A Battle of the Bandwidth

I don’t usually talk about specific projects that I’m working on at my job, but I thought this one merited a mention. For those of you who don’t know, I work for an interactive marketing firm that specializes in online branded entertainment. Try cramming that into pithy boilerplate.

Anyway, our latest project is one we’re doing with Mazda Canada in conjunction with their graduate program. Instead of sticking with traditional media, Mazda is working with us (through their agency, Doner) to develop an live online driving game that’s going to launch at the end of February.

To get university students actively involved with the campaign, we decided to create the soundtrack entirely from the music of Canadian college and university bands. Now, the challenge is letting those bands know. We’re taking a combined media relations and social media approach to the communications strategy behind it, talking to the universities and colleges, as well as the bands themselves.

Now, bands can upload their tracks at http://www.mazdarockinrollcall.ca, and fans can vote for their favourites. The top 25 as voted by the fans will be judged, and the best five will be featured in the game. The number one track will receive a $2000 recording package, and the four honourable mentions will receive $200 worth of iTunes music each.

So, if you happen to know anyone who’s in a band that has one member still enrolled in a place of higher learning, or happen to be in such a band yourself, pass this on and have them enter. We’ve already got some quality music, and it just launched today.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this goes.