Rock’em

Branded entertainment in film, TV, music, video gaming, digital and social media, new content integration,production and distribution platforms is a RockandSock’em specialty practice. Hence the “Rock’em” half of our name, and mission to rock your customers, trade partners and competition.  

The following is a sneak peek at just a few of the branded entertainment client projects we’ve created and managed.

WESTERN UNION & WYCLEF JEAN

Role: Led winning pitch team, and managed global branded entertainment agency of record (AOR) account that secured and activated strategic entertainment platforms, events, sponsorships and celebrities for Western Union in the U.S. and key global markets. 

Objectives

  • Increase Q4 money transfer business in North America

  • Engage, motivate, incentivize retail store operators

  • Create, activate North American branding platform (with ability to expand globally) that connects with customers, drives new and repeat business

Strategies, Tactics  & Activation

  • Working with WU executive, marketing, PR and retail store teams, developed and negotiated agreement forging a strategic, multi-platform alliance between WU and multi-platinum, Grammy-winning international recording artist Wyclef Jean. Rationale: Music is the universal language, and Wyclef appealed to and socially connected with WU customer base, globally
  • Planned and managed “Western Union Random Acts of Giving” Times Square store launch, news conference and national publicity effort
  • Announced new Wyclef-signature pre-paid Visa Cards for Christmas Holiday season; Wyclef distributed free $50 gift cards to fans and passersby in Times Square
  • Produced, publicized free Wyclef concert at Nokia Theater for fans, trade customers
  • Created Wyclef concert tour – WU integration activation plan
  • Supported Wyclef’s Yele-Haiti Foundation support, PR announcement and MTV Telethon telecast activation of WU’s donation to help Haitian earthquake victims
  • Planned Wyclef & Paulina Rubio free benefit concerts and Mother’s Day gift card promotions for Marines at Camp Pendleton and Dodgers Stadium fans
  • Drafted, negotiated World Music Awards and Latin Billboard Awards agreements and activation plans

Results  

  • Random Acts of Giving program, Wyclef prepaid Visa Cards and Times Square Nokia Center free concert elements alone resulted in an 18% seasonal increase in the company’s North American money transfer business. 
  • Huge U.S. and international news and broadcast coverage and free promotional radio media exposure of the Times Sq. launch event, “MTV – Hope for Haiti” telethon, etc.
  • Set stage for ongoing Western Union – world music global marketing platform that engaged, incentivized and motivated WU employees, store retailers and fans via free concert tickets, private performances, music downloads, awards show tickets, etc.
  • Met WU’s corporate social responsibility objectives while supporting Haiti relief,  U.S. military support and other vital world market charitable causes

FORD FUSION FLASH CONCERTS & SONY DIGITAL

Objectives

  • Increase product awareness, build pre-launch buzz, dealer traffic and sales of  new Ford Fusion
  • Increase www.ford.com traffic and www.fusionflashconcerts.com awareness, “insider”  registration, free flash concert fan attendance , news coverage, etc.
  • Build fan base and media coverage for Sony recording artists

Strategies, Tactics & Activation

  • By forging a personal and emotional brand connection with hot music artists and interactive experiences, Ford initiated a fresh and compelling consumer dialogue prior to Fusion’s mass media launch.  Ford Fusion Concerts channeled Fusion target audience passions for music, the Internet, and technology with free “Flash” concerts held in 11 cities across the U.S
  • Worked directly with Sony Digital, Ford marketing and ad agency J. Walter Thompson to secure 11 hot Sony recording artists to perform free, “secret” shows at cool music venues nationwide.  Acts included: Los Lonely Boys, Staind, Fat Joe, Jermaine Dupri, Wallflowers, Collective Soul, Louis XIV, The Roots, Yellowcard, Frankie J, Pete Yorn
  • Established www.fusionflashconcerts.com as an online community giving “insiders” access to exclusive music videos, blogs, podcasts, free downloads, and VIP event access.
  • Managed all national and key market advance publicity and on-site media relations for the national series and 12 key market shows; J. Eckel served as Ford Fusion media spokesman, conducting on-site print, radio and TV interviews;  served as talent management and media liaison; media-trained artists on Ford and Fusion messaging
  • Fans registered on website got e-mailed/text messaged with free show sites and times
  • Website featured tour blogs, podcasts, streaming video, band interviews, contests
  • Ford Fusion vehicle displays on-site, links to Ford and local dealer websites

Results

  • Generated 1,000,000+ registered fusionflashconcerts.com insiders.  Heavy repeat website traffic built fan, Ford Fusion and music artist “relationships” vs. “selling to” fans
  • SRO crowds at all indoor shows.   15,000+ attended Staind show in Boston
  • Over 20% of registrants “opted in” to receive additional info/materials on Ford Fusion
  • Generated 75,000,000+ national and key market lifestyle media impressions (beyond automotive and business consumer and trade media).  News coverage included MTV News, VH-1, Rolling Stone, Vibe, USA Today, “The Menu” on Fox, Fuse, Fuel, BET, Variety, Spin, Hollywood Reporter, “Entertainment Tonight,” etc

LEXUS, JOHN LEGEND & TEAM ONE ADVERTISING

On behalf of Creative Artists Agency client John Legend, we worked with Lexus and ad agency Team one executives to forge and negotiate an endorsements agreement with Grammy Award-winning music artist John Legend to introduce digital sound imaging, found only in the Mark Levinson sound system and exclusively in Lexus vehicles, via TV, radio and print ads.  Also served as liaison with John during production of the TV spots.  Music artists Elvis Costello and Diana Krall also participated in the Lexus campaign.

PROCTER & GAMBLE, OLD SPICE, WILL FERRELL & NEW LINE CINEMA

On behalf of client Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice brand, we worked with Old Spice brand and New Line Cinema studio executives, manager and producer Jimmy Miller, CAA and client Will Ferrell to negotiate and secure Will Ferrell’s participation to shoot a series of TV ad spots as lead character “Jackie Moon” to promote the motion picture Semi Pro and the new Old Spice “Pro Strength” product. P&G contributed to Will’s charity, and supported the movie with in-store POS materials, TV and print ads, and a media buy leading up to the release of the film and home video.   Worked on-set with Will and ad agency Wieden and Kennedy to facilitate the production of a series of TV spots and ad libs that were resulted in some of the most hilarious comedic branded content of all time!  Click on the following link to check out the Wieden ad spots. 

To further tout the film and product at retail point of sale among employees, trade customers and filmgoers, Old Spice distributed the highly-coveted Jackie Moon/Old Spice “louffa” featuring his signature fro whereby fans could soap up with Jackie in the shower.   Shouts of “genius” were heard everywhere and often at POS!