Today sees Warner Bros. Records stepping up its use of ShoZu’s image uploading service for mobile phones. WB have been working with ShoZu for quite some time already, enabling many artists to send mobile images and mobile video directly to fans via sites such as YouTube and Myspace.
Australia’s ‘The Veronicas’ were the first to use the service under the WB label last Febuary (2006). Each band member recorded their appearances at the gigs and instantly uploaded them to the TextAmerica website for all the fans to see, thus ushering in a new and exciting way for WB artists to engage with the fans.
Tt seems a year has been more than enough time for WB to ‘get it’ and decide to make use of all ShoZu has to offer with other artists and to expand it’s offering. They pay a monthly fee for use of the ShoZu service offerings and so far this seems to be a very promising business move for both sides.
The question is will it last? Will they lose money because fans see the gigs via their phone and don’t bother going? Is it just a fad that people will get tired of or will it become just as important as the merchandise that artists sell? Warner Bros seem to think that this format has legs. What do you think?
Some pics (originally uploaded via Shozu to another host) from “The Veronicas Day” NYC here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shawnblog/tags/theveronicas/
I also have some of the original videos (also originally uploaded via Shozu) but the original host killed the site. Maybe I’ll put them up on blip.tv now!
Nice one Shawn! If you do stick the vids up on blip.tv do let us know. It is interesting to see that people have made a point of remembering that concert because of this added feature.
We also ponder that if all gigs started doing it you would remember it less until it becomes as mundane as buying the ticket, thus losing it’s appeal?
I would love think it has some long term legs on it though
And thanks again for the pics!
David
The scenario I envisioned when “we” (I was the only one there from my company which is no longer my company) did this with Shozu is that an application that is embedded in every device (perhaps Shozu) will someday be a very normal addition to any event. Whether a performance or a protest, the organizers of an event will be able to easily set up a web address and give participants various levels of access rights to post video and other content.
I wish I had all the videos. Not long ago, I had a hard drive crash and lost most of that stuff. I was using my trusty old Nokia 6600 that day, so they are not the best resolution but I will put them up soon.
Surprisingly, my former employer still hosts the videos at the four URLs below but I suspect they will be gone soon, as they appear to have forgotten about them. These URLs were used to feed a main page which has been removed. See them here while they’re still up.
* Most of mine are in 2 of the 4 links below and the first one has a few post-Vday vlogs because Bree from WB kept the phone but maybe forgot where they videos were going…
http://vdaynyc1.textamerica.com/
http://vdaynyc2.textamerica.com/
http://vdaynyc3.textamerica.com/
http://vdaynyc4.textamerica.com/
I agree with your thoughts on how the content will be used. I would think it will be expected by users, nay demanded by them in much the same way as they would desire merchandise.
At the same token though, it could lose the “whizz” factor like anything. Remember back in the day when a camera on a phone was crazy and amazing! Now, if there isn’t one the phone is rubbish, but having one doesn’t mean you will use it or can use it as a strong selling point. The next evolution of this will be built in GPS and mapping as we can already see starting.
Cheers for the photos Shawn, really interesting to see some of the actual coverage that we wrote about. What are you involved in now then? Still in the mobile biz I am guessing?
David
Just started a new contract, yes.