Rhapsody Taps Network of Partners to Drive Exposure for The Fray
  
Rhapsody logo. (PRNewsFoto/RealNetworks, Inc.)
NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES
Rhapsody cross-platform ad campaigns, sweepstakes and concert with Epic Records and several MTV Networks channels including VH1 boost visibility for The Fray's sophomore album
SEATTLE, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rhapsody(R), the leading
on-demand digital music subscription service, has teamed with GRAMMY
award-nominated band The Fray -- leveraging the full power of Rhapsody's
network of marketing partnerships to promote the band's upcoming self-titled
album, available Feb. 3 from http://www.rhapsody.com/thefray. Rhapsody is
implementing a major consumer marketing campaign around The Fray's new album
with VH1 ad campaigns, integrated Web marketing and a live "Rhapsody Rocks"
concert in New York City, attended by the winner of a sweepstakes presented by
Rhapsody and VH1.
"Breaking through the collective music industry noise is a big challenge
for artists, and Rhapsody's in a unique position to increase artists' exposure
via cross-platform promotions with major partners such as VH1 as well as our
own assets including Rhapsody Rocks events and exclusives on Rhapsody.com,"
said Neil Smith, vice president of business management for Rhapsody America.
"We've worked with a wide variety of artists on promotional campaigns -- from
household names like Kid Rock and T-Pain to rising stars such as Sara
Bareilles -- and have been able to take advantage of our many partnerships to
drive success for artists."
New Artist-Based Ad Campaigns with VH1
Similar to the Rhapsody, VH1 and Epic Records collaboration that helped
put Sara Bareilles on the charts, Rhapsody is putting a significant amount of
media weight behind promoting The Fray - with a dedicated online ad and
tailored TV ad campaign about the availability of The Fray's new album. Two
separate TV ads are running primarily on VH1, MTV, COMEDY CENTRAL and Spike,
and promote the sweepstakes and four Rhapsody-exclusive live tracks recorded
at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16 - including "How To Save A
Life," "Say When," "We Build Then We Break" and "Happiness." These tracks will
be available on http://Rhapsody.com/thefray.
Rhapsody Rocks New York, The Fray
The Rhapsody Rocks concert series is hosting The Fray's sold-out
performance at Webster Hall in New York on Feb. 4 and has arranged for the
concert to be broadcast in high definition on Palladia, MTV Networks' HD music
TV network, on Valentine's Day and throughout the coming months. The concert
will be available On Demand on Rhapsody.com.
VH1 & Rhapsody Superfan Sweepstakes
Rhapsody, VH1 and Epic Records joined forces to host the ultimate fan
sweepstakes for The Fray. Rhapsody and VH1 promoted the contest across their
platforms, with original TV and online ads to raise visibility for both the
sweepstakes and an exclusive track from the new album, "Say When." One lucky
sweepstakes winner and a guest will attend the Rhapsody Rocks The Fray show on
Feb. 4 in New York, meet the band, and win a Rhapsody-optimized Logitech
Squeezebox(TM) Boom with a one-year paid subscription to Rhapsody.
ABOUT RHAPSODY
Rhapsody(R) offers an integrated and immersive digital music experience
accessible to consumers via their computer, portable music device and soon
their mobile phone. Rhapsody is the exclusive digital music service for
RealNetworks(R), Inc. and for MTV Networks' music and pop-culture brands in
the United States. Rhapsody is a service of Rhapsody America LLC, a joint
venture between and MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA) (NYSE: VIA.B)
and RealNetworks (Nasdaq: RNWK).
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ABOUT REALNETWORKS
RealNetworks(R), Inc. delivers digital entertainment to consumers via PC,
portable music player, home entertainment system or mobile phone. Real created
the streaming media category in 1995 and has continued to lead the market with
pioneering products and services, including: RealPlayer(R), the first
mainstream media player to enable one-click downloading and recording of
Internet video; the award-winning Rhapsody(R) digital music service, which
delivers more than 1 billion songs per year; RealArcade(R), one of the largest
casual games destinations on the Web; and a variety of mobile entertainment
services, such as ringback tones, offered to consumers through leading
wireless carriers around the world. RealNetworks' corporate information is
located at http://www.realnetworks.com/company.