Latest Thinking from IEG

Gaming and Alternate Reality Games (ARG) – An Exploration of New Media Sponsorship and Marketing

Gaming is part of our daily lives, not that this is necessarily new information, but when you stop to think about it, it is pretty amazing. Video games have evolved light years, not only in terms of technology, but in their appeal. Following are some statistics from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) from their published “2009 Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry.”

68 percent of American households play computer or video games

35 is the average game player age

60 percent of game players are men

37 percent of heads of households report that they play games on wireless devices such as a cell phone or PDA

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Filed under: branded entertainment, entertainment, new media, olympics, sponsorship measurement, activation

Sponsorship and the Element of Surprise

Two things I saw this week have prompted me to conclude that I would love to see more sponsors utilizing the element of surprise. First is a viral video that has been spreading in the music community of band Bon Iver spontaneously performing an a capella version of a song in a Paris hallway and taking to the city streets to perform as they meander along the sidewalks with fellow passersby (seen here). Second is the concept of flash mobs (more info here) which I’ve been reading up on after some debate about these events resurfaced in the press last week.

The reason these two things are being talked about and gaining buzz is because they are unexpected. You don’t expect to see a professional rock band completely unguarded and accessible, playing on foot for anyone who cares to stop and listen. You also don’t expect to run into 200 people in Grand Central who, without notice, freeze in various positions of daily activity and then return to what they were doing as if nothing ever happened.

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Filed under: entertainment, events, sports, activation

Rolling Rock Teams With Bloodshot Records

In its latest music marketing endeavor, Rolling Rock beer has teamed with insurgent country purveyor Bloodshot Records to sponsor a series of concerts in 10 to 12 markets this summer, IEG SR has learned.

Confirmed markets for the Bloodshot B-B-Qs include Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Brooklyn, N.Y.

In addition to the one-off shows, Rolling Rock will sponsor tours by two Bloodshot acts: Ha Ha Tonka and the Deadstring Brothers.

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Filed under: entertainment, music, agency

IEG Releases Music Sponsorship Projection

North American-based companies will spend $1.08 billion to sponsor music venues, festivals and tours in ’09, a 3.8 percent increase from the $1.04 billion spent in ’08, according to IEG Sponsorship Report, the world’s leading authority on sponsorship.

Most of that growth is driven by new and incremental spending on big-ticket national music festivals and tours, most of which have maintained sponsorship momentum in spite of the economy. You can read the full release here.

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Filed under: IEG, music, entertainment

Civic Tour Out, Music Fests in for Honda

We hear American Honda will announce new sponsorships tomorrow morning.

Specifically, Honda will be replacing its long-running Civic Tour, in which it backed a summer concert tour of a notable band, with ties to the Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits festivals scheduled for August and October, respectively. Honda’s “eco-partner status” will include integrated green activities, hybrid vehicle displays and the giveaway of a 2010 Insight at each event.

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Filed under: entertainment, music, automotive

What Are Consumers Telling Us?

Those of you who subscribe to IEG Sponsorship Report have seen the March 30 issue’s In Depth article, which takes a look at the Performance Research consumer study I mentioned in a blog post last week.

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Filed under: cause marketing, entertainment, nonprofit, research, sports, arts

Insights from Adam Weber, The Procter & Gamble Co., and David Caruso, ACME Brand Content Co.

Talk about breathing some new life into a struggling brand.

Looking to rejuvenate Tag body spray, P&G teamed up with Island Def Jam Music Group to create Tag Records.

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Filed under: entertainment, IEG conference, music, new media, digital media