Mercedes And AOL Team Up To Spotlight Emerging Artists

Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on March 2, 2006 at 12:40 PM CST

In a move seemingly geared to attract the world's growing population  
of pre-pubescent tweens, Mercedes and AOL Music have teamed up to  
highlight emerging musical talents on AOL's music channel.

Music fans will find prominent Mercedes placement on AOL Music's  
Breaker program, a section that showcases new talents and allows you  
to listen and view the artists performing.  In addition, Mercedes is  
also sponsoring a new "On Our Radar" program which features notable  
up-and-coming artists such as the Arctic Monkeys and KT Tunstall.   
Visitors to either one of these AOL Music programs will be able to  
access artist and tour information, participate in polls, and enter  
for the chance to win free MP3 downloads daily through which they are  
entered into a monthly sweepstakes for a chance to win an Apple iPod  
and a $250 iTunes gift certificate.

To help promote the Mercedes brand, visitors will have access to a  
wealth of C-Class information, including a virtual showroom, lease  
information, and a monthly payment calculator.

Am I the only one that finds this strange?

I haven't looked into the numbers, but I would wager a guess that the  
majority of visitors frequenting AOL Music fall into the 11-13 year  
old range.  Last time I checked, a twelve year old's allowance wasn't  
enough to cover a C-Class' lease payment.

Anyways, if you'd like more info on the Mercedes/AOL Music deal, you  
can get all the details in the full press release below and visit  
www.eMercedesBenz.com for more MB info.


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


MERCEDES-BENZ AND AOL MUSIC BAND TOGETHER TO SPOTLIGHT EMERGING ARTISTS

New York, NY and Montvale, NJ – March 2, 2006 – For decades,  
lyricists have included Mercedes-Benz in their songs as an icon of  
aspiration and accomplishment. Now, Mercedes-Benz and another icon of  
pop culture, AOL, have banded together to spotlight a new generation  
of artists through the premier online music destination AOL Music  
(http://www.aolmusic.com).

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) and AOL Music have created “On Our Radar,”  
a new feature that takes fans on a deeper journey of music discovery,  
as part of the luxury car manufacturer’s yearlong collaboration with  
AOL Music on its innovative Breakers program, which showcases a  
selection of standout developing artists. The initiative will promote  
the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class while bringing the hottest cutting-edge  
artists to the eyes and ears of trendsetting, young music fans.

“For decades Mercedes-Benz has been memorialized in songs. In turn,  
we’ve always placed a strong priority on doing what we can to support  
emerging artists whether it be music, fashion, film or the performing  
arts in general,” said Carol Goll, general manager, brand experience  
marketing for MBUSA. “This initiative with AOL is a unique  
opportunity through a lifestyle intersect with a new generation of  
buyers as well as an opportunity to get some early visibility for  
those artists who are going to shape the music world going forward.”

In addition to the AOL Music Breakers program, which is currently  
featuring music by artists, including teen singer-songwriter Teddy  
Geiger and country music chanteuse Shannon Brown, the new “On Our  
Radar” feature highlights notable up-and-coming artists such as  
Arctic Monkeys and KT Tunstall. Each week, “On Our Radar” showcases  
other hot new artists, such as Morningwood, Arab Strap and We Are  
Scientists and offers “Inside Track” audio streams and downloads from  
acts like Imogen Heap, Nine Black Alps, Devandra Barnhart and more.  
Music fans can access artist and tour information, participate in  
polls, and enter for the chance to win free MP3 downloads daily  
through which they are entered into a monthly sweepstakes for a  
chance to win an Apple iPod and a $250 iTunes gift certificate. In  
addition to hearing music from emerging artists and accessing  
sweepstakes, music fans will also be able to get more information  
about the cutting-edge technology of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class  
and access a virtual showroom.

"We're pleased to have Mercedes onboard to help us expose our  
standout Breaker artists, and other worthy new acts, to fans  
throughout the year,” said Jack Isquith, executive director of music  
industry relations for AOL Music. “Music discovery is central to our  
commitment to our audience. Best of all, working with Mercedes  
affords AOL Music the opportunity to find more compelling ways for  
these great artists to get the attention they deserve."
Mercedes-Benz will also have prominent brand placement on the AOL®  
Music Breakers page, as well as on pages featuring Breaker artist  
assets such as First Listen and First View song and music video  
debuts. Selected each season, Breaker artists represent AOL Music’s  
top picks for the best up-and-coming acts across genres. These  
artists are featured in high-profile campaigns normally reserved for  
more established hit makers on AOLMusic.com and across the AOL Music  
and Radio Networks.

Through the collaboration, Mercedes will support music programming  
from the latest round of Breaker artists, including the just added,  
mid-season selection of alt-rock buzz band Panic! at the Disco.  
Current Breakers, include country singer/songwriter Jace Everett;  
songwriter/performer Ne-Yo; socially conscious rapper/songwriter  
Rhymefest; country girl-next-door and star of AOL Music’s “This is  
Shannon Brown” online reality series, Shannon Brown; singer/ 
songwriter Teddy Geiger; and revered underground rockers Thrice. Past  
Breakers include Avril Lavigne, 50 Cent, The Game, Michelle Branch,  
Josh Groban, and this year's GRAMMY award winner for Best New Artist  
-- John Legend, along with his fellow nominees in the category: Fall  
Out Boy and Sugarland.

AOL Music (http://www.aolmusic.com) is the leading online destination  
for music, reaching millions of music fans a month* through a rich  
array of programming, products and services that make it easy to  
discover, experience, listen to and buy music online.

About America Online, Inc.

America Online, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate a leading network  
of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in  
the United States. Brands include the AOL® service, the AOL.com®  
website, and the AIM®, MapQuest®, Moviefone®, Netscape®, CompuServe®  
and ICQ® services. America Online offers a range of digital services  
including the TotalTalk® voice service. The company also has  
operations in Canada and Europe. America Online, Inc. is based in  
Dulles, Virginia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Recent Mercedes-Benz initiatives in the music community include its R- 
Class tour with the Rolling Stones on the band’s A Bigger Bang  
concerts, and supporting education in the performing arts through  
DRIVE YOUR FUTURE Performance Awards, providing scholarships to  
students who are first in their families to go to college. MBUSA,  
headquartered in Montvale, N.J., is responsible for the sales,  
marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in  
the United States. In 2005, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record  
of 224,421 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its  
history and achieving twelve consecutive years of sales growth.

For more Mercedes-Benz news and information, visit  
www.eMercedesBenz.com.