Posts Tagged ‘music app’

ZOOZ Mobile Engages GREAT! to Implement Social Media and Fan Engagement Strategies and Tactics for ZOOZbeat Apps

I love working on entertainment technology start-ups.

It’s energizing to be surrounded by incredibly smart colleagues with a laser-sharp, shared vision and bias-towards-action to create and market exciting entertainment experiences.

So when GREAT! was engaged (9/1/09) by ZOOZ Mobile, Inc., a leader in the new and fast growing interactive music space to implement the social media and fan engagement (community) strategies and tactics on an ongoing basis for its iPhone apps, it was (and is) the perfect fit for GREAT!

ZOOZbeat Artist Too $hort

More on the social media and fan engagement strategies and tactics in a moment. First some backstory on ZOOZ Mobile and its new ZOOZbeat™ music app.

ZOOZbeat Music reCreation Studio™

If you own an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, you can use your own expressive, intuitive gestures with the new ZOOZbeat app to re-mix and personalize songs from a growing list of major label and indie Artists; including: Cato, Easy Star All-Stars, Kutiman, Richard Devine, Street Lotto, Too $hort and Midnight Youth. Select a beat. Select an instrument. Shake, title or tap your iPhone to express yourself musically.

“With [ZOOZbeat], you don’t have to know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music than you can relate,” says ZOOZ Mobile Founder and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Gil Weinberg who developed the app with some of his graduate students at Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology in Atlanta (where he is the Founding Director).

ZOOZ Mobile has exclusive worldwide licenses to six pending Georgia Tech patents covering music intelligence, gesture recognition, latency reduction and software-hardware integration allowing SmartPhones with accelerometers to responsively and accurately generate and control music. The patent application was filed July 23, 2008 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Download in iTunes App Store

While November 7, 2009 marked the official 1-year anniversary of ZOOZbeat ["awesomeness" says TechCrunch's Robin Wauters) and "a remarkable product" says WIRED's Eliot Van Buskirk regarding the early generation ZOOZbeat app], the ZOOZbeat app traces its beginning back ten years to the MIT Media Labs PhD Thesis of Dr. Weinberg. In his Thesis, Dr. Weinberg envisioned Beatbugs that woud allow you to express yourself musically using a hand held device: even if you are not musically trained. Ten years ago, Beatbugs would have cost $600 to manufacture, estimates Dr. Weinberg.

It was only when Dr. Weinberg saw the first SmartPhone that he realized he could bring his thesis to the life as software. “My research focuses on developing algorithms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intentions,” Dr. Weinberg said in the Georgia Tech Digital Lounge. “The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly. With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”

The same day (10/14/09) that ZOOZ Mobile officially re-launched the new ZOOZbeat (featuring multi-section songs, multi-player, advanced editing and an in-App Store to purchase licensed music), CNN/CNN.com did in-depth stories that propelled ZOOZbeat to the number 2 most purchased music app in the Apple iTunes App Store; and 38th paid app overall. At the time of the re-launch, there were 85,000 apps in the iTunes App Store. And, not too longer after that, Discovery Science TV channel’s Pop Sci’s Future of: Pleasure episode featured Dr. Weinberg ZOOZin’ with the show’s host, Baratunde Thurston.

On December 22nd, National Public Radio’s (NPR) All Things Considered Host Robert Siegel interviewed Dr. Weinberg regarding the first intercontinental musical jam session between humans ZOOZin’ Live from SIGGRAPH ASIA 2009 in Yokohama, Japan with his autonomous marimba playing robot (‘Shimon’) in Atlanta and the NPR website featured Dr. Weinberg ZOOZin’ with ‘Shimon’ and Atlanta Hip-Hop Artist (and ZOOZbeat Fan) Street Lotto ZOOZin’ with ‘Shimon’ the robot. Plus, NPR All Tech Considered Writer Shereen Meraji wrote a ZOOZbeat backstory piece. [Plus, NPR Jazz Critic Patrick Jarenwattananon also wrote a piece.]

ZOOZbeat Sprite Launch

The same week as the NPR stories (12/22),  ZOOZ Mobile did a soft-launch announcing that it had teamed up with The Coca-Cola Company’s Sprite® brand to launch ZOOZbeat Sprite® (free); the first iPhone app to be offered through the Sprite ‘Under the Cap’ promotion. Each Sprite and Sprite Zero ‘Under the Cap’ code enables you to unlock additional beats and samples from these eight hot Artists:

Download in iTunes App Store

Dallas Austin, Khayree, Alex Christie, Sy Scott, Novel, sHeeD, LaRon Brant and Spree Wilson. [You can use our friend of GREAT! code – Sprite – to unlock Dallas Austin beats within the ZOOZbeat Sprite app.] Launch week, the ZOOZbeat Sprite app was among the Top 100 free music apps in the Apple iTune App Store.] Mobile marketing is an integral part of The Coca-Cola Company’s marketing plan wrote Mobile Marketer (12/24/09) about the launch of the ZOOZbeat Sprite App.

Social Media and Fan Engagement Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

Scott Geller joined ZOOZ Mobile as an advisor in January 2009, and then CEO and President in April. Mr. Geller built three successful technology companies since 1991, including 2order.com which he sold to public company, Primus Knowledge Solutions, in 2000 in a deal valued at $136 million.

Mr. Geller recognized the importance of a social media and fan engagement marketing plan to help achieve ZOOZ Mobile objectives with the launch of the new ZOOZbeat:

• Increase sales of ZOOZbeat (ZOOZbeat: $1.99 in the Apple iTunes App Store)
• Increase sales of Artists’ music (beats) and instrument packs through the in-App Store and at ZOOZbeat.com (from $0.99 to $1.99 for singles and multi-song collections from $2.99 to $9.99)
• Increase downloads ZOOZbeat Sprite (ZOOZbeat Sprite: free in the Apple iTunes App Store)
• Increase upgrades to the paid app from the free app
• Increase remixed song sharing among friends and the world (viral) via ZOOZbeat.com, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace ring tones and other social media sites
• Help create buzz for ZOOZ Mobile apps in support of additional major label and indie artist participation and additional strategic alliances and partnerships  in the entertainment space

The Top 10 Social media tools GREAT! implements on behalf of ZOOZ Mobile that have helped generate 1.2 million downloads of various editions of the ZOOZbeat app are:

1. ZOOZbeat Twitter: More than just building a list of ZOOZbeat Followers, we use Twitter strategically to generate media coverage and engage our fan base of ZOOZbeat Artists and Musicians. For example, this Tweet resulted in this front page ZOOZbeat story by Mashable (which then was re-tweeted 374 times and posted 34 times to Facebook within 10 days of publication by Mashable readers resulting in 909 views of a ZOOZbeat video, according to YouTube Insight analytics. (Plus, other blog sites re-posting the Mashable story and embedded the video …)
2. ZOOZbeat Blog: We write and post news stories to the ZOOZbeat blog. For example, Click Here for the blog posting announcing ZOOZbeat Sprite.
3. ZOOZbeat Update eNewsletter: We write, design and distribute a monthly eNewsletter. For example, Click Here for the ZOOZbeat Update eNewsletter when we announced the new ZOOZbeat (10/14/09). Click Here for the ZOOZbeat Update when we announced ZOOZbeat Sprite (12/22/09). We also encourage ZOOZbeat Musicians to offer their music remixing tips through this eNewsletter.
4. ZOOZbeat YouTube: If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million words. It’s often easier to demonstrate ZOOZbeat that it is to describe it. So, we post lots of How To Videos. Dr. Weinberg ZOOZin’ with Shimon the robot was viewed 22,000 times  in the first three weeks: much of the views are generated by the video being embedded by media, bloggers and fans. For example,www CNET News, SPIKE TV, Gizmodo, Synthtopia, NoiseAddicts and personal Facebook pages.
5. ZOOZbeat Flickr: We use Flickr to easily show media and blogs which ZOOZbeat digital assets — photos, screen shots and logos — are available for their coverage of the ZOOZbeat apps.
6. ZOOZbeat MySpace: We leverage the ZOOZbeat Artists fan based on MySpace. For example, a ZOOZbeat Artist sends an eBlast to its opt-in fan base or posts updates to its MySpace page regarding their ZOOZbeat songs (beats) for sale for remixing. Click Here to see how ZOOZbeat Artist Street Lotto includes ZOOZbeat on his MySpace page.
7. ZOOZbeat Facebook Fan Page: We’re just getting the conversation started on Facebook with ZOOZbeat Musicians. The magic of Facebook postings takes place on our friends’ Facebook pages (e.g. posting a link to ZOOZbeat.com featuring the song a ZOOZbeat Musician just re-mixed.)
8. ZOOZbeat iLike: While we feel like a music app belongs on the iLike music social media site, we haven’t (yet) figured-out how to best leverage ZOOZbeat on iLike. [The ZOOZbeat iLike featured song list includes the original ZOOZbeat anthem written and performed by Atlanta Hip-Hop Artist Street Lotto. Click Here for the lyrics to Street Lotto's ZOOZbeattttssss.]
9. ZOOZbeat FriendFeed: We use FriendFeed to re-purpose content. For example, when we post a new video on YouTube, FriendFeed automatically generates a Tweet and a Wall Update on the ZOOZbeat Facebook Fan Page.
10. Live Video Chat With ZOOZbeat via TokBox: We’re experimenting with offering free, live video chat Help Desk using the TokBox super simple blower based service for video chatting. [In the TokBox page, search for: ZOOZbeat]

The huge success of Rock Band and Guitar Hero have shown the potential of interactive music experiences. The ZOOZbeat app takes interactive music remixing and personalization of a fans’ favorite Artists songs to the next level.

With SmartPhones expected to “capture 37 percent [1.8 billion] of the worldwide cell phone market by 2014, a leap of 16 percent in 2009,” according to Pyramid Research as reported by CNET News (12/15/09), ZOOZbeat is well positioned at the intersection of three of the fastest growing technology market segments: mobile music entertainment; music-themed video games; and music-themed social networking.

I am thrilled that ZOOZ Mobile Founder & Chief Technology Officer Dr. Gil Weinberg and CEO & President Scott Geller engaged GREAT! to help ZOOZ Mobile achieve its goals by conceiving and implementing the company’s social media strategies and tactics. Plus, an Agency also known for its ideation, buzz marketing campaigns and strategic alliance development for our GREAT! television and entertainment Clients, we’re able to add strategic value to ZOOZ Mobile.

If you would like to read more about ZOOZbeat, GREAT! maintains a ZOOZbeat Delicious bookmark and ZOOZbeat Google Reader RSS feed that includes media and blog coverage of ZOOZbeat. You can also visit the ZOOZbeat Home Page or read the description of ZOOZbeat and ZOOZbeat Sprite in the Apple iTunes App Store.

To download, ZOOZbeat ($1.99) and ZOOZbeat Sprite (free), visit the Apple iTunes App Store.

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Postscript (2/9/10): Social Media and Fan Engagement (community) referred 45 percent of all traffic to ZOOZbeat.com in January 2010, up from 32 percent in November 2009 and 20 percent in August 2009, according to Google Analytics for ZOOZbeat.com. Five of the Top 10 of 318 referring sites to ZOOZbeat.com (11/1/09 through 1/31/10) were: Facebook, YouTube, and ow.ly (Twitter), Hootsuite (Twitter) and Twitter.

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Postscript (2/15/10): ZOOZ Mobile, Inc. CEO & President Scott Geller writes:

Dear Dan:

Thank you and congratulations!

Thank you for all your smart, hard and passionate work conceiving and implementing the Social Media and Fan Engagement marketing strategy and tactics for ZOOZ Mobile’s ZOOZbeat, ZOOZbeat Sprite and ZOOZbeat Jackson 5 Remix iPhone Music reCreation Studio™ apps.

And, congratulations! After just five months, it’s great to see that the GREAT! Social Media and Fan Engagement (community marketing) efforts referred 45 percent* of all traffic to ZOOZbeat.com in January 2010 up from 20 percent* prior to the start of our engagement of GREAT! on September 1, 2009.

Plus, your GREAT! work more than doubled visits to the ZOOZbeat home page. And, GREAT! generated additional traffic directly to the Apple iTunes App Store to download ZOOZbeat apps.

In addition to your GREAT! work on the ZOOZbeat Social Media and Fan Engagement marketing strategy and tactics, I also appreciate your insight, ideas and help in thinking through ZOOZbeat branding; pricing; stategic alliances, product development; product launches; and media relations.

Dan, thank you again for your GREAT! work.

Regards,

Scott

*Source: Google Analytics

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PostScript (3/19/10): ZOOZbeat Jackson 5 Remix app launched today (3/19/10): Media Release, ZOOZbeat Update eNewsletter, ZOOOZbeat Blog and YouTube. Download the ZOOZbeat Jackson 5 Remix app in the Apple iTunes App Store.

PostScript: (4/30/10): The ZOOZbeat app was among the top 35 free music apps in the Apple iTunes App Store, the week of April 26, 2010.

PostScript (9/1/10): Billboard Music App Awards Selects ‘ZOOZbeat Sprite’ As Finalist in the Best Branded App Category; Part of Billboard Mobile Entertainment Live!: The Music App Summit

ZXO.

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Dan Smigrod is GREAT! Chief Executive Officer & Chief Creative Officer.

Dan Smigrod

He founded his GREAT! Agency in 1988. His passions include international travel, Argentine Tango dancing, fashion and glamour photography and all things social media. Dan implements the social media and fan engagement strategy and tactics for GREAT! Client, ZOOZ Mobile, Inc. (ZOOZbeat), including ZOOZbeat Tweets, ZOOZbeat Blog, ZOOZbeat Update eNewsletter for the new ZOOZbeat Music reCreation Studio app for iPhone and iPod Touch.

A highlight of his 22+ years of his GREAT! Agency implementing turn-key travel experiences include chartering eight jet helicopters to fly a Client’s VIP guests from Las Vegas – in formation – to the Grand Canyon. Land. And, then have a champaign bunch with a former Miss America. Dan’s favorite travel/food/experience TV show is Anthony Bourdain No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Dan lives in Atlanta with his wife, Ann. Email: Dan Smigrod Twitter: @Smigrod