• Brandweek , Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:45 AM

Converse -- which is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a global campaign dubbed "Connectivity -- is the latest in a growing list of companies turning to music to amplify their marketing messages.

Last month, it released a free download, "My Drive Thru," that was written and performed by a disparate trio of artists: Pharrell Williams, who produced the song; up-and-coming R&B artist Santogold, and Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes.

The four-minute song, which was also released to radio stations, has had daily downloads in the thousands, received favorable reviews from critics and fans, and created buzz for the brand. "Our whole mission is to inspire originality and be an advocate and catalyst for creativity," says Converse CMO Geoff Cottrill.

Until this summer, the campaign, which debuted in February, was limited to print and outdoor with images of a broad range of iconic pop figures throughout history -- from James Dean and Hunter S. Thompson to Kurt Cobain and Common -- wearing Converse's Chuck Taylor sneakers. The campaign, running in 75 markets worldwide, has been customized for regional markets with local stars such as Nina Hagen in Germany and Ian Curtis in the UK.

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