Kia Motors Signs on as Inaugural Brand Sponsor of imeem for Android; New Version of Popular Social Music Application Now Available
SAN FRANCISCO – imeem, the leading social music service, announced the launch of a mobile advertising platform that offers brands new opportunities to connect with mobile consumers through imeem for Android, imeem’s popular social music application for the Android mobile platform.
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the first brand advertiser to leverage imeem’s new platform, using it to promote the Kia Soul, an all-new compact SUV launching next spring in the U.S.
As part of a cross-platform advertising campaign, Kia Soul will have a branded display presence across the imeem for Android user interface, as well as a featured Kia Soul-branded Internet radio station on the application. In addition to its mobile advertising program, Kia Motors will have a presence on the imeem.com service through a profile and display advertising on media streaming pages throughout the site.
“Kia Motors wants to reach its target audience through creative campaigns that complement their style and fast-paced way of life,” said David Schoonover, Customer Relationship Marketing Manager for Kia Motors America. “imeem helps us achieve that goal by connecting our brand with a youthful community and an engaging social music experience that fits the Kia Soul lifestyle.”
“imeem has created a way for advertisers to live at the center of consumers’ social music experience,” said Jason Meil, executive vice president and director of Innovations at Initiative, Kia Motors’ media, marketing and digital company. “Working with imeem will enable Kia Motors to meaningfully tap into an engaged community where millions of people express themselves with music and media on a daily basis.”
Today, imeem also released a new version of imeem for Android with several new recommendation features. imeem for Android is already among the ten most-downloaded apps in the Android Market, and is currently the number one music-streaming application. New features in the upgraded version, available now through the Android Market, include:
* Location-based streaming stations featuring the most popular music in the user’s city
* Detailed artist bios
* Artist recommendations to help fans discover similar artists to the ones they already love
* An all-new seasonal station featuring popular holiday music
“We are excited to be working with Kia Motors to help introduce the new Kia Soul to North American consumers,” said Steve Jang, chief marketing officer and head of business development for imeem. “imeem for Android broke new ground in enabling people to experience social music anywhere. Now, we are giving brand partners the flexibility to be a part of that experience, on the go or at the PC.”
imeem for Android is seamlessly integrated with the social features on imeem.com, providing the first cross-platform social music experience. imeem for Android brings free streaming music and personalized radio to the mobile phone, enabling people to create custom Internet radio stations by searching for specific artists, discover new music through personalized recommendations and listen to the most popular artists in the imeem community. More information about imeem for Android is available via http://www.imeem.com/mobile.
About imeem
imeem is the world’s largest social music service that enables users to discover, interact and express themselves with media, including music, video, photos and playlists, and form connections with other people based on shared tastes and interests. By using innovative media expression tools and social discovery features, including custom music playlists, video channels, photo slideshows and blogs, the imeem community can share their tastes with friends and fans on imeem and across the Web.
imeem is the first social network to partner with all four major labels as well as thousands of independent labels and video providers to offer free, on-demand streaming of all music and video content on an ad-supported basis. Launched in March 2006, the Web-based service attracts over 25 million unique users a month. imeem’s network of embeddable audio and video playlist widgets reaches over 100 million users a month, according to Quantcast. To learn more, visit http://www.imeem.com.
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers throughout the United States. For 2007, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of record U.S. sales. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline “The Power to Surprise.” Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – http://www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com.
