Warner Music promotes artists via SendMe
July 17, 2008
SendMe send-off
Warner Music Group has tapped SendMe Mobile to let fans connect with their favorite artists directly, via multiple platforms.
WMG’s artists’ content and promotions will run on SendMe’s mobile media brands such as http://www.SendMeMobile.com, and its mobile sweepstakes site http://www.SoLow.com. As part of the agreement, WMG will distribute artist ringtones, video ringers and wallpaper images across SendMe’s media properties.
“We run a portfolio of interconnected off deck brands and the faster part of the portfolio is Solow mobile sweepstakes and our mobile social network SendMe,” said Russell Klein, cofounder/CEO of SendMe, San Francisco.
“WMG is very selective in terms of offering content and what I think was appealing to them is the demographic they get with partnering with us,” he said. “SendMe is not just another place to sell.
“It provides our partners a nice balance between adding content to our catalog and be able to use solo as a branding awareness platform to generate sizzle for the artist.”
In coming months, WMG and SendMe will debut a series of additional mobile products available exclusively on SendMeMobile.com and SoLow.com.
WMG and SendMe will work together to further engage fans with their favorite WMG artists by offering artist-related experiential prizes and content on SoLow.com, SendMe's mobile game and contest site where the lowest unique guess wins.
Fans can text the word GAMES to 23687 for a list of sweepstakes and their key words and them text-to-play a game.
Winners receive one-of-a-kind artist giveaways, some of which will include opportunities to meet and hang out with today's hottest artists.
WMG promotions will be embedded in the games.
“The problem with an ad network is that users in this core demographic are tuning out to traditional ads,” Mr. Klein said. “Solo provides a platform for promotions and embeds ads right into the game. Additionally, any text communication will have some sort of WMG promotion in it.”
WMG is targeting kids in their teens and twenties, who are avid texters and mobile users.
SendMe announced a similar deal with Universal Music Group.
“I would not call it advertising,” Mr. Klein said. “It’s more like branded promotions.
"Giving our members access to WMG artists marks a milestone in our efforts to deliver the best and broadest catalog of premium content in the market,” he said. “We are thrilled to work with WMG to not only deliver this content, but also deliver integrated mobile media programs that will allow music fans to experience their favorite WMG artists in entirely new ways.”