Ram Truck Brand and G7 Entertainment Marketing Win Gold Ex Award For Best Activation Of A Cause Sponsorship
Experiential industry’s top honor goes to the Ram Truck Brand’s Zac Brown Band “Letters for Lyrics” campaign
Chicago, IL – May 23, 2011 – The Ram Truck brand and its experiential marketing partner G7 Entertainment Marketing (G7) took home a coveted Gold Ex Award for the groundbreaking Letters for Lyrics campaign at the 9th Annual Event Marketing Summit, held May 16-18 in Chicago. The Gold Ex Award acknowledges the campaign’s unconventional, cause-based approach to brand storytelling through experiences delivered online, at concerts, dealerships and through mobile devices.
The award was announced at the annual Ex Awards Gala – the experiential marketing industry’s leading awards event – that highlights top event-based marketing programs from across the globe. This year’s Ex Awards brought in a record-setting 800+ submissions from top brands and agencies worldwide, representing such diverse fields as healthcare, technology, automotive and financial services.
Developed in close partnership with Zac Brown Band’s management, ROAR, and booking agent CAA, Letters for Lyrics bucked sponsorship norms by integrating Ram Truck sponsorship at the DNA level. The two-time GRAMMY award winning Zac Brown Band (ZBB) and the non-profit Soldier’s Angels came together to unite a fan base and customer demographic around two shared ideals: the exclusivity of a tightly knit community and the public support of US armed forces serving abroad.
At the core of Letters for Lyrics was an incentive program. ZBB fans in the US could obtain a specially produced ZBB album (“Breaking Southern Ground”) by dropping off a letter addressed to an active foreign service member at a participating RAM Truck dealership, ZBB concerts or online at ramtrucks.com.
Fans could also download ZBB’s #1 hit single “Free” from a custom-designed microsite. For each download, Ram Truck made a donation to Soldier’s Angels, which serves active servicemen and women, veterans and their families.
“At Ram Truck we understand that storytelling is the heart of great marketing, and this Gold Ex Award for the Letters for Lyrics campaign confirms that an important cause, a meaningful story and a great experience can unlock tremendous brand value,” said Marissa Hunter, Ram’s Head of Brand Communication. “At concerts, online and especially at dealerships, the campaign paid off at every level. To date, over a quarter of a million letters have been sent to soldiers abroad. We are honored to see that success singled out by the Ex Awards among so many great campaigns from across the globe.”
Other aspects of the campaign included advertising that premiered during the Academy of Country Music Awards and a USO documentary based on ZBB’s second tour of Iraq titled “For Those Who Serve.” This six-part film is currently available at ramtrucks.com.
“The whole entertainment sponsorship ecosystem – bands, brands, agency partners and talent management – are moving to ‘content-based’ campaigns that have a much richer storytelling element that invites consumers to participate,” said Andre Gaccetta, VP of G7 Entertainment Marketing. “This program delivered heartfelt moments and results - it is a privilege to work with RAM Trucks, ZBB and their partners to create and deliver such a strategic and meaningful effort.”
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About Ram Truck Brand
Since its launch as the newest Chrysler Group LLC vehicle brand, the Ram Truck brand continues to establish its own identity and define its customer niche. Creating a stand-alone brand for Ram trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on how core customers use their trucks and what new features they'd like to see. Whether it’s a family that uses its half-ton truck day in and day out, a hard-working Ram Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its commercial vehicles every day, Ram has the truck market covered.
For 2011, the Ram Truck brand added the hardest-working Ram trucks — the Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab trucks — to its already award-winning truck lineup. This includes the rugged and reliable Dakota, the Ram Cargo Van, Ram 1500 – the most-awarded Ram truck ever – and Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty pickups.
The 2011 Ram 1500 was named a Consumers Digest Best Buy and AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star. Ram 1500's smooth-riding suspension and 20 mpg, 390 hp HEMI V8 are just two of the reasons it beat the competition. Ram 1500 was also named the Truck of Texas by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA).
By investing substantially in new products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and features that further enhance their capabilities, Ram Truck now has the most innovative lineup of full-size trucks on the market.
Ram trucks boast these segment exclusives:
• Coil spring rear suspension on Ram 1500 for best-in-class ride and handling
• Available RamBox® lockable and lighted bedside storage
• In-floor storage on all Ram crew cabs
• The largest cab in the market – Ram HD Mega Cab
• Standard six-speed manual transmission on all diesel models.
Truck customers – from half-ton to commercial – have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram Trucks are designed to deliver a total package.
About G7 Entertainment Marketing
G7 Entertainment Marketing (www.g7entertainmentmarketing.com) is a strategic entertainment marketing agency dedicated to creating and deepening passionate brand relationships through music, sports and other fan-based platforms. The winner of multiple awards for sponsorship that generates measurable results, G7 has won Billboard Magazine's top Concert Marketing & Promotion Awards three times in the last six years. G7's services include: Sponsorship & Endorsement Packaging, Entertainment Property & Talent Buying, Content Brokering, Program Ideation, Development & Activation and Custom Design & Fabrication. G7 is part of Project: WorldWide, the leading independent engagement marketing solutions holding company (www.project.com).
About Zac Brown Band
In 2010, Zac Brown Band was named GRAMMY's "Best New Artist" and nominated for the Academy of Country Music Awards' "Entertainer of the Year." To date in 2011, the band has already earned another GRAMMY win and five ACM nods. Zac himself was the most-nominated artist for the 2011 ACM Awards with nine nominations.
Their double platinum-certified, major label debut 'The Foundation' (Atlantic Records) was one of Billboard's Top 20 albums of 2009. The band's sophomore album 'You Get What You Give' (Atlantic/Southern Ground Artists, Inc.) debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and features guest appearances by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett. Collectively, both albums feature an unprecedented seven consecutive No.1 hit singles. Zac Brown Band is represented by ROAR, a Beverly Hills-based talent and brand management company. Additional information can be found at http://www.zacbrownband.com/.
For more information on Zac Brown Band, please contact Elizabeth Lutz (elutz@shorefire.com) or Rebecca Shapiro (rshapiro@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media, 718.522.7171, Sheila Richman at Atlantic Records, 212-707-3063 (sheila.richman@atlanticrecords.com) or Liz Norris at ROAR 917-755-1005 (norris@roar.la).
Contact:
Tom Maher
Director, Marketing Programs
PR and Corporate Communications
Project: WorldWide
email: tom.maher@project.com
tel: (617) 535-9820
Chicago, IL – May 23, 2011 – The Ram Truck brand and its experiential marketing partner G7 Entertainment Marketing (G7) took home a coveted Gold Ex Award for the groundbreaking Letters for Lyrics campaign at the 9th Annual Event Marketing Summit, held May 16-18 in Chicago. The Gold Ex Award acknowledges the campaign’s unconventional, cause-based approach to brand storytelling through experiences delivered online, at concerts, dealerships and through mobile devices.
The award was announced at the annual Ex Awards Gala – the experiential marketing industry’s leading awards event – that highlights top event-based marketing programs from across the globe. This year’s Ex Awards brought in a record-setting 800+ submissions from top brands and agencies worldwide, representing such diverse fields as healthcare, technology, automotive and financial services.
Developed in close partnership with Zac Brown Band’s management, ROAR, and booking agent CAA, Letters for Lyrics bucked sponsorship norms by integrating Ram Truck sponsorship at the DNA level. The two-time GRAMMY award winning Zac Brown Band (ZBB) and the non-profit Soldier’s Angels came together to unite a fan base and customer demographic around two shared ideals: the exclusivity of a tightly knit community and the public support of US armed forces serving abroad.
At the core of Letters for Lyrics was an incentive program. ZBB fans in the US could obtain a specially produced ZBB album (“Breaking Southern Ground”) by dropping off a letter addressed to an active foreign service member at a participating RAM Truck dealership, ZBB concerts or online at ramtrucks.com.
Fans could also download ZBB’s #1 hit single “Free” from a custom-designed microsite. For each download, Ram Truck made a donation to Soldier’s Angels, which serves active servicemen and women, veterans and their families.
“At Ram Truck we understand that storytelling is the heart of great marketing, and this Gold Ex Award for the Letters for Lyrics campaign confirms that an important cause, a meaningful story and a great experience can unlock tremendous brand value,” said Marissa Hunter, Ram’s Head of Brand Communication. “At concerts, online and especially at dealerships, the campaign paid off at every level. To date, over a quarter of a million letters have been sent to soldiers abroad. We are honored to see that success singled out by the Ex Awards among so many great campaigns from across the globe.”
Other aspects of the campaign included advertising that premiered during the Academy of Country Music Awards and a USO documentary based on ZBB’s second tour of Iraq titled “For Those Who Serve.” This six-part film is currently available at ramtrucks.com.
“The whole entertainment sponsorship ecosystem – bands, brands, agency partners and talent management – are moving to ‘content-based’ campaigns that have a much richer storytelling element that invites consumers to participate,” said Andre Gaccetta, VP of G7 Entertainment Marketing. “This program delivered heartfelt moments and results - it is a privilege to work with RAM Trucks, ZBB and their partners to create and deliver such a strategic and meaningful effort.”
# # #
About Ram Truck Brand
Since its launch as the newest Chrysler Group LLC vehicle brand, the Ram Truck brand continues to establish its own identity and define its customer niche. Creating a stand-alone brand for Ram trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on how core customers use their trucks and what new features they'd like to see. Whether it’s a family that uses its half-ton truck day in and day out, a hard-working Ram Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its commercial vehicles every day, Ram has the truck market covered.
For 2011, the Ram Truck brand added the hardest-working Ram trucks — the Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab trucks — to its already award-winning truck lineup. This includes the rugged and reliable Dakota, the Ram Cargo Van, Ram 1500 – the most-awarded Ram truck ever – and Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty pickups.
The 2011 Ram 1500 was named a Consumers Digest Best Buy and AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star. Ram 1500's smooth-riding suspension and 20 mpg, 390 hp HEMI V8 are just two of the reasons it beat the competition. Ram 1500 was also named the Truck of Texas by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA).
By investing substantially in new products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and features that further enhance their capabilities, Ram Truck now has the most innovative lineup of full-size trucks on the market.
Ram trucks boast these segment exclusives:
• Coil spring rear suspension on Ram 1500 for best-in-class ride and handling
• Available RamBox® lockable and lighted bedside storage
• In-floor storage on all Ram crew cabs
• The largest cab in the market – Ram HD Mega Cab
• Standard six-speed manual transmission on all diesel models.
Truck customers – from half-ton to commercial – have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram Trucks are designed to deliver a total package.
About G7 Entertainment Marketing
G7 Entertainment Marketing (www.g7entertainmentmarketing.com) is a strategic entertainment marketing agency dedicated to creating and deepening passionate brand relationships through music, sports and other fan-based platforms. The winner of multiple awards for sponsorship that generates measurable results, G7 has won Billboard Magazine's top Concert Marketing & Promotion Awards three times in the last six years. G7's services include: Sponsorship & Endorsement Packaging, Entertainment Property & Talent Buying, Content Brokering, Program Ideation, Development & Activation and Custom Design & Fabrication. G7 is part of Project: WorldWide, the leading independent engagement marketing solutions holding company (www.project.com).
About Zac Brown Band
In 2010, Zac Brown Band was named GRAMMY's "Best New Artist" and nominated for the Academy of Country Music Awards' "Entertainer of the Year." To date in 2011, the band has already earned another GRAMMY win and five ACM nods. Zac himself was the most-nominated artist for the 2011 ACM Awards with nine nominations.
Their double platinum-certified, major label debut 'The Foundation' (Atlantic Records) was one of Billboard's Top 20 albums of 2009. The band's sophomore album 'You Get What You Give' (Atlantic/Southern Ground Artists, Inc.) debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and features guest appearances by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett. Collectively, both albums feature an unprecedented seven consecutive No.1 hit singles. Zac Brown Band is represented by ROAR, a Beverly Hills-based talent and brand management company. Additional information can be found at http://www.zacbrownband.com/.
For more information on Zac Brown Band, please contact Elizabeth Lutz (elutz@shorefire.com) or Rebecca Shapiro (rshapiro@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media, 718.522.7171, Sheila Richman at Atlantic Records, 212-707-3063 (sheila.richman@atlanticrecords.com) or Liz Norris at ROAR 917-755-1005 (norris@roar.la).
Contact:
Tom Maher
Director, Marketing Programs
PR and Corporate Communications
Project: WorldWide
email: tom.maher@project.com
tel: (617) 535-9820