May 1, 2006 12:00 PM, Patricia Odell
the Beat goes on
It took weeks of scouring garage sales and thrift shops to collect what Grand Central Marketing needed for client Napster's showcase at the Digital Life show last year. The agency wanted to take Napster, a Web-based music-sharing service, back to when founder Shawn Fanning first championed new talent from his garage. The trade show presence needed to reflect Napster's anti-establishment image in contrast to the slick, prefab booths that are more typical.
“We wanted to say Napster still champions new talent,” explains Matthew Glass, chairman and CEO of GCM, New York City.
The Digital Life electronics show has a strong consumer pull, but Napster's goal was to knock out its peers in attendance. It had deals with XM Radio and Creative Players, and wanted to build ties with other possible partners.
“We kind of point to each other while we're there,” says Napster's Dana Harris.
On a $50,000 budget, GCM transformed a 20'-by-20' space into the Napster Lounge, a portable backyard garage that just might be home to a young band.
Dressed with beaded lamps, overstuffed old couches and back issues of Rolling Stone, the “garage” also featured amplifiers, microphone stands, guitars and milk crates filled with vinyl records. An old fridge held premiums: single-serve beer coolers and bandanas with the Napster logo. (The famous “Napster cat” logo also appeared on a Mick Jagger poster and old beer bottles in garbage cans.) Laptops were set up on a ping-pong table for visitors to check out Napster's music library (it signed more than 100 members for its service).
“We went against the grain and that felt right for this brand,” Glass says.
- CAMPAIGN: Napster Garage
- AGENCY: Grand Central Marketing
- CLIENT: Napster
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