Although CTV isn't hosting a party during the 20th annual live broadcast of the MuchMusic Video Awards Sunday, fans of the Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga, and the Black Eyed Peas will have more ways than ever to interact with the show and watch their favourite performers, thanks to two new brand partnerships. The music station is joining forces with Pepsi and Nokia to create online experiences—dubbed the MMVAs Backstage Live and the Nokia Sound Check—designed to increase fan access to the event this year.
"We like to think of the MMVAs as the Super Bowl for youth in Canada. Advertisers get to attach themselves to a platinum event, and some sponsors want to dig deeper and create exclusive experiences. This year Pepsi and Nokia wanted to step it up and do something extra special around their sponsorship of the MMVAs," said Brad Schwartz, senior vice president and general manager of Much MTV Group.
The station's partnership with Pepsi—which is launching its new Share the Joy campaign during the broadcast—led to an initiative called the MMVAs Backstage Live, which will provide fans with six different perspectives on the award show. “You can turn on your television and watch the MMVAs the way we want you to, the way our directors and producers have envisioned the show, and then you can also at the same time go online and view six different screens showing you various experiences at the MMVAs," Schwartz said.
The screens include an HD feed, a view of the press room, a view of a V.I.P. room, two fan cams, and a separate director’s cut. "When you’re dealing with young people today, just offering one perspective of the show almost isn’t enough. People want to see what’s going on in the backstage V.I.P. rooms, the press room, and what it would look like if you were actually there in person," Schwartz said.
Cheryl Radisa, vice president of consumer marketing for Pepsico Beverages Canada, said in a statement, “The Pepsi brand is refreshing our look and our entire approach to marketing, and this is a perfect example of how we’re doing that—by sharing the minute-by-minute joy of the MMVAs with consumers where they hang out—in the online space.”
Nokia is also offering an opportunity for one fan to host the sound check on Friday and Saturday. "People had to upload a photo of themselves and write a blurb about why they would be the best person to host the Nokia Sound Check. It was our biggest success ever...we had thousands of entries," Schwartz said. The selected host will use a Nokia phone to deliver a live video and Twitter stream of their experience online at muchmusic.com.
Virgin Mobile, Subway, and Molson have also signed on to sponsor the show this year. "We had a couple of sponsors drop out for various reasons, and we had a couple of new sponsors like Virgin Mobile come in. Was it more difficult? Everything is more difficult this year. Is it a platinum event that you can guarantee will sell out every year? Yes, and we are sold out," Schwartz said.
Meanwhile, more than 2,000 people camped out last week, some as early as Wednesday night, to get wristbands for the event, which were handed out Saturday. MuchMusic is now appealing to wristband-holders to refrain from camping out prior to the show this weekend.
Last year, the television channel hosted an indoor/outdoor party for some 2,000 guests during the award show and an additional 3,000 fans lined the streets to see performances by the likes of Rihanna, New Kids on the Block, Flo Rida, Simple Plan, and Finger Eleven. This year, there won't be a party.
Confirmation notices sent to accredited media informed members of the press that MuchMusic is not hosting a party due to the current economic climate. “The focus of the MMVAs has been and will always be about putting our fans first, and this year is no exception. We are using all of our resources to make the MMVAs the most exciting and fan-accessible award show on the planet," the notice said.
The two-hour broadcast goes live from the MuchMusic headquarters at 299 Queen St. West at 9 p.m. Sunday. A red carpet special airs before the awards.
