NEW YORK (NYC Marketing/ CMA) - Deputy New York City Mayor
Daniel Doctoroff joined Chevrolet General
Director of Advertising and Sales Promotion Kim Kosak and CMA Vice President of Strategic Marketing Rick Murray and NYC's Chief Marketing Officer Joseph Perello to unveil a revolutionary marketing partnership built around the CMA Awards, which will be held for the first time outside of Nashville this year when the gala takes place Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Madison
Square Garden in New York City.
"Traditional municipal marketing models across America have tended to be one dimensional. When New York City created NYC Big Events and NYC Marketing, our goal was to think outside of the box and bring together multiple partners and marketing resources to create tremendous added value to the events we are attracting to NYC," Doctoroff said. "The CMA Awards and their long association with Chevy provided a unique opportunity for all of us to create a fully integrated program unlike any other."
"Chevy's American Revolution campaign is about the inherent spirit, strength and revolutionary approach to traditional ways of thinking," added Kosak, General Director of Advertising and Sales Promotion for Chevrolet, a division of General Motors. "We've partnered with the CMA for many years and their bold business decision to come to New York City provided us with an opportunity to reach out to existing and new customers, combining the power of entertainment with the brand equity of New York City."
Murray said, "This high-powered ground-breaking brand partnership is taking the convergence of municipal, automotive and entertainment marketing and redefining the term 'integrated marketing' by combining events, grassroots promotions across the country, mobile marketing, sweepstakes, business-to-business elements and maximizing advertising communications channels to deliver a passionate, relevant message to consumers in each of our disciplines."
Doctoroff, Kosak and Murray presented the groundwork of the partnership today in New York City.
The CMA Awards, "Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)" and New York City will be integrated into the 2005 Chevy Music Tour, which will include performances by Country artists on selected dates this summer and fall.
In addition to the CMA Awards, Chevy will be the official automotive sponsor of the CMA Music Festival, held Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, in Nashville. Murray said that this year's CMA Music Festival will launch a series of promotions, events and grassroots viral marketing programs that will continue throughout the summer and fall.
Elements of the partnership, according to Kosak, include the Second Annual Chevy Country Music Calendar, which will be shot in New York City this year using Chevy vehicles and Country artists in front of New York City iconic locations. The calendar will be shot this summer and distributed nationally in the early fall. Chevy will also play a role in the announcement of the final nominees for the CMA Awards, when they bring "Chevy Lane" to Manhattan in early September. "Chevy Lane" is an extensive exhibition combining vehicle and interactive displays, entertainment and information. Chevy will also have a prominent presence in New York the week of the CMA Awards.
Kosak added, "One of the intriguing aspects of this partnership is that it is evolutionary in nature. We have all crafted the agreement in such a way that we can take advantage of new opportunities that may arise and we are all keenly aware and supportive of each others objectives and needs in this relationship."
Murray introduced Asylum recording artists Blue County who were featured in the 2005 Chevy Country Calendar. The popular duo is slated to perform at the CMA Music Festival and were 2004 CMA Award Vocal Due of the Year nominees.
"Aaron Benward and Scott Reeves of Blue County represent today's Country Music and the excitement buzzing throughout the artist community as everyone starts to make plans to come to New York City in November," Murray said.
"We are very excited about the CMA Awards in New York and that Chevy has strengthened its partnership to create new events and programs that resonate with Country fans," said Reeves.
Benward added, "New York City has already rolled out the welcome mat to the band and each of our families and we are looking forward to bringing a piece of New York to our fans and radio stations across the country this summer."
Proclaimed "Honorary New Yorkers" Doctoroff noted that Reeves and Benward will serve as ambassadors of the City's five boroughs - The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island - as they tour across the nation. Reeves and Benward will deliver CMA Awards/New York City Welcome Kits to radio stations and other members of the media in conjunction with their tour and will promote the CMA Awards in New York City during their upcoming concerts.
Companies in the wireless, credit card, soft drink and health and beauty sectors, among others, are being given the opportunity to sponsor the CMA Awards celebration. Sponsorship packages will be tailored to fit each specific company and their needs, including elements available to nearly all partners such as tickets to selected CMA Awards events including the broadcast and private VIP receptions; naming rights to "Country Takes NYC" events; and national promotions and sweepstakes including CMA Awards trip packages.
"Mayor Bloomberg believes taxpayers should not be viewed simply as a revenue source, and the partnerships we are pursuing with superb corporate citizens like Chevy, The History Channel and Snapple demonstrate how the City can work smarter and harder for the citizens we serve," said Perello, who is also President of the NYC Marketing Development Corporation. "Today's announcement is just the latest example of how the Mayor's model for marketing NYC works to promote our City while giving companies a way to connect with consumers in an authentic way."
Noting the effort by NYC Marketing and NYC Big Events in bringing the CMA Awards to the City, Doctoroff pointed out the City's Economic Development Corporation (EDC) projects the CMA Awards will have an economic impact on NYC in excess of $30 million.
