CMT LAUNCHES MAYBELLINE NEW YORK “BORN WITH IT”PROMOTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH SERIES PREMIERE OF “UNSUNG STORIES”
05/08/06
Multi-Platform Promotion Features Award-Winning Singer/Songwriters Who Pen and Perform Original Song for Winner
NASHVILLE, TN – May 8, 2006 – CMT has created a customized national on-air and on-line promotion for Maybelline New York, built around the May 19 premiere of the new CMT series UNSUNG STORIES, it was announced today by John Shea, executive vice president of sponsorship development and integrated marketing, MTVN.
UNSUNG STORIES, a half-hour, six episode series, tells the fascinating stories of real people through their own words and song. A hit songwriter then takes a personal story and translates specific experiences into music and lyrics, culminating with a live performance of the final song to those who inspired it.
The UNSUNG STORIES “Born With It” promotion takes the program concept and extends it to CMT viewers by offering them the opportunity to submit their stories of everyday accomplishments that were difficult to achieve to CMT and Maybelline. A selected story will then be turned into a song and performed by two award winning singer/songwriters, Victoria Shaw (“The River” by Garth Brooks) and Gary Burr (“Before Your Love” by Kelly Clarkson) and then used in a Maybelline New York "Born With It" customized vignette, which will appear on CMT and CMT.com and air around UNSUNG STORIES.
“The UNSUNG STORIES ‘Born with it’ promotion is all about possibility, opportunity and potential,” says John Shea. “UNSUNG STORIES, combined with a valuable marketing partner and a strategic brand position, coupled with technology, enables us to have a direct dialogue with these ‘heroes,’ resulting in a perfect recipe for breakthrough storytelling.”
This multiplatform promotion engages viewers by reaching them during viewing and prompting them to participate by going to CMT.com, where they are then asked to submit their story. On CMT.com, there will be on a microsite dedicated to the promotion that will interact with the user and feature program info, a promotion overview, songwriter/singer biographies, opt-ins for the sponsor, sponsor banners and more. This promotion is unique because in addition to utilizing CMT's multiple screens, it also acts as a brand extension by further enhancing the viewers UNSUNG STORIES experience.
“The ‘Born With It’ promotion is all about real people who translate their personal stories into music and lyrics,“ says Cheryl Vitali, Senior Vice President Marketing, Maybelline New York/Garnier. “Much in the same way, Maybelline New York is also about self-expression and telling your own story, in your own personal style. We are thrilled to be partnering with a network that shares our spirit in their programming."
Victoria Shaw is the writer of such hits as “The River” (Garth Brooks) and “Nobody Wants to be Lonely” (Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera). Shaw’s songs have sold collectively more than 65 million albums and this two-time Emmy award-winning songwriter has had her songs recorded by artists as diverse as Olivia Newton John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba, Tricia Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus and Michael McDonald and many more.
Gary Burr, an inductee into the Songwriter Hall of Fame has since been recognized and awarded ‘Songwriter of the Year’ honors by Billboard, Nashville Songwriter’s Association International, and ASCAP and CDs featuring his songs have sold more than 50 million units world-wide. Burr had a worldwide hit with Ricky Martin’s duet with Christina Aguilera “Nobody Wants to be Lonely,” (co-writing with Victoria Shaw) granting him his first No. 1 on the Latin charts to go along with his No. 1 on the pop charts with his collaboration on the platinum selling single “Before Your Love” by American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, and a No. 1 selling single with American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken’s song “This Is The Night.”
CMT, America’s No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches more than 82.2 million households in the United States. Go to country music’s biggest web site at www.CMT.com.
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Press Contacts:
Cindy McLean 615-335-8404 cindy.mclean@cmt.com
Lisa Chader 615-335-8405 lisa.chader@cmt.com
