<![CDATA[International music industry trade fair, MIDEM, which takes place in Cannes, France from January 28-31 has unveiled Africa’s Rockstar4000 as one of the Top 10 music companies worldwide for the most innovative and creative use of music in a marketing campaigns with Airtel One8.
Short for Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale, MIDEM is the world’s largest music industry trade fair, which has been held annually at and around the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, since 1967. Bringing together musicians, businesspeople, cultural policy makers, and journalists from many countries, it provides a forum for business talks, discussing political and legal issues, and showcasing new artists, musical trends and music-related products.
Contagious, the ad industry’s authority on creativity & innovation, has picked the Top10 companies and campaigns from hundreds in review, of which 23% came from transport brands, 21% from major retail names, 19% technology brands, 17% from the luxury and beauty sector, 7% from entertainment, 7% leisure, 4% finance and 2% from institutions. These TOP10 campaigns announced all have one thing in common: a strong musical element, either through the use of a synchronization, artist/brand endorsement, live sponsoring, talent discovering or creating a record label.
‘We are thrilled to take the best of music from the African continent into the global spotlight and onto the world stage, and to be recognized on this global platform within the company of some of the best agencies, music companies and campaigns in the world’ says Rockstar4000 Founder and CEO, Jandre Louw. ‘The worlds focus is on Africa right now and within only 2 short years we’ve made fundamental strides in taking the best of Africa to the world, providing a bigger global network and more opportunities to artists, connecting brands closer to their consumers commercially, strategically and emotionally through music and making music fundamentally more accessible to fans around the globe. Today Rockstar4000 is unrivalled on a Pan African context as a complete and vast 360 solution to artists, talent, brands and fans. We are music minds that understand brands’ Louw added.
The ‘Airtel ONE8’ project has achieved phenomenal success across Africa and around the world within a very short timeframe. It was named ‘Best Bets For 2011’ by global music chart authority Billboard. This Billboard list is an annual forecast of upcoming artists that are destined for global success, the list includes Grammy award-winner Taylor Swift & past lists included U2, Drake & Keri Hilson. ‘Airtel ONE8’ was featured by CNN and a special documentary by BET Networks / Centric worldwide, major Radio and TV Chart success across Africa, recognition to the participating artists from the Presidents of countries in Africa, embraced and connected by hundreds of thousands of Fans and consumers across a continent and beyond.
‘ONE’ International R&B superstar R. Kelly alongside ‘8’ superstars from Africa – Nigeria’s 2Face, Uganda’s Navio, Zambia’s JK , Tanzania’s Alikiba, Ghana’s 4×4, Gabon’s Movaizhaleine, Fally Ipupa from DRC & Kenya’s Amani joined to form the supergroup ‘AIRTEL ONE8’ . Conceived by Airtel and Rockstar4000 Music Entertainment in partnership with Sony Music, the first single “Hands across the World” was written & produced by the most influential global R&B superstar of the last 25 years, R. Kelly in close collaboration with the superstars across Africa adding their own sounds]]>
