Virgin Mobile USA and Universal Music Group (UMG) are at it again – today announcing another major exclusive mobile music deal.
This time around, the two companies are serving up ringtones and voice greetings from top-selling Island Records act Sum 41 and their newly released album CHUCK, featuring the hit single “We’re All to Blame.”
As the first rock offering in the First Dibs program, Virgin Mobile, in conjunction with The Island Def Jam Music Group and UMG, will offer its customers exclusive access to Superphonic (a.k.a. real music) ringtones from Sum 41’s latest release, CHUCK.
The album was named in honor of Chuck Pelletier, a United Nations worker who daringly rescued the band from gunfire and bombs that erupted during their trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo to film a documentary on the impact of the nation’s longstanding civil war.
For the next two months, Virgin Mobile will be the only company to offer downloadable Superphonic ringtones for songs such as “We’re All to Blame,” “Pieces,” and “The Bitter End” from CHUCK (released October 12, 2004).
“We’re thrilled to be working with Island Def Jam and UMG on yet another major ringtone offer,” said Howard Handler, chief marketing officer of Virgin Mobile USA.
“We intend to continue to fill the First Dibs pipeline with a broad spectrum of music from hip-hop to rock to alternative rock to you name it – as long as it appeals to our customers.”
“Our partnership on First Dibs with Virgin Mobile continues to build another great bridge between our artists and a fan base that lives on their mobile phones,” Larry Mattera, SVP, New Media and Strategic Marketing, The Island Def Jam Music Group.
“Sum 41 is a perfect fit with Virgin Mobile’s customer demographic, and the First Dibs campaign is another great way to get the word out about their stellar new release.”
Virgin Mobile Users Get “First Dibs” Virgin Mobile users can already choose from thousands of downloadable ringtones from dozens of different genres.
But its ongoing “First Dibs” program – launched in June of 2004 – continues to be the first to score exclusive access to fresh new Superphonic ringtones from some top artists. Superphonic ringtones offer a true audio clip of an original recording, voice or sound just like you’d hear on a radio or digital music player.
“First Dibs” on CHUCK follow two earlier exclusive ringtone deals between Virgin Mobile and UMG.
In August, Virgin Mobile users got exclusive access to ringtones from platinum-selling album The Hunger for More from G-Unit’s Lloyd Banks, as well as from Young Buck’s debut release titled Straight Outta Cashville.
June 2004 saw the kick-off of Virgin Mobile’s “First Dibs” with exclusive access to ringtones from Detroit’s own D12, off the smash summer album D12 World.
