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Honda gets extra mileage from videos, downloads
10/14/2007 11:00 PM, Reuters
Honda is launching a promotional
campaign that will tie its Civic model to dozens of songs and
music videos being released during the fourth quarter by Sony BMG.
Starting this week, the auto maker will sponsor the online
release of songs and videos from such acts as Avril Lavigne,
Christina Aguilera, Dido, Alicia Keys, the Fray and others, by
way of a media player that will feature exclusive Honda
branding, original 15-second pre-roll ads and interactive
buttons directing viewers and listeners to the Honda Web site.
Sony BMG is distributing the branded media player to a
network of hundreds of Web sites, including those created by or
for many of the artists on its roster, related record labels
and numerous fan-based sites. The Sony BMG content is also
downloadable to a host of social networking sites and blogs.
The campaign marks the first time that Sony BMG has sold an
ad package encompassing all of its new music video releases to
a single sponsor via its year-old Web site, Sony BMG Music Box.
Neither the client nor Sony would discuss pricing, but sources
say Honda is paying between $500,000 and $1 million for the
new-release sponsorship.
"Being associated with new music just released is very
exciting to us," says Jenny Howell, manager of interactive
marketing at Torrance, Calif.-based American Honda Co. "It
helps create the impression that Honda is cutting edge and on
the forefront with our youth target." The core demographic for
the Civic is adults aged 18-34.
The tie-in with Sony BMG is part of Honda's broader ad
campaign to promote the 2008 Civic models, which are just
hitting showrooms now. The music video campaign specifically
promotes the high-performance Civic SI series.
The Music Box service releases new songs and videos every
Tuesday. Starting October 8 and continuing throughout the
fourth quarter, Honda will select the titles it wants to be
associated with the Civic brand. For the most part, those
titles will fall within the pop/rock genre.
"We're not going to do any opera," Howell jokes when asked
about parameters. Also excluded: songs with lyrics that might
run afoul of FCC decency guidelines.
Reuters/Billboard
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