Vodafone and MTV to Discover the Next Big Music Act

Vodafone and MTV announce today the launch of Vodafone Fast-track, a competition designed to discover the next big music act and set them on a fast track to fame.

Over the next four weeks, any unsigned band or artist from 26 countries around the world has an opportunity to upload their best original track to the Vodafone Soundbites website (http://www.mtv-vodafonesoundbites.com and http://www.mtvsoundbites.com in the Netherlands) along with photographs and band/artist biographies to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record a single and a professionally produced music video which will be aired on MTV and distributed through Vodafone live!

From January 7 onwards, the MTV community will have the opportunity to vote for their favourites and select the ‘top 20’ hopefuls. The winner will then be selected by a panel of industry experts including well known music executives.

The winner’s single and music video will be produced by the MTV team who will also arrange studio time to record the winning track and secure TV broadcast during commercial airtime on MTV in 29 countries

Vodafone will then help set the winning band on a fast-track to fame. Utilising the global high speed mobile network the winner’s single will be distributed via Vodafone live! across 18 European markets, as well as Australia and New Zealand

The competition spot will also be integrated within the Vodafone Music Reporter profile on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/vodafonemusicreporter), where a forum will engage ‘friends of the community’ to discuss the favourite entrants. The winner’s video and single will then be available to stream from the MySpace Vodafone Music reporter profile.

The Vodafone Soundbites Fast-track competition will be supported by a marketing campaign with MTV running online and on TV across 26 countries.

“Following the success of Vodafone Music Reporter with MySpace, we continue to deliver unique music experiences to our customers across multiple platforms,” says David Wheldon Global Brand Director at Vodafone Group. “Vodafone Fast-track reinforces Vodafone’s credibility in the music industry, creates exciting opportunities for our customers and at the same time strengthens our position as a global communications brand.”

Jules Robinson, SVP, Viacom Brand Solutions International comments, "Together with Vodafone, MTV specifically created this competition to deepen and strengthen their consumers ability to engage with music and further to that contribute by defining talent within it. Empowering the consumer to select the future of new music talent across the world is an exciting and unique branding opportunity”

Vodafone is the world’s leading international mobile communications group with approximately 280 million proportionate customers as of 30 September 2008. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 27 countries across five continents and over 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com

About Viacom Brand Solutions International:
Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBSI), is Viacom’s international in-house brand solutions sales business. VBSI represents all the TV, digital and mobile channels of MTV Networks International – MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Flux, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One, Neopets, GameTrailers, Shockwave, Addicting Games, Atom Films and Xfire. MTV Networks’ brands are seen globally in 560 million households in 162 countries and 33 languages via more than 150 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 350 digital media properties.

VBSI delivers advertisers creative cross platform solutions that engage consumers by investing in significant insight and by utilising the strengths of our youth and entertainment brands across multiple markets. These solutions are founded upon definitive creativity and innovative solutions constructed around branded content, sponsorship, promotions, events, new media and licensing opportunities. For more information, please visit www.vbs-media.com