On The Ground Looking Up

I Remember When I Used To Like Commercials

Like when Sprite did it's Obey Your Thirst Campain with Pete Rock, CL Smooth and Grand Puba.

Band Releases New Single On Edible Record

Scottish band FOUND needed to get some attention for thier new single "Anti-Climb Paint." So instead of going the way of embedding the mp3 in a hidden level of Angry Birds, they went analog, and not only analog, but edible analog.

The 7" record as well as the sleeve it comes in are completely edible. And yes, the record does play.

For more info and a vid about project, click on over here.

Did Elvis Presley And Frank Sinatra Invent The Mash-Up?

I saw this clip during the movie His Way, a documentary about Jerry Weintraub that is airing on HBO and is a great film if you have not heard of it.

Weintraub got his start by bringing both Elvis and Sinatra out on groundbreaking tours and they showed this clip, which is the two of them singing a duet. Sinatra does Elvis' Love Me Tender and Elvis does Sinatra's signature Witchcraft, not only is it a classic snapshot to an earlier time, but it got me wondering, did Elvis and Frank invent the Mash-Up?

How To Increase Your Brand Ambassadors By 5x

Just getting back into the office and the brain is still in vacation mode, but until I step up my game, I came across this new 'idea to adopt'. Would make for a great experience in a crowded city setting or a simple way to get more brand ambassadors while only paying for 20% of them :)

Let Me Be Reborn So I Can Be Re-created As Jay Silver

Jay Silver, researcher at the MIT Media Lab has created Singing Fingers. A sweet and amazing combination or sounds, music, light, creativity with a sprinkling of the future baked right in. This is the type of app that makes feel good about why you dropped all that cash on your iPad.

Get singing fingers here.

DJ Shadow Encourages Shop Lifting...Erm...Shop Placing

In a stunt reminiscent of Eminem's twitter ticket scavenger hunt or Banksy's spoof of Paris Hilton, DJ Shadow is leaving limited edition vinyl copies of two new songs in record shops across the UK, US and Europe for his fans to find. For example, on Sept 1st @DJSHADOW posted "And for another chance at the single, stop by Rough Trade West in London off Portobello Rd, W10 tomorrow (Thursday)" for the few lucky fans who happened to get them first, they get some serious bragging rights, for others, it just re-enforces that the artist they follow gives back to the fans. 

As he told NME "The idea is 'shop-placing;' it's the opposite of shoplifting," he said. "You go into a store, and leave your record in the racks to be discovered later. It's not about being cute, it's about passing the music along in the most unobtrusive way possible."

This is a great example of innovative ways for brands and artists to use social media as a way to promote a positive experience for their consumers. If you did not get the singles on vinyl, Shadow was releasing the songs for free download on his website. 

Guerrilla Idea Waiting To Happen - Wearable Instruments

I wonder who will be the first to use wearable / playable guitar and drum shirts in a guerrilla marketing campaign. A fun idea waiting to be adopted from Think Geek.

Light Bright Redux

A little late to the game here, but I am surprised we have not seen ElectroLuminescent wire used in more events and night time promotions. As far as I can tell they cannot be considered a 'suspicious device' but I may not be the best one to ask.

This is a test rehearsal for M.I.A.'s 2009 Coachella performance.

Lips! Lily! Oh My!

I really like what they are doing here for the new XBox LIPS! game. A catchy Lily Allen tune, crowd sourced vids of fans singing it, mosaic, good use of Vimeo. LA's lips don't hurt the cause either.

Watch the video here. 

Thx to @gregclayman for the assist.

Music Marketing 101

This graphic found on GraphicHug sums up marketing in the music industry pretty well. Let's not beat around the bush, when it comes to what we are selling, right Lady GaGa?