EMI Music UK launches exclusive Bob Geldof Podcast on new Live8 site

This week, EMI Music UK launches a two part exclusive podcast of Bob Geldof, on http://www.live8livedvd.com/, the official Live8 DVD website. Visitors can now buy the music DVD for this year’s Live8 concert at http://www.live8livedvd.com/.

In his podcast interview, Bob Geldof discusses the memorable concert in Hyde Park: how he initially approached the artists who participated; how he persuaded Pink Floyd to reform and perform all together for the first time in 25 years; the influence of digital media in encouraging and nurturing ‘people power’; and how Live8 was different from Live Aid. At www.live8livedvd.com Bob Geldof will also be discussing the importance of the new DVD, which is released for sale in early November 2005.

Danny Van Emden, Digital Media Director at EMI Music UK, comments: "Since its inception, the Live8 DVD campaign has used a multi-channel approach to communicate with the community of music fans; ensuring that they have fast and direct access to the latest information as and when they want it.

"As a medium, podcast conveys and permits a higher level of intimacy than other channels. Bob Geldof’s podcast captivates perfectly the essence of Live8, allowing him to talk directly, almost on a one-to-one basis, to the Live8 fan-base community."

EMI Music UK’s dedicated in-house digital team was responsible for the creation and delivery of the Live8 online campaign at www.live8livedvd.com, from the design and webmastering of the official site and creating Bob Geldof’s podcast, to implementing a CRM programme and a pre-orders facility on Amazon.

Sarah Sherry, Digital Media Manager at Virgin Records, comments: "The online campaign for Live8 encompasses many strands that have all worked together to effectively drive awareness of the music DVD prior to its release. With an objective of raising awareness of the forthcoming DVD and supporting the ongoing relationship the live event established with consumers across the world, our strategy was to use online channels that allowed us to communicate with fans on a more intimate and readily accessible level."

The official site for the Live8 DVD, www.live8livedvd.com is evolving into a solid online community, supporting visitors with areas to post their own images of the event and chat in the web forum. The site also offers streamed footage from the DVD. The DVD is created and produced by EMI Music UK’s DVD division.

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Editors notes

About EMI Music – Digital Media Division

EMI Music was the first major record company to establish a dedicated Digital Media division in 1998. The division, headed up by Danny Van Emden, the Digital Media Director, is responsible for the digital activity of EMI Music UK and Ireland and its individual music labels. In addition, each of EMI Music’s record labels - EMI Records, the Angel Music Group, Parlophone, Virgin and the catalogue division - has a Digital Media Manager responsible for developing artist specific new media opportunities, promotions and web presence.

The Digital Media division develops many of the company’s digital cross-marketing and artist promotions; providing exclusive content; managing data capture and eCRM systems; and monetising EMI Music’s assets across the digital media. The division is also responsible for the EMI Music aggregate site, www.the-raft.com, which has been running for 11 years and won multiple awards.

With in house skills in journalism, programming, photography, SEO and design, the team are able to generate the right mix of copywriting and creativity to exploit a range of commercial opportunities. Working with EMI’s Commercial Digital team, Digital Media has worked with retail, brand, online and mobile organisations. This year alone, the division has agreed a number of crucial deals with high profile partners including OD2, i-Tunes, mycokemusic, Napster, Orange and Vodafone Live.

Websites developed for well-known artists include Kylie.com, Kelis.co.uk, thethrills.com, nerduk.com, thedivinecomedy.com, doves.net and jamelia.com. The team is also responsible for creating artists’ web shops, selling physical products and exclusive merchandise, as well as developing mobile shops and download platforms.

EMI Music UK is part of The EMI Group, one of the largest music companies in the world and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

www.emimusic.co.uk
Contact:
Katy Howell
immediate future Ltd.
0845 408 2031
pressoffice@immediatefuture.co.uk