Toyota, Urban Outfitters In College Radio Promo

Toyota and Urban Outfitters are for the first time joining forces to promote independent college radio, in an association announced this week at SXSW, a music and interactive media conference in Austin, Texas. The promotion, reportedly Urban Outfitters' largest to date and the first in which it has engaged with another company, centers on "Free YR Radio" (that's IM for Your) a program to support independent college and unaffiliated radio stations around the country.

The year-long program will include a schedule of free in-store concerts at Urban Outfitter stores nationwide, where Toyota will have signage, as well as its Yaris sub-compact. Sweepstakes at the concerts dangle Yarises and other prizes.

Each of the bands performing at the "Free YR Radio" concerts will get to customize a Yaris. The tactic is reminiscent of Honda's Civic Tour program, in which Honda sponsors national arena tours of emerging bands and shows off versions of the car modified by the bands, with fans getting a chance to win one of the vehicles.

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The 12 modified Yarises will include a digital music player pre-loaded with music selections by regional partner bands, with playlists, podcasts and station-specific music in each market from local radio partners. Each vehicle will be awarded to a listener in each market.

The promotion also dangles a chance to win $2,000 worth of apartment furnishings or up to $1,000 in clothes from Urban Outfitters at the end of the year-long program. Proceeds from the sale of a CD of participating bands will be divided among the indie radio stations.

So far, 12 of the in-store performances are scheduled between April and May in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Boston. Dates and venues will be posted by the end of March on a Toyota microsite for Yaris and at UrbanOutfitters.com. Besides the microsite, Toyota will promote via a direct e-mail program to people who subscribe through Urban Outfitters.

Toyota is promoting Yaris heavily at the SXSW conference. "We are involved in all aspects of it," says a spokesperson, adding that Toyota has Yaris branding, banners, giveaways and street teams and is sponsoring interactive conferences such as the Hands On Play Space, which showcases the gaming industry. Toyota is also running Yaris ads in the SXSW program guide.

This is the second year in a row Yaris has been at SXSW. Toyota is taking pains to avoid stealing limelight from the company's Scion division, also aimed at younger buyers. "There are areas where we will have an intersection, but Scion is more urban and cutting edge," the spokesperson says, adding that the company is at SXSW with Yaris because the vehicle is targeted to 18-30 year old individualists.

He says Toyota approached Urban Outfitters to be a promotional partner and that Toyota is increasing its grassroots efforts to promote the car. That's our overall goal. We want people to experience it. As far is the "Free YR Radio" promo, "It's less the vehicle than about music; so we are trying as casually as possible to introduce them to the car, but we won't force it," he says.

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