sabo snaps up Katy Perry!

German jewellery brand Thomas Sabo has secured Katy Perry as its first brand ambassador.

In addition to appearing in the brand's forthcoming Pop Now advertisements,Perry will also wear Thomas Sabo jewellery exclusively at her concerts and press appearances.
"Katy is a match made in heaven for us," said the brand in a statement. "In terms of her personality and charisma, she is absolutely the perfect complement to our brand, so much so that we just couldn't imagine a better partner."

In return, Perry said she was excited to make things "pop" for Thomas Sabo. "I'm such a fan of all things cute and collectable – I like the Charm Club the best because I get to make it my own."

The new Thomas Sabo collection for spring/summer 2011 called "Pop Now" is inspired by a wide array of elements such as pop art, popmusic, disco, neon and Andy Warhol. Making Perry the perfect fit for the brand. The 26 year old singer has previously spoken of her love of "quirky jewellery", with her favourite piece given to her by husband Russell Brand.
"It's a Hindu hand of peace. But they're not beads, they are black diamonds. He gave me black diamonds on our very first date."

Rumours also sparking that Katy Perry is set to be the new face of GHD, starting with campaigns next month and becoming a second-tier sponsor of the upcoming ‘I kissed a girl’ tour that is set to start in March!