“Hot new music didn’t provide the only buzz at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, last week. iTunes Custom Cards were one of the biggest hits,” Mary Huhn reports for The New York Post. “Rather than hand out customized lighters or bottle openers, members and publicists from more than 200 bands passed out snazzy plastic credit card-sized cards with the artist’s picture on the front and a code on the back. The code enabled users to download a single, via a PC or Mac, from Apple’s iTunes Music Store for free.”
“The idea developed from the green iTunes prepaid cards sold at retail,” Huhn reports. “Earlier this year, Apple execs took the prepaid card concept one step further and created a free sampler of the Grammy nominees, which was distributed at the awards ceremony. Then iTunes created 500 custom cards to service radio with the Grammys’ all-star recording of “Across the Universe,” along with Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone’s rousing tribute to Janis Joplin. (Both songs also are sold on iTunes with proceeds going to charity). Music labels like the idea since it’s a disk-free way to distribute music.”
Full article here.
More info about iTunes Custom Cards and images of many card examples can be found at http://www.apple.com/itunes/marketing/customcards/
Brilliant marketing… as usual
These sound like future collectors items.
Aaahhh… Now I want one, many really, Teagan & Sara, the Ditty Bops, the Kills, etc., etc. It would be cool if individuals could order them as well, just like iPhoto Books. That way, your putting together a gift for a friends birthday, and you get them an iPod shuffle, and a customized gift card, with their picture or their lovers, baby, favorite band, whoever’s picture on the card with the money to buy some music.
Apple’s on fire!!!!!
Go baby go!
I got one (being an Apple bored member) that I hand out that has all my best VP speeches on it. A photo of Me and Tipper on the front. The sound lasts about 10 seconds.
Hey, its free!
-Al Gore