Chevy&cma (hearts) Nyc

Country music and New York. It seems like an unlikely marriage.

The New York metropolitan area has been without a terrestrial country radio station since 2002 when WYNY changed formats. And major tours often skirt the market or play small venues.

But in 2004, 2.6% of all country music was sold in the New York area, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That made it the No. 2 U.S. market for the genre, claiming 2.1 million of the genre's 82 million discs sold. This year, through the week ending Nov. 6, country music sales in this market account for 2.5% of the genre's national sales, or 1.4 million units. Year-to-date country sales in the United States are 53.8 million.

That in itself was probably enough for the Country Music Assn. to agree to bring its annual awards show to the Big Apple for the first time. But there is so much more.

When the 39th annual CMA Awards come to Madison Square Garden Nov. 15, they will be illuminated by the bright lights that can shine only in New York. Swimming in that glow will be a long list of stars, CMA sponsors and the live CBS telecast itself.

The city also expects to benefit to the tune of more than $36 million in spending during the 10 days of Country Takes NYC activities.

By bringing the awards to New York, the CMA is "extending the brand of country music to larger demos," CMA VP of strategic marketing Rick Murray says.

CMA's trip to New York owes much to the efforts of two city departments: NYC Marketing and NYC Big Events. With the CMA, they have plotted a long list of Country Takes NYC events, including promotional initiatives and live performances throughout the five boroughs. (For a complete schedule, visit nyc.gov/countrytakesnyc.)

The effort includes tie-ins with The New York Times, the National Football League, the New York Marathon, Saks Fifth Avenue, the New York Stock Exchange, Macy's and the theater community (under the banner Broadway Meets Country).

In one of the most eagerly awaited events, Carnegie Hall will be home to a special Grand Ole Opry 80th Anniversary Show Nov. 14 featuring, among others, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss + Union Station, Alan Jackson, Charley Pride and Trisha Yearwood.

As for the big night itself, Lee Ann Womack and Brad Paisley lead the CMA Awards nominations, with six nods apiece. Keith Urban and Toby Keith each netted four nominations, while Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Gretchen Wilson and Sugarland each landed three.



HOWDY, PARTNERS

With New York at its side, the CMA Awards have ratcheted up their branded entertainment initiatives. Naturally, Murray adds, "the partnerships must make sense" for the CMA and City of New York.

The primary partner/sponsor is Chevrolet, which has been involved with the awards for 12 years. Other brand partners include Prilosec OTC, Crème Savers Candy, American Airlines, Kellogg's, Kmart, Kodak, XM Satellite Radio, AOL Music, Jack Daniel's, Crisco, BMG Special Projects, Gibson and Anheuser-Busch.

Murray calls the Chevrolet partnership "a complex new model in terms of integrated marketing" that involves a "financial commitment" from the automobile manufacturer.

Chevrolet general director of advertising and sales promotion Kim Kosak will not put a dollar amount on the commitment but puts the media-buy value of the multitiered partnership in the "multi-, multimillions."

A major part of Chevrolet's investment in the CMA Awards is its broadcast sponsorship. Chevrolet has the automotive media space in and around the CMA Awards. Additionally, it has the first right of refusal to renew this for next year.

Earlier this year, the auto manufacturer kicked off the Chevy All Access Music Tour. In addition to music memorabilia displays and interactive consumer experiences, the trek showcased live performances from Wilson, Chris Cagle, Blue County, Big & Rich, Cowboy Troy, Julie Roberts and others.

A three-day New York stop—dubbed Chevy Music Festival in Union Square Park—coincided with the Sept. 7 announcement of this year's nominees.

Elsewhere, the trek was aligned with Major League Baseball (Detroit), the Essence Music Festival (New Orleans) and NASCAR (Indianapolis).

Even Chevy's 2006 calendar has a Big Apple twist, with 12 country acts pictured with Chevrolet vehicles in various New York locales. For example, calendar photographer Ron Strong lensed the July shot of Montgomery Gentry and the Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab in Manhattan's Battery Park.

The calendar is distributed in issues of People, Country Music Today, Country Weekly and Progressive Farmer.

Back on the live music front, the second annual Chevy Presents . . . Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, the American Revolution Tour commenced in Houston earlier this month.

Troy, a special guest on the 17-city trek, believes the awards "will change the atmosphere" for country in New York.

According to Kosak, as Chevrolet's portfolio expanded—with new models like the HHR and Cobalt—music became a more integral component of the company's marketing strategy. Two years ago, Chevrolet began buying into more media properties like the CMA Awards and the Grammy Awards.

Kosak calls these ideal properties for Chevrolet because they are "on strategy." Events like these "reach a multicultural audience," she adds. In the process of increasing its music-related partnerships, Chevrolet was forced to "let go of other things, like the outdoor category"—figure skating and soccer, for example.

After using it for 14 years, Chevrolet also recently let go of Bob Seger's "Like a Rock" as the theme for its Silverado TV spots. John Mellencamp's 14-year-old track "Now More Than Ever" is the truck's new theme. The Mellencamp spot, created by Chevrolet's ad agency Campbell-Ewald, debuted last month.

For numerous artists, Chevrolet is like a member of the family. "The company is redefining branded relationships," Murray says.

Blue County's Aaron Benward goes one step further: "Chevy was the dealmaker in bringing the CMA Awards to New York City. They were the bow on the wrapper."



NY MAKES ITS PITCH

The seeds for bringing the CMA Awards to New York were planted more than two years ago when NYC Big Events first approached the CMA about hosting the awards ceremony in the city. In September 2003, the NYC Big Events team, helmed by president Maureen Reidy and deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding Daniel Doctoroff, personally pitched the CMA board.

By April 2004, the CMA approached Chevrolet and Campbell-Ewald with an opportunity to partner for the event. "What we pitched initially has come to fruition, albeit with some added decorations," Murray says.

Having the CMA Awards in New York will generate global media attention for all parties involved. According to the city's Economic Development Corp., they will expose the city and the music to a global audience, while dropping millions into New York's coffers.

To make the effort as seamless as possible, Murray says it was imperative for there to be honest and open relationships among the CMA, the City of New York and the various brand partners. "Respecting each other has been key," he says. "Building relationships has served us well."

Some of these relationships involve CMA Awards-themed tie-ins between brand partners like Kmart and Prilosec OTC, AOL Music and Chevy, and XM Satellite Radio and Chevy.

In addition to increasing its country music coverage and hosting a CMA radio station, AOL Music has been spotlighting country artists in its in-studio performance program, AOL Music Sessions, which Chevrolet sponsors.

Numerous country stars, including Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney and Big & Rich, have delivered Sessions performances. And on Nov. 14, Network Live's Urban concert at Irving Plaza will be broadcast live on AOL Music, as well as XM Satellite Radio.

AOL Music VP of entertainment programming Scott Richman says, "Country music lovers make up a sizable and active segment of our audience." He describes the New York awards show as "a great opportunity for greater involvement and commitment to the genre."

Murray says that, each year, the CMA's goal is to bring partners together as early as possible.

"It is critical that we bring brand partners into next year's event sooner rather than later," Murray says. "And now, with the help of New York, we're on their radar screens."

The 40th annual CMA Awards return to Nashville next year. ••••