First ever Glastonbury festival DVD uses viral campaign to raise awareness and drive pre-order sales

Today, EMI Music UK’s Catalogue label launches a new viral game to promote the release of the first-ever Glastonbury Festival DVD. The game offers users the opportunity to participate in the ‘Glastonbury Games’ and test their skills in events such as mud-sliding and tent-pegging. Each event is divided into three levels: those who successfully reach and pass the three levels can submit their details to enter into a prize draw to win a pair of VIP, money-can’t-buy tickets to this year’s festival. The DVD was edited, enhanced and is being distributed by EMI Music UK’s Audio Visual and DVD division. The Glastonbury Festival DVD is one of the first DVDs to be launched for EMI Music UK outside of EMI-specific artist DVD releases and is part of its strategy to widen its sphere of activity.

Andy Way, Digital Media Manager at EMI Catalogue, comments, "Viral marketing has become an integral element of promoting music releases for EMI Catalogue. As we do not have active artists for many of our releases, it is vital that we develop a dialogue between us and consumers on the artists’ behalf; creatively engaging them with the music itself and the concept behind the release."

Created to embody the ethos and spirit of this world-famous annual music event, the Glastonbury Games viral is created in Flash and is based on the nostalgia of the 80s computer track and field events. Users can compete in three events: tent-pegging, mud-sliding and toilet overflow prevention. Users complete each game against the clock, hitting a key on their keyboard as fast as they can to increase the speed of their contestant.

This is the first time any footage of Glastonbury has been released on DVD, and celebrates the best performances of the last 10 years. All of the performances on the DVD were voted for by fans on the official Glastonbury Festival website. The DVD will be released on 21st March.
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Editor’s notes
About EMI Catalogue Marketing

EMI Catalogue Marketing is an umbrella that covers a broad range of EMI labels and issues in excess of 400 albums every year.

EMI Catalogue is responsible for the development and re-promotion of EMI’s back catalogue of over 100 year’s worth of music. This includes re-issues, re-masters, special editions, tracks never previously released, rarities and collectors’ editions.


About EMI Music UK – Digital Media Division

EMI Music was the first major record company to establish a dedicated Digital Media division in 1998. The division, headed up by Danny Van Emden, the Digital Media Director, is responsible for the digital activity of EMI Music UK and Ireland and its individual music labels. In addition, each of EMI Music’s record labels - EMI Records, Innocent, Parlophone, Virgin and the catalogue division - has a Digital Media Manager responsible for developing artist specific new media opportunities, promotions and web presence.

The Digital Media division develops many of the company’s digital cross-marketing and artist promotions; providing exclusive content; managing data capture and eCRM systems; and monetising EMI Music’s assets across the digital media. The division is also responsible for the EMI Music aggregate site, www.the-raft.com, which has been running for 11 years and won multiple awards.

With in house skills in journalism, programming, photography, SEO and design, the team is able to generate the right mix of copywriting and creativity to exploit a range of commercial opportunities. Working with EMI’s Commercial Digital team, Digital Media has worked with retail, brand, online and mobile organisations. This year alone, the division has agreed a number of crucial deals with high profile partners including OD2, i-Tunes, mycokemusic, Napster, Orange and Vodafone Live.

Websites developed for well-known artists include Kylie.com, Kelis.co.uk, thethrills.com, nerduk.com, thedivinecomedy.com, doves.net and jamelia.com. The team is also responsible for creating artists’ web shops, selling physical products and exclusive merchandise, as well as developing mobile shops and download platforms.

EMI Music UK is part of The EMI Group, one of the largest music companies in the world and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

www.emimusic.co.uk

Contact:
Anna Vickerstaff
immediate future Ltd.
0845 408 2031
pressoffice@immediatefuture.co.uk