James Delahunty
2 Jun 2007 9:23
Microsoft Corp. will introduce an initiative on Monday to promote emerging music acts across all of its digital services. The service, Ignition, will expose new artists and their music to consumers for a period of one month. Promotion will be done via MSN, Xbox Live and the Zune Marketplace. Maximo Park, a UK band, will be the first participating act.
The first single will be available as a free exclusive download from the Zune Marketplace, while the video will be available free on Xbox Live and can be streamed through the MSN service. Microsoft will provide a custom website dedicated to the band and its activities on the zune.net site and will host online listening parties of the act's current album on MSN Music.
Microsoft is also working with the band to produce custom content including artist-created playlists and "behind-the-album" commentary. "We don't want the same thing that is going out on MTV," Microsoft director of music marketing Christina Calio said. Ignition is a result of past, successful, music promotional efforts from Microsoft.
After the Zune launch the company started sponsoring artists' tours and the Xbox Live "Artist of the Month" program gave away free video downloads, interviews and a "Game with Fame" program that lets Xbox Live users compete with artists. The new Ignition program does not replace those promotional efforts, it acts as the flagship offering.
Source:
Reuters