Samsung joins with Bebo in social networking partnership

<p>The partnership will include a number of core strands including: the opportunity to provide content for the Bebo music homepage, eight monthly live events, ‘Samsung Bebo Nights Live at the Gibson Guitar Studio’, a Samsung music profile and ground breaking original programming with new music show ‘Beat’. A first for both Samsung and Bebo this collaboration is designed to excite music fans and bring them closer to their favourite artists through the delivery of unique content, talent access and live events, both online and offline. It also marks the start of Samsung’s commitment to music with the launch of the Samsung Beat DJ handset.</p>
<p>Mikah Martin-Cruz, Marketing Director, Samsung UK, commented “We are an innovative company that pushes the boundaries of technology to entertain and improve people’s lives. The scale of this partnership is a first for Samsung and is testament to how seriously we take social networking and the need to pioneer new ways of engaging our core audiences. We will work closely with Bebo, the music industry and our network partners to use these platforms to build closer artist fan relationships.”</p>
<p>“By coming together Bebo and Samsung are able to combine great music content with powerful social networking tools, enabling fans to converse and connect around the music and artists that they love in a meaningful way,” added Kate Burns, VP and Managing Director Europe, Bebo. “Great editorial combined with live events especially for Bebo users, will create a powerful and engaging combination of content and community, enabling us to penetrate the conversation in both the online and offline worlds of our users.”</p>
<p>The partnership will offer Samsung access to more than 10 million* monthly Bebo users in the UK and Ireland and will create a music experience that makes it easy for individuals to connect with one another, share content, and explore common passions.</p>
<p>Samsung will manage a dedicated music profile that will feature Samsung’s music activity, both on and offline, and has joined forces with Bebo and global production company Endemol to produce a groundbreaking new online music show and Bebo Original, ‘Beat’. This daily music feast will launch in June, and will provide constantly evolving live content featuring the hottest new bands, exclusive performances, big star interviews, tour blogs, music news, mobile content, competitions, and a whole lot more.</p>
<p>Samsung and Bebo will also come together to launch ‘Samsung Bebo Nights’ which will mark the social network’s first foray into live music events. Samsung Bebo Nights will be a monthly live performance of established and up-and-coming music acts at the famous Gibson Guitar Studio in Central London. The parties are in discussions to feature the White Lies and The Maccabees as co-headliners for the first Samsung Bebo Nights show, which is planned to take place on the 1st June. Open to Bebo users this series of intimate live events will extend the reach of Bebo music offline and will feature cutting edge music talent from across the globe.</p>
<p>Samsung views its partnership with Bebo as part of a more extensive and longer-term commitment to music and in particular new music. This announcement follows the launch of Samsung’s iconic music handset portfolio, The Beat Edition, which launches this month with the Samsung BeatDJ handset, aimed at 16 – 25 year old music fans. Working with the grand masters of sound, Bang &amp; Olufsen, the Samsung Beat DJ has audio powered by Bang &amp; Olufsen ICEpower plus the perfect combination of touch-screen technology and beautiful design. The overall Music strategy and plan was developed, in collaboration with the Bebo Music department, by leading entertainment consultancy Octagon with social media specialists Jam supporting Octagon on the Bebo plan and negotiation.</p>
<p>***
Notes to Editors:
1. The Samsung Bebo partnership follows Samsung’s headline partnership with NME and the Samsung NME Radar Tour which started at the end of April and hits 14 cities around the country. The Tour features up and coming talent La Roux, Magistrates, Heartbreak and The Chapman Family.
2. Samsung Mobile believes that great sound quality is essential for true enjoyment of music and as such has teamed up with audio specialists Bang &amp; Olufsen to feature ICEpower technology in their new Beat Edition handsets.</p>
<p>About Samsung Electronics</p>
<p>Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of two business units: Digital Media &amp; Communications and Device Solutions. Recognised as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.</p>
<p>About Samsung Mobile UK</p>
<p>• Samsung Mobile division manufactures and markets a wide range of mobile telecommunications products across pre-pay and post-pay markets, in both the consumer and business segments.
• Samsung mobile phones are divided into six major categories – Style, Infotainment, Multimedia, Connected, Essential and Business and is headed up by Vice President Mark Mitchinson.
• The Mobile division is part of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2006 parent company sales of US$63.4 billion and net income of US$8.5 billion.
• For more information, please visit www.samsungmobile.co.uk</p>
<p>About Bebo</p>
<p>Bebo is your life online. It is a social experience the helps you discover what's going on with your world and helps the world discover what’s going on with you. Bebo has more than 27 million* unique visitors worldwide and on the days that they use Bebo, they spend an average of 21* minutes on the site.</p>
<p>Bebo is a part of AOL People Networks, a collection of community platforms that help improve people’s lives by connecting them with everyone and everything they care about. People Networks does this through a Web-based experience on Bebo.com, through desktop clients and mobile devices.</p>
<p>People Networks combines the AIM and ICQ personal communications networks, social media network Bebo and social search and answer service Yedda. People Networks' collection of community platforms reaches 88 million** unduplicated users worldwide. People Networks is a business unit of AOL LLC, a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.</p>
<p>Source for metrics data in this release:</p>
<p>* Custom AOL-defined MediaGlow report, based on comScore Media Metrix Audience Duplication report (March 2009)
** Custom AOL-defined People Networks report, based on comScore Media Metrix Audience Duplication report (March 2009)</p>
<p>About Gibson Guitar:</p>
<p>Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar, the Gibson Robot Guitar and Gibson's Dark Fire represent the biggest advances in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo , Michigan , and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro,Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Baldwin, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, J&amp;C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton , and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.</p>

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