AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, April 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Tommy Hilfiger continues to bring music and fashion together with the global launch of TommyTV (www.tommytv.com), an online evolution of the Hilfiger Sessions music series, staged in creative collaboration with Sony BMG Europe, that brings the excitement of live music to audiences around the globe.
TommyTV, which goes live today, builds on the existing success of The Hilfiger Sessions, a series of established and successful music events. The Hilfiger Sessions feature high profile artists playing with new and upcoming talent in intimate gigs in cities around the world, with recent Sessions taking place in Madrid, Berlin and Amsterdam hosted by artists such as Wyclef Jean and Kelly Rowland.
The live recordings of The Hilfiger Sessions form the centrepiece of TommyTV, allowing music fans to enjoy exclusive content and experience the thrill of live musical performances via unprecedented online video presentation. TommyTV features:
-- Exclusive content from the global Hilfiger Sessions concerts.
-- Exclusive artist interviews and backstage footage.
-- The chance to discover new music talent or for new artists to be
discovered through the Hilfiger Auditions.
Tommy Hilfiger said: "I have always been inspired by music and our Company was one of the first to truly fuse fashion and music through a variety of initiatives. The launch of TommyTV takes our musical heritage to the next level by offering the exclusive Hilfiger Sessions performances to a wider audience. With Sony BMG as our partner, we are thrilled to be at the forefront of bringing music and fashion together with the latest technological and online innovations."
Fred Gehring, CEO Tommy Hilfiger Group, said: "We first started the Hilfiger Sessions' concerts out of our love for live music and a pure desire to support upcoming talent. The Sessions grew to develop major followings in cities across Europe, and we have been actively seeking ways to bring the amazing spirit of these live evenings to a broader audience. We are extremely excited to unveil TommyTV as a highly innovative new platform which will inspire and extend the Sessions as well as strengthening our brand's commitment to its heritage of music," commented Fred Gehring.
Maarten Steinkamp, CEO Sony BMG Europe, said: "Great live music provides an audience with a truly unique shared experience, and the partnership of SONY BMG and Tommy Hilfiger, on TommyTV, allows an even wider audience to enjoy that excitement. In a digital age we are looking for innovative and engaging ways to bring our excellent content to our customers, TommyTV will give online exposure to a wide range of popular and established Sony BMG artists, as well as a vibrant mix of new and upcoming talent."
The TommyTV online experience
Alongside featuring globally renowned superstars and up and coming new talent, TommyTV will also offer music fans many other community and interactive options. The multimedia platform will stream across four segments, utilizing state-of-the-art Papervision3D technology to further enhance the online viewing experience.
Sessions
-- Unique live clips
-- Exclusive backstage footage (rehearsals, interviews)
-- Session photos
-- Information on upcoming sessions
Auditions
-- A new channel for new and upcoming talent
-- The ability to upload your own music
-- Competitions
Artists
-- Premium content from SONY BMG's archives
-- Including live performances and interviews with artists
My TommyTV
-- Create playlists of your favourite TommyTV clips
-- Manage your own account
-- Subscribe to a regular news update
The Hilfiger Sessions
Now in its third year, The Hilfiger Sessions have enabled a fashion and music-loving audience to enjoy an electrifying mix of music styles and cultures in an intimate atmosphere. Founded in Amsterdam, The Hilfiger Sessions - an ongoing series of jam sessions coupling established and local and new musicians - have grown into a European phenomenon. The launch of the TommyTV online experience will bring the Sessions to an even wider audience.
Partnerships
Launched by Tommy Hilfiger, Fred Gehring, CEO Tommy Hilfiger Group and Maarten Steinkamp, CEO Sony BMG Europe, TommyTV is a strategic and creative collaboration that offers premium channel content featuring internationally successful Sony artists and emerging talent. The exclusive partnership with Sony BMG Europe - the second largest record company in the world - also brings unique live and previously unavailable material from Sony artists to TommyTV. The TommyTV concept and online platform has been designed and developed by cross media architects Media Republic (www.mediarepublic.com). Tommy Hilfiger and Sony BMG have also partnered with YouTube(TM) and Joost(TM) in order to feature TommyTV content in online communities around the world.
The Tommy Hilfiger Group
Tommy Hilfiger is a leading premium lifestyle brand and one of the largest designer apparel brands globally. Tommy Hilfiger Group, through its subsidiaries, designs, sources and markets men's and women's casual wear, sportswear, jeans, children's wear and footwear. The Group's products can be found in its network of dedicated retail stores in Europe, the United States and Canada, as well as in leading specialty and department stores throughout Europe and North America. Through over 40 licensees, Tommy Hilfiger-branded products, including a broad array of related apparel, accessories, fragrance and home furnishings, are distributed worldwide, including in Mexico, Central and South America, Japan, Australia India, China and elsewhere throughout Asia.
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT is a global recorded music joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalogue that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. SONY BMG is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.
