Volkswagen of America and AtomFilms Announce Major Content Syndication and Sponsorship Alliance
25 September 2000
Volkswagen of America and AtomFilms Announce Major Content Syndication and Sponsorship Alliance
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., & SEATTLE--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2000--Volkswagen of America and leading next generation entertainment company, AtomFilms, announced a significant content syndication and sponsorship alliance today.AtomFilms will provide a selection of sixty lifestyle-oriented short films to vw.com over the next six months, while Volkswagen will act as the presenting sponsor for Atom's The Journey Tour (also announced today) and other select Atom events. This announcement with AtomFilms represents the first time a worldwide consumer brand like Volkswagen has been part of such a major syndication and sponsorship deal integrating both online and offline channels.
The content and syndication part of this unique agreement provides vw.com with ten new AtomFilms shorts to be broadcast exclusively on vw.com each month for the next six months. Volkswagen enlisted Atom's special brand of short form entertainment to present a new facet to the lifestyle content that its community has come to expect at vw.com. The vw.com line up features Atom shorts like `Kung Pao Chicken' by Rich Kim, `Angry Kid' episodes by Aardman Animations, `Bad Bosses go to Hell' by Erin Cramer and `Blind Date' by Matt Wheeldon.
The highlight of the content and syndication deal centers around featured Atom short, `The Journey' by Eric Saperston. Several 2-3 minute vignettes from this 13-minute short film documenting Saperston's experiences across America in a VW bus will be featured exclusively on vw.com. AtomFilms will also develop 12 original shorts based on "The Journey" short film premise to premiere at vw.com, and later, AtomFilms.com.
Further extending its involvement with `The Journey' short film, Volkswagen has also signed on with AtomFilms as the presenting sponsor of The Journey Tour -- a tour that combines Saperston's experiences on the road with the music of singer/songwriter Edwin McCain. Volkswagen is also committed to other upcoming sponsorships with AtomFilms that reinforce the type of carefree and fun lifestyle that it provides to the vw.com community.
"Volkswagen is widely recognized for creative, cutting-edge advertising that is often referred to as `short films with great music.' The spirit of the VW brand embraces the creativity of independent filmmakers, like the ones at AtomFilms," said Tesa Aragones, Volkswagen eBusiness Leader. "We are thrilled to partner with Atom, the pioneer in next generation entertainment because of our shared lifestyle visions."
"AtomFilms views this strategic relationship with Volkswagen as incredible validation for our proven and diversified business model," says Seth Levenson, AtomFilms Vice President of Sales. "The content, syndication and sponsorship components of this relationship with Volkswagen are centered throughout our multiple online and offline platforms, ensuring that Atom was able to secure an alliance with a major global brand and evolve it into more than just a flurry of banner ads."
About AtomFilms:
AtomFilms is a leading next generation entertainment company focused on redefining the way entertainment is created, distributed, marketed and consumed. AtomFilms has the largest catalog of award-winning animation and live-action entertainment available. A loyal supporter of independent filmmakers and animators, AtomFilms has built a platform for artists seeking worldwide distribution. AtomFilms markets and distributes high-quality short form entertainment to more than 80 partners and to audience's worldwide, with significant presence on major Internet sites, broadband services, television, airlines, home entertainment companies and more recently, handheld and wireless devices. A popular Web destination that is ranked among Media Metrix's top twenty entertainment sites, the two time Webby Award winner in Film and Broadband, AtomFilms was recently selected as the "Forbes Magazine Favorite" short film Web site. AtomFilms was also sited as one of the top ten most trafficked movie-related sites by Entertainment Weekly, and was rated "Best of the Web" for online entertainment by U.S. News & World Report. An independent company founded in 1998, AtomFilms has offices in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and London. More information about AtomFilms can be found on the Internet at http:/www.atomfilms.com.
About Volkswagen:
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. Volkswagen is among the largest automakers in the world and Europe's number one seller. In the United States, Volkswagen has sold more than 10.6 million cars and is the top-selling European importer.