05/17/2008 06:59:53 AM 
(1) 
(1) Here are a couple of interesting recent examples.
Bacardi Signs Groove Armada
Back in March, Bacardi signed GA when their contract with their record company expired. The band will record music for the brand and play at a number of live events.
Ikea as Game Software
If people are spending more time on computers screens, than TV screens brands need to find a way to be there. Here's an appropriate solution from Ikea.
The idea that brands are media is an obvious one, the challenge is how to do this in a powerful and interesting way.
Thinking about the variety of different content you can create is an obvious place to start. If that content can add value and provide interest for consumers like for Ikea in the gaming situation it makes sense.
In the case of Bacardi, it's a little different, here the brand is playing the role of talent curator by using external content. This model has a ton of risk associated with it because brands aren't experts in talent spotting. For many branding experts, the Bacardi:GA deal is interesting because its new, but one has to question the relevance of the band for the brand's leading edge drinkers. Thinking about these type of deals in the future it might be smart for brands to look at two angles.
1. Gaining access to the major talent on an exclusive basis
2. Using the talent to work as curators and future talent spotters- For example, Bacardi could set up a small label for GA and encourage them to find new and emerging talent. Doing that would ensure a stream of fresh talent for the brand to use.
We are at the early stages of a big shift away from expected traditional media solutions and moving into a new era where anything is possible. We are likely to see more interesting announcements as brands take on more media-like behaviors.
Posted by Ed Cotton
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Hi Ed, Liked the article on Brands as Media, spending a lot time thinking about that as well right now. Definitely one of the big shifts in marketing, and no one has a clear answer, in part because of the wealth of possibilities. Re: Barcardi and GA, it's worth looking at the examples of Red Bull Records and TAG Records for alternate models. In Red Bull's case, they are swinging for the fences with their own label, to benefit from the credibility and access they'll have to the bands if they succeed. They are bringing in label A&R and talent spotters to staff the venture, but I think they also have some confidence in their own sense of their audience's taste. TAG obviously less so, and so smartly partnered with Def Jam and Jermaine Dupri to handle the talent spotting on their behalf. Separate and less obvious example is the Nike 1/1 (http://www.nike1-1.com) campaign I've been working on at AKQA. The project includes an online gallery, physical-space exhibitions, and ultimately a limited edition shoe and book including all the best work from the submissions. We've partnered with well-known contemporary arts curator SHOWStudio to lend credibility and ensure we approached this in the right way, but at the end of the day it's a Nike-led venture and that gives us flexibility to keep the annual program changing with the times. cheers, Geoff http://www.geoffnorthcott.com/blog/