Song Airlines is doing more than just offering cut-rate fares, with the Delta-owned discount fleet now toeing the music waters.
Song airplanes already feature entertainment consoles for videos, music and games, with Panasonic Avionics Corp. powering the solution. Now, the airline will use that platform to promote a new album from Better Than Ezra, represented by Artemis Records. The deal also ties in LA-based marketing firm Creative Branding Group Inc., which is helping to shape the nascent Song Records brand. Customers of the
airline will now be able to listen to tracks from the latest Better Than Ezra disc, and can purchase the CD from flight attendants. Meanwhile, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is helping to fill the entertainment consoles with movie and gaming content.
The deal is an easy win for all parties, and a major creative step for both the airline and music industries. Airline passengers are the most captive of audiences, with restless riders often clawing for something interesting. That void has so far been filled with movies and stations like CNN, with music channels also a longtime staple. Now, the experience is starting to get a bit more interactive, offering a big opportunity for artists to gain valuable exposure. That certainly takes groups like Better Than Ezra out of the familiar retail loop, with experimental outlets like Starbucks now catching fire. “This is a good climate for a project like Song Records, because I think this is a time when all industries need to adapt — from music to retail to airlines — and it is forcing people to become more innovative,” said Brooks Branch, president of Creative Branding Group.