Behind the Music
At VH1, star-studded events have promotional partners singing.
Evidently aware that consumers are getting overloaded by awards shows, VH1 late last month staged the first My VH1 Music Awards, an event billed as an event for the fans, by the fans.
The show itself was the culmination of a two-month Web marketing effort through which viewers voted on every possible aspect of the event including nominees and winners. Even the categories were consumer-devised, which is how awards for “Your Song Kicked Ass But Was Played Too Damn Much” and “Best Booty Shake” ended up on the program.
It was the first time a major awards show has been put totally into consumer hands, although many a People’s Choice-style shindig lets the public pick the winners. The move allowed VH1 marketers to sit back and let the audience sculpt the event. Voting was allowed until minutes before the show aired live on Nov. 30. More than one million votes had been cast by early November.
The Internet also played a role during the show, giving vh1.com visitors access to real-time photos, behind-the-scenes Web-cams, and e-mail Q&A sessions with winners.
The My VH1 Music Awards is the latest addition to an event calendar that has been nurtured cleverly and quickly over the last three years. Fifteen years after its launch, New York City-based VH1 now reaches 73 million active, music-loving cable subscribers aged 18 to 49 with (primarily) mainstream pop-music programming. And like sister network MTV, it reaches those viewers by going beyond music videos.
Events are now cornerstones of the net’s regular broadcast rotation, used to attract and retain viewers, build brand recognition, and give advertisers additional vehicles on which to funnel ad dollars. These events are unique: the star-studded Fairway to Heaven golf tourney, the equally star-studded VH1 Backyard Bar-B-Q, the extremely popular Diva’s Live series, and the VH1/Vogue Fashion awards. “The world of music is always changing,” says VH1 group vp-marketing Mark McIntire. “And we understand the importance of music in a marketing message.”
BMW USA, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, used its sponsorship with the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards to launch its high-priced Z8 model in the New York City area. Diva’s Live sponsor Maybelline, New York City, rolled out a Diva Hits cosmetics line, and commissioned some 25,000 P-O-P displays to support it. Boston Beer Co.’s Samuel Adams brand linked to the summer Rock Across America program with a Grill and Groove sweeps that served winners cold suds and a Stone Temple Pilots concert. (A Webcast supported.) Kia, Irvine, CA, activated its Fairway to Heaven sponsorship with a dealership sweeps on the West Coast.
For My VH1, sponsors generated a buzz both online and offline. Circuit City, Richmond, VA, created in-store music areas devoted to the nominees as part of a fourth-quarter push to publicize expanded music inventory. (The company just pulled appliance sections out of its 911 stores to make room for more music SKUs.) “We’re looking to become more of a music chain,” says media manager Cindy Morgan. “The timing of the event was good for us.”
Fellow sponsor Duracell, Bethel, CT, got in on the action with an on-pack effort inside Circuit City stores. Battery packaging carried a sweeps entry dangling a concert by one of the nominees. Entry forms were also positioned in Circuit City check-out areas.
Torrance, CA-based Toyota used its My VH1 sponsorship to introduce the redesigned Rav4 mini-SUV. The company ran a sweeps on the My VH1 home page that gave consumers a look at the truck and chances to win one of the cars that were on display inside the Shrine Auditorium, the show’s venue. Five winners won trips to the show and car keys; one key started an auto. “We’re trying to be perceived as more than just a car company,” says Todd Ferguson, Toyota’s lifestyle and sports marketing manager. “These events have interesting twists to them.”
Melodic Marketing McIntire calls such aforementioned major events “cornerstones” of VH1’s calendar. But the network also runs a handful of smaller programs advertisers can leverage. For instance, a recent on-air party hyping the 25th anniversary Rocky Horror Picture Show DVD release hooked White Plains, NY-based Heineken as sponsor. The beer maker commissioned 50,000 P-O-P pieces (table tents, posters) and hosted mini-events in bars that included games and themed premium incentives. An on-air sweeps supported with a grand-prize trip to London for a VIP Rocky Horror tour. Ryan Partnership, Westport, CT, handled.
“We’re trying to make the beer more approachable,” says Heineken brand manager Scott Hunter Smith. “VH1 and Heineken go after the same type of people.”
The network is developing new events for 2001 and 2002 and revamping several existing properties. The annual Rock Across America tour, for example, is getting a facelift so sponsors can sample more effectively.
Here’s hoping they don’t cut the “Best Booty Shaker” category.
