February 19, 2007

Microsoft: Live Earth Concerts ‘Incredible Opportunity’ for Advertisers

The official announcement for the Live Earth concerts has taken place with the news that MSN Network, in partnership with Kevin Wall, executive producer of Live 8 and CEO of the Control Room, has launched Save Our Selves (SOS) - The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis.  Platforms include television, film, radio, the Internet and, the campaign’s cornerstone, Live Earth, the 24-hour concert on 7/7/07 across all seven continents that Al Gore, among others, is championing.

“This is at an unprecedented scale and an incredible opportunity for [advertisers] to connect their message with an audience that is global in reach, that is going to be engaged in terms of caring deeply about the issue, and will enable [advertisers] to connect with a movement,” ClickZ reports Adam Sohn, director in the online services group at Microsoft, as saying. ”There’s going to be new advertising inventory through this effort, obviously as part of this network we are going to be building out,” he continued.

“SOS is creating an unmatched communications platform to take on an unparalleled crisis,” Wall said. “Our message must saturate the globe if we’re to succeed, and we will. In the U.S., we’re partnering with NBC-Universal and its networks. On satellite radio, we have SIRIUS and XM. In the UK, we’re partnering with the BBC. In Japan, we have a historic partnership with two broadcast partners. We have already secured television, Internet and wireless coverage in 120 countries, and the rest are soon to come.”

The SOS site offers newsletters, energy-savings tips and news on the Live Earth concerts, which will take place in Brazil, Shanghai, Japan, Johannesburg, London, Sydney, and the Eastern U.S.  

When Live Earth occurs, the promoters hope to attract two billion people through concert attendance and broadcasts. Proceeds from the event will go to The Alliance for Climate Protection which is chaired by Gore. Gore said his Current TV cable channel would contribute pro bono work on the campaign.

“At MSN, we have the worldwide audience and the technology stage to help unite a global community around SOS and Live Earth,” said Joanne Bradford, corporate vice president and chief media officer of MSN. “Anyone around the world with an Internet connection will be able to come to MSN to view not just the concert events, but also an extensive collection of interactive media that will entertain, educate, inspire and ultimately drive change.”

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