Global Partnership Combines Music Expertise, Innovative Technology and Massive Global Reach to Share Music With the World NEW YORK/ATLANTA - Spotify and
Urban artists, DJs, F1® drivers and action sports athletes collaborate in a creative collision, culminating in burn Yard™ Live event in Budapest LONDON, Monday June 10, 2013 Imagine the most forward-thinking DJs collaborating with leading street artists, world-class action sports athletes and Lotus F1® Team drivers. This is burn Yard™, a new creative program from burn, which will encourage leading innovators from art, music and sport to collaborate and form a cross-culture collective. The results of the collaboration will be showcased at burn Yard™ Live, the first in a series of live events which will take place in Budapest on July 26, 2013. Housed in an ex-industrial building in the city, the theme of burn Yard™ Live will be to bring a new creative energy to discarded and obsolete objects and make them beautiful again. Transforming the space through sculpture and street art, burn Yard™ Live will bring a new lease of life to the abandoned building, climaxing in performances from some of world’s most sought after DJs. The artists joining the burn Yard™ Collective are forward thinkers and creative leaders in their own fields. Members include international DJ Avicii, street artist M-City, conceptual artist Gerry Judah, skateboarder Rune Glifberg and Lotus F1® Team driver Kimi Räikkönen. They will work together by testing new creative fusions to inspire people across the world. Highlights of the burn Yard™ program include Avicii and Lotus F1® Team working on a groundbreaking new track incorporating the passion of F1®. Judah and Glifberg will design an interactive sculpture to be used by the world’s best skateboarders, which will be the centerpiece for burn Yard™ Live. Gerry Judah commented: “I’m pleased to have a young guy like Rune keeping me on my toes. He speaks his own language in terms of art, passion and creativity and I speak mine. No one can say how well these languages will come together but burn is taking a risk as we collaborate to create a structure which bears the mark of two very different men.” M-City said: “In my country, Poland, street art has a very long history. At first, it was to give a political message but now street art has become more and more expressive. It can be hard to collaborate sometimes because I have my own expressive style so working with burn and the other guys will be a real experiment of creativity.” burn Yard™ Live, in Budapest, will be a public event where people can live the fusion of music, art and sports. Throughout the year, burn will produce an inspirational video documentary to tell the story of burn Yard™. This will demonstrate how the Collective has been working together to produce innovative creative projects. The challenges and triumphs of their collaborations will be told through this inspirational documentary. To apply for tickets to attend burn Yard™ Live in Budapest, go to www.burnyardbudapest.com. The burn Yard™ program aims to nurture and inspire creative talent and provide a platform to showcase groundbreaking ideas. - ENDS - Notes to Editors About the Collective AviciiWhat Avicii and his manager Ash Pournouri have managed in a few years is astonishing. Beginning his career at 18, the self-taught, fresh-faced Swede that is Avicii has had greater success at 22 than most could ever hope for in a lifetime. With chart-toppers such as Seek Bromance, My Feelings For You, Fade into Darkness, Silhouettes and LE7ELS, Avicii has, since 2008, risen from bedroom music-maker to international superstar. He has headlined Ultra Music Festival with Madonna, completed a $1 million charity tour with his manager Ash Pournouri, done an exclusive collaboration with Ralph Lauren: Denim & Supply and embarked on one of the biggest Electronic Dance Music arena tours to date. Avicii now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the most in-demand and elite artists on the planet. M-CityMariusz Waras, known professionally as M-City is Poland's best-known street artist renowned for his for his work within public spheres. Intrigued by industrial spaces and their surroundings, M-City creates large-scale murals - some up to 85 metres long, taking his inspiration from the factories, hydroelectric plants, chimneys, and cranes that dominate his native town. Gerry JudahGerry Judah is one of the world's leading installation artists. He has created settings for the BBC, British Museum, Imperial War Museum, performers including Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, The Who, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and has worked in a number of theatre productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera House and the English National Opera as well as creating spectacular sculptures for the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed and bridges in London and Cambridge. Amongst a number of commissions from public museums and institutions, Gerry has produced a highly acclaimed body of large three-dimensional paintings exploring the devastations of war and the ravages man has made upon the environment, many of which have entered international public and private collections. Rune GlifbergUniversally recognized as one of the true legends of the sport and one of the most stylish and progressive skaters on the planet, Danish skater Rune Glifberg brought his skills and experience to burn’s new skate program, as team founder and mentor. “Adding burn to my list of sponsors is an honor and a privilege. It opens up new doors and opportunities for my career, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join the burn skateboard team.”- Rune Glifberg Kimi RäikkönenKimi Räikkönen burst onto the Formula 1 scene in 2001 and was quickly recognised as a star for the future. After finishing as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship to Michael Schumacher in 2003 and again to Fernando Alonso in 2005, he finally took the title in 2007 at the very last race of the year. After a two year hiatus from the sport in 2010/2011, Kimi announced his return to Formula 1 with Lotus F1 Team for the 2012 season and instantly demonstrated the skill and technique which have seen him rated as one of the most natural talents of a generation; seven podium finishes – including victory at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – seeing him clinch P3 in the Drivers’ Championship during his comeback year. Picking up where he left in 2012, the Iceman currently occupies P2 in the Driver’s Championship having taken four podiums from the opening five races in 2013; including an emphatic victory at the season opening Australian Grand Prix. About burn BURN® energy drink is a category leader in the global energy drink explosion. The red formula is a symbol of active fire that provides drinkers with the energy needed to leave their original vision on the world. Dismantling category norms, consumers embody a live-out-loud mentality, without fear of boundaries created by society. Burn is a brand of The
Half a century of the Bundesliga has produced a host of superstars, including Toni Schumacher, Lothar Matthäus, Sepp Maier, Jupp Heynckes, Diego and Lukas Podolski. What would happen if some of these outstanding footballers of the last five decades were to meet in one game? Coke Zero has made the impossible, possible. With commenting by the legendary Frank Buschmann, this ad makes the heart of any football fan beat a little faster. August 24, 1963 is the day that a legend, the Bundesliga, was born with a match that pitted Borussia Dortmund against Werder Bremen. The very first goal of the day, scored by BVB player Timo Konietzka just 58 seconds into play, is a story that has been re-told countless times in the 50 years since it happened. It’s hard to understand in an age when there are dozens of TV cameras covering every game but there wasn’t a single photographer to capture Konietzka’s historic goal. It’s a moment that lives today only because it has been passed on by those who were in the stadium that day. Today the Bundesliga is a premium brand with a global following. It's been 50 years filled with radiant winners, tragic heroes and inconsolable losers. The German football league has compiled the highlights on their jubilee website 50 Jahr Bundesliga.
Last September I attended the Global Citizen Festival- a massive advocacy concert held by the Global Poverty Project (GPP) in Central Park, New York to coincide with the General Assembly. The event brought together 60,000 change makers, and artists like Neil Young with Crazy Horse, the Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, John Legend, Band of Horses and K’NAAN. Run in partnership with top charities, the event helped secure $1.3 billion in commitments for projects helping fight extreme poverty. Also, people at the concert earned their way in by taking action through the Global Citizen platform. The event was undoubtedly heard around the globe – proving to be the largest ever live streamed syndicated charity concert in history. Since this festival the world continues to question: What is next from GPP and how will they continue to build this immense movement aimed to eliminate extreme poverty within our lifetime? Each day I am personally moved by their impact but also wholly impressed by their ability to engage people by building awareness around complex issues such as women’s empowerment, water stewardship, and environmental sustainability. In doing so, they ultimately increase the number and effectiveness of people of taking actions. Hugh Evans, founder of GPP who was recently named by Forbes as “the” leading global social entrepreneur in “30 Under 30” All Changing Your World Right Now, was recently at our
Second season of the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge open to aspiring designers nationwideAtlanta, May 16, 2013 – Extraordinary style isn’t limited to high-fashion runways or design studios. Look around any office, college campus or city block and you’ll see people with a passion for fashion and an eye for design getting creative and having fun with their individual style.To celebrate the spirit of independent stylists and fashionistas everywhere, Diet Coke is launching the second season of its annual Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge – an opportunity of a lifetime for a style maven to become the next great fashion designer. Diet Coke is the number one calorie-free brand and number two beverage in the country behind
For as long as we can remember, we have been a
Coke Zero challenged unsuspecting train passengers to unlock the 007 in them for their chance to win exclusive tickets for the new James Bond movie SKYFALL. However, the exclusive tickets weren't free. People had to go the extra mile and unlock their inner 007 in less than 70 seconds to win. To find out more about #CokeZero007 : http://www.facebook.com/cokezero Check out the behind the scenes! http://youtu.be/it1SU-w-mI8
From Boston to Mumbai, Diet Coke has been quenching thirst for 30 years, and its fans are a wildly enthusiastic bunch. The amber-colored bubbly has inspired everything from graffiti to jewelry to a video featuring the experiments of two madcap scientists that has been viewed on YouTube more than 15 million times. Clearly it’s more than a beverage, it’s an iconic marker on our cultural landscape. It has also been a long-time favorite of the fashion-forward pack. So it’s no wonder that they teamed with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to challenge fashion students nationwide to create a limited-edition T-shirt to be sold in Target stores. Called the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge, hundreds of up-and-comers sent in entries. The grand prize, selected by renowned designers Cynthia Rowley, Zac Posen and L’Wren Scott, went to a young man who spent his childhood dreaming not of Seventh Avenue, but of a surgical suite. From Doctor-to-Be to Marine to Design Student Born and raised in Cuba, Gustavo Alonso spent as much time studying English as he did hanging out with his friends. A determined kid from the start, he knew that one day he’d move to the United States, and when that day came he wanted to be ready. He was 10 when he and his mother packed their bags (his parents split when he was young), and he calls his arrival in Miami an equal mix of fear and excitement. “I had grown up in a big city,” he says of his native Havana, “but nothing could have prepared me. It was overwhelming.” After the initial bout of culture shock, Alonso says it didn’t take him long to think big. “I always thought I’d be a doctor,” Alonso says now, laughing at the memory. “My only interest in fashion was that I made pretty elaborate Halloween costumes. Like one year I was an Egyptian pharaoh. I mean, my mother was a seamstress and I used to watch her make clothes, but I didn’t think of it as a career.” Alonso excelled in his studies; upon graduating high school he enlisted in the United States Marines Corps in order to pave his way to college. “After boot camp I was stationed in Jacksonville, North Carolina,” he says. “I was the personal clerk for the commander of our base. I just felt so lucky to have a job that I loved.” Alonso served four years, and then moved back to Miami to consider his options. He calls his decision to trade in a stethoscope for a sewing machine the result of a subtle shift in thinking, an inkling that his interest in fashion could one day develop into real passion. That passion was realized as soon as Alonso enrolled at the Miami International University for Art and Design. “The first class I took was pattern making, and right away it felt right,” he says. There were lots of contests that Alonso heard about — he says his teachers were always encouraging students to enter their designs — but winning proved elusive. “I entered all of them!” Alonso exclaims. “The same thing always happened, I’d get selected as a finalist but I’d never win the prize.” Alonso, undeterred, approached the Diet Coke challenge with his customary gusto. His winning design — a woman wearing a chic, red trench-style coat — was inspired by a pink coat he designed and made for his tailoring class. “When I started sketching ideas for the Diet Coke shirt, I knew I wanted to use the coat, but right away changed the color to red. I felt it was strong and sexy. My idea was simple — I wanted every woman to see it and say, ‘I want to be that girl in the red coat.’” Getting Major Recognition Mission accomplished. Erik Jenkins, Diet Coke's brand manager of Diet Coke, says Alonso's design really connected with consumers. “His dramatic take, featuring a mysterious woman in that vivid red coat, had an undeniable allure. His design set the tone for why Diet Coke is more than just a refreshing beverage. It’s an extraordinary fashion statement.” Apart from winning a $10,000 scholarship and a trip to New York for a glam launch party hosted by Glamour magazine, Alonso says he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of adoration from friends and fans alike. “People kept texting me photos of my shirt displayed at different Target stores across the country,” he says. “It has been one of the best experiences of my life. I graduate in March 2013, and I can only hope that I’ll have the opportunity to work for a great designer. Maybe one day I’ll be fortunate enough to have my own line, or see one of my dresses at the Oscars.” What does Alonso say of his passion for fashion now? He doesn’t hesitate. “Obsession is more like it!” To learn more about the judging of the T-shirt — which debuted at Target on September 8, 2012 — watch the video below. More Entertainment Stories:Marc Jacobs Reveals Collection for Diet Coke in LondonThe Secret History of Charlie Brown's ChristmasNot-So-Strange Laws
It’s the 30th anniversary of Diet Coke in Europe this year and on Monday this week we held an event to celebrate our partnership with designer Marc Jacobs as creative director. Despite the freezing weather, people travelled from across Europe to London to see the first reveal of the limited edition bottles and to hear Marc discuss his inspiration for the campaign. After months of planning, it’s an exciting moment for the Diet Coke team! We started the event by showing a film that Marc stars in for Diet Coke. In the film, three women were invited to join him on a fashion journey through the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s – the three decades since the launch of Diet Coke. After a brief pause all eyes focused on the stage and after an exciting teaser video the curtain dropped to reveal three giant versions of the bottles Marc had created for us – each inspired by a different decade – alongside the designer himself.After a Q&A session with Marc, where he discussed his inspiration for the designs, his views on different trends and his love of Diet Coke, we had a quick look online and saw already the first mentions appearing – it’s a great feeling to see positive feedback from Diet Coke fans. At that point we switched off the laptop and enjoyed the rest of the evening – a night of food, drinks and entertainment inspired by the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s!See below for a video capturing the night's excitement. Rob Bayne is Senior Brand Manager for Diet Coke in North West Europe and Nordics.More Entertainment Stories:Unlock the 007 in you. You have 70 seconds!The Former Marine Who Won the Diet Coke Young Designer ChallengeMusic That Moves: Watch Taylor Swift's New Diet Coke Ad
Whistling--This is generally not a crime. But if it’s heard after 11 PM and more than one hundred feet away, it’s illegal in Athens GA. Well, sort of. Law enforcement officials say the ordinance is really meant for all human made LOUD noises… especially parties. This is just one of many laws across the country taken out of context by strange law websites. Georgia judge Charles Auslander says it doesn’t surprise him how laws get twisted. “From the way that it's written, to the way that somebody thinks it’s written, to what they tell their friend, to what is on the Internet--I mean that doesn’t surprise me at all.” Strange laws spread by word of mouth and on the Internet… but what is spread may not be exactly what is on the books. Judge Auslander says what most people consider “strange laws” are really just antiquated or misconceptions of the real law. For example, sites like dumblaws.com list odd local laws in each U.S. state. Laws like: it’s illegal to give away a goldfish to entice someone to play Bingo in Athens GA; it's unlawful to raise rats in Billings Montana; and it's illegal for any person in El Monte California to use a pinball machine.Judge Auslander says even if these laws are taken somewhat out of context, they do not affect laws typically enforced. “I think that people need to realize these laws were enacted at a time when things were different and so it shouldn’t surprise people that maybe back years and years ago somebody felt they were important. But I don’t think it takes away from the laws that people expect to be enforced today.” But many so-called strange laws originate from laws still enforced today, says Athens-Clarke Commissioner Kelly Girtz. Take for example the goldfish and bingo law. Dumblaws.com says that in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, “Goldfish may not be given away to entice someone to enter a game of bingo.” However, the full text of the “Animal Giveaway” ordinance reads: “No person in Athens-Clarke County shall give away any live animal, fish, reptile or bird as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game, or other competition, or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement, or offer such animal as an incentive to enter into any business agreement whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade.” Girtz says this law as it stands today is not about free fish and bingo. He says he believes it has to do with more serious issues like chicken and dog fighting. “Unfortunately and this is really unfortunately, we’ve actually still had violations of that code. So I haven’t heard of any fish fighting… but some cock fighting and dog fighting.” Strange laws do exist… but law enforcement officials say they are not usually enforced. Additionally, several U.S. states have begun the process of removing antiquated laws. Girtz says these laws may say seem strange now, but at one time they addressed a public concern. States including Oklahoma and New Jersey, are working to repeal, modernize, and clarify any outdated laws and/or laws that have “lost their meaning.” In the meantime, Girtz advises people to do their research. Many laws listed on the Internet are just outdated… or not as strange as you think. Meagan Priselac is
The legal system… it’s a loaded and complex topic to fully and correctly understand in the first place. But reporting on the subject matter, amps the complexity to a whole new level. This was by far the most difficult story I have ever covered. From nailing down the right story angle, to fact checking, to filming interesting “b-roll footage,” I continuously tried to wrap my brain around how it would all come together. The story angle changed directions multiple times. At first I planned to discuss the existence of strange laws across the US. But that’s been done... over and over again. From there it morphed into why strange laws are still on the books, before it eventually became the story it is now. Fact checking had much to do with the development of this story. Initially, I was overwhelmed with all of these “strange,” “stupid”, and “dumb” laws listed on the Internet. But as I investigated these laws in more depth, I realized several of them weren’t that strange after all. In fact, many of the “strange” laws found on websites like dumblaws.com, are not the same as laws found on the books. VWAH-LAH! I had a story.But there was still the daunting task to find compelling “b-roll footage.” The undertaking honestly felt like a wild goose chase, resulting in no goose. Journalists work to tell a visual story in their news packages. The ultimate visual goal is to find footage that goes hand in hand with the story topic. Like showing a cop when you mention law enforcement officials, etc. But it’s easier said than done. When you think of the law you think of a courthouse, law books, and even a courtroom. But these topics are only so interesting to film. Let alone watch as a viewer. In fact, they are well… boring. Yes, B-O-R-I-N-G. So therein lies the challenge, to create something new, interesting, and different. A challenge only attained through creativity and good ole fashion hard work. Meagan Priselac is
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