ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 14 - Eastman Kodak Company is continuing its commitment to the youth market through a photo-centric sponsorship of a 20-city mall tour with the popular new band Youngstown. The concerts offer teens unique picture-taking (a favorite activity for the age group) opportunities and the chance to sign up for local community service through Volunteers of America.
"Last year we announced our strategic initiative to expand the one-time-use camera category by targeting new users such as teens. This year we continue our youth marketing campaign aimed at making Kodak Max Flash one-time-use cameras a part of everyday teen life," said Greg Johnson, Director, Strategic Marketing, Consumer Imaging, Eastman Kodak Company. "This multi-faceted promotion reinforces that strategy by using partnerships with other teen brands such as Sam Goody and Alloy Online (www.alloy.com) to bring to local malls dynamic events that teens will want to remember through photos."
The Kodak "Through Your Eyes" mall tour featuring Youngstown kicks off March 23 in San Francisco, moves to dates on the East Coast and climaxes with a show at Mall of America in May. It encompasses various initiatives and partnerships to enhance the sponsorship and its appeal to teens, including:
Retail sales of special "Through Your Eyes" Youngstown Fan Packs at Sam Goody stores nationwide. The packs contain a Kodak Max Flash one-time-use camera, a photo contest entry form, an interactive CD with music and information on the band and the sponsorship, a Youngstown lenticular backpack key chain and a 16-page publication from Jump magazine that features exciting articles and information on how to have fun taking pictures as part of everyday life.
Youngstown, made up of James Dallas, David "DC" Yeager and Sammy Lopez, has a debut album on Hollywood Records entitled "Let's Roll" that showcases a variety of musical styles from pop/R&B ballads to rap and rock. "I'll Be Your Everything," the band's gold single (over 500,000 units sold) from the album, was featured in the movie Inspector Gadget. Recently, the Youngstown, Ohio-based trio appeared on a Disney Channel "In Concert" special and was profiled in an issue of Teen People magazine.