Tower Records' Ad Campaign Gets Jiggy Wit It

Tower Records' Ad Campaign Gets Jiggy Wit It

New TV Spots Tap Into Viewers' Pop-Culture Knowledge

SEATTLE, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Tower Records, America's leading independent music and movie retailer, today announced that it has launched a new advertising campaign in top markets across the nation called "Life Played Loud," building on the company's momentum as it enters the upcoming holiday-selling season. The campaign explores the way music and movies influence our daily lives in indelible ways, becoming more than just popular culture but part of our everyday vocabulary, often with unexpected, humorous results.

The new campaign features a pair of 30-second TV spots (available at: http://www.sedgwickrd.com/work/port/portfolio_tower.htm ), as well as 15-second versions, in addition to outdoor and radio ads, all of which promote specific songs and films as well as Tower Records' expansive line of music, movies, games and gadgets. The TV spots were conceived and executed by advertising agency Sedgwick Rd. in the five weeks after they were awarded the Tower account. Built upon Tower's extensive consumer research and market tests completed this summer, the collaborative effort demonstrates Tower Records' understanding of the powerful role pop culture plays in our lives while reinforcing Tower Records as the best destination for those who are "tuned in" to this zeitgeist.

"Our new ads demonstrate that Tower Records is about a lifestyle, enhancing consumers' lives through music, movies, games and gadgets," states Russ Eisenman, senior vice president of marketing for Tower Records. "Sedgwick Rd. has done an amazing job of capturing the essence of our brand and bringing it to life for consumers in a memorable way."

"The Talk"

"The Talk" spot begins with a relaxing morning of fishing for a father and his young son. The inquisitive youngster creates an uncomfortable situation for Dad when he asks where babies come from. Dad's response to the birds-and-the-bees question, answers the question without actually answering the question ... by referencing the following songs and movies, with hilarious results:

-- "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge -- "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" by Will Smith -- Free Willy - 1993 film -- "Push It" by Salt n Pepa -- Gone in 60 Seconds - 2000 film -- "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears -- "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry

"The Blessing"

The "Blessing" spot opens with a young man seated at the dining room table, ready to begin a formal dinner with his girlfriend's parents and grandmother. The scene quickly becomes awkward when the stern patriarch asks the boyfriend to say grace. The nervous young man resorts to making up a prayer that is comprised of quotes from popular songs and movie titles, with funny yet questionable success:

-- "Beautiful Day" by U2 -- Dirty Harry - 1971 film -- "Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi -- "Muskrat Love" by Captain & Tennille

The television ads will run in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Hawaii, airing on network and cable stations starting on October 24 and running through the end of the year. Radio ads and non-traditional Outdoor ads are forthcoming.

About Tower Records

Since 1960, Tower Records has been recognized and respected throughout the world for its unique brand of retailing. Founded in Sacramento, California, with the singular vision to have a music store with unparalleled selection and fair prices, Tower forges ahead with the development of exciting shopping environments, espousing diverse product ranges, artist performances, and technological advances in merchandising. Tower maintains its commitment to providing the deepest selection of entertainment merchandise in stores that celebrate the unique interests and needs of the local community.

Tower owns and operates 89 stores in the U.S. with a further 144 stores run by licensees in nine different countries. The company opened one of the first Internet music stores on America Online in June 1995 and followed a year later with the launch of Tower.com.

NOTE: Tower, Tower Records, Tower Records Videos Books, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of MTS, Incorporated in the United States and other countries.

Source: Tower Records

CONTACT: Lisa Amore, +1-206-322-4658, or lisa@amorepr.com; or Ray Vincenzo of Sedgwick Rd., +1-206-971-4278, or ray.vincenzo@sedgwickrd.com, for Tower Records

Web site: http://www.towerrecords.com/

------- Profile: Ent