The first official Levi?s/Fader Fort application for iPhone and Android has launched just in time for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2010 with the goal of engaging both festival attendees and trendsetting music fans who wish they could be there. 

The Levi?s jeans brand and the Fader Media Network have returned to Austin, TX, for the ninth consecutive year hosting the Levi?s/Fader Fort, a festival event showcasing new musical talent. Music lovers can check out the Levi?s/Fader Fort concert schedule, up-to-date SXSW news and stream music using the free application for Android-based phones, the iPhone and iPod touch.

?This is the first app that the Fader has ever touched,? said Andy Cohn, vice president and group publisher of Fader Media, New York. ?The app is cobranded with the Levi?s/Fader logo throughout, which reflects the design of the blog we?re launching.

?The whole thing is a cobranded effort?it?s not the Fader Fort and Levi?s is the sponsor?we?ve built it together over the years,? he said. ?We want the Fort to live year-round, and we have two major tent-pole activations for the Fort?in addition to South by Southwest, we also do it at the CMJ music festival in New York.

?The app for us is a way to give people a resource to use in Austin, with music preloaded to check out from bands that are going to be playing, a map of the Fort, links to the different partners and video from past Fort activations.?

Since their invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, Levi?s claims that its jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world.

Levi?s and the Fader?s goal is to find the people who are shaping the direction of music, art and culture, no matter who they are or where they live. The Levi?s/Fader Fort is an annual opportunity to bring the fruits of this search directly to the most passionate music lovers nationwide.

The Fader Media Network consists of music and lifestyle-focused properties that speak to a combined audience of 1.8 million influential young adults and generates 3 million-plus impressions monthly.

The Fader Media Network includes The Fader magazine, TheFader.com, Fader Films, Fader Label, TheTripwire.com, Suite903.com, 1200squad.com, XLR8R magazine, XLR8R.com, EastVillageRadio.com, Insound.com, the Cornerstone Mixtape and the Cornerstone Player.

SXSW app
To download the new Levi?s/Fader Fort mobile application, consumers can visit http://mobileroadie.com/apps/The-Fort, the App Store or Android Market.

When users download the application, they are asked to sign up for the Levi?s/Fader Fort mailing list to get exclusive updates by entering their name, email address, date of birth, sex and postal code.

The application features a schedule of music performances, news, including a tweet-aggregation portal, and free music tracks.

The application's other sections include Links, Fan Wall, Artists, Videos, Photos, Useful Info, History, Mailing List, About and Accounts.

In addition, there are links to Levi?s store, as well as partner links from sponsors such as Budweiser, Southern Comfort, Converse, Pepsi and Hot Topic?s ShockHound.

?There will be links to whatever they?re promoting, for example, Pepsi has a Refresh Music program,? Mr. Cohn said. ?The application is content heavy, with pertinent info in there?it?s basically a survival kit for the Fort, and it will be updated throughout the year with new content.

?The target demographic and psychographic for the app are 21-35-year-old passionate music consumers, influencers and early-adopter types, which dovetails well with the iPhone and Android audiences,? he said.

?We have a very Apple-centric readership, both for our Web site and various properties of the magazine.?

To get the word out, the Fader first leaked news of the application?s launch through the Levi?s/Fader Fort Twitter account and Facebook page, then on http://www.thefader.com, Sweet 903 and Tripwire.com.

There will also be a print ad asking readers to download the application in the next issue of the Fader, which goes out on April 20.

On-site, online, on mobile
Levi?s and the Fader are positioning the mobile application at the center of its multichannel initiative to engage festival attendees and music-loving trendsetters who could not make it to Austin.

This year?s Levi?s/Fader Fort runs from March 17?20 in Austin and will feature bands such as Neon Indian, Dum Dum Girls, A-Trak, The Very Best, Dam-Funk, Sleigh Bells, Yelawolf, The Drums, Bomba Estereo, Best Coast, Free Energy, Washed Out, Salem, Fool?s Gold, Real Estate and other special guests.

In addition to the partnership between Levi?s and the Fader, associate sponsors this year include Converse, Ray Ban, Pepsi, Southern Comfort, ShockHound and Zynga.

Those who cannot make it to Austin this year can still get access to the music, as the Levi?s/Fader Fort performances will be streamed live at http://www.facebook.com/Levis and http://www.levisfaderfort.com for the first time ever. 

A showcase for new music, The Levi?s/Fader Fort has established its presence in Austin as a retreat for festival-goers from morning to night.

This year, in addition to live music, thousands of attendees at the Levi?s/Fader Fort will experience:
-       Local food carts from The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que and Hey Cupcake
-       Levi?s Pop Shop with customized clothing and screenprints from Hit + Run
-       ?Polite in Public? interactive photo booth experience
-       The Levi?s/Fader Fort Blogger Lounge with computers and Internet access provided by Dell
-       Customized t-shirt and poster installation designed by Edoardo Chavarin, founder of a Mexico-based streetwear clothing company
-       The Levi?s 501 Happy Hour at 5:01 each day featuring special guests and prizes from sponsors.

All purchases made in the Levi?s Pop Shop will go towards the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, which provides access to affordable healthcare for Austin's low-income, uninsured working musicians.

The mobile application will also be promoted on-site at the Fort.

Levi?s and the Fader tapped Mobile Roadie to create the application.

?The strategy behind the launch of the Levi?s/Fader Fort app was to give fans on the go at SXSW a place to see the schedule, view video, share photos and connect with each other,? said Michael Schneider, CEO of Mobile Roadie, Santa Monica, CA. "Making sense of the SXSW madness is always a challenge.

?This app brings together the schedule and fans in one organized place so they can interact with the Levi's/Fader Fort at their leisure and also be notified of big events or changes via push notifications,? he said.