Drake may be the star of the 2011 Juno Awards, but there will be almost 70 brands on board with the event as well, attaching their names to everything from smartphone apps to hockey games.
Alongside the unveiling of its list of nominees for this year’s awards, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) also revealed the long list of sponsors that have signed on to the week-long event, which encompasses the March 27 awards show broadcast. This year’s host city is Toronto.
This list contains a lot of returning companies, but also a few new ones, says Carolyn Richardson, senior manager, sponsorship and marketing, CARAS. The common link between the brands is a connection to Canadian music and culture, she explains.
‘CARAS looks for long-term, win-win partnerships with companies that are passionate and supportive of Canada music and Canadian culture, and also we want to make sure it fits with their corporate mandate,’ she says. ‘We work hand-in-hand with our sponsors to make sure we’re making a sponsorship that fits for them and that they’re more than just a sponsor but a partner in a long-term relationship.’
Chevrolet is the official vehicle of the Junos this year and also sponsored the Juno Awards smartphone app. Along with Garnier and Rogers, the car company is also sponsoring the CTV broadcast of the award show.
Long-term partners The Keg and Sirius Satellite Radio Canada are back for fourth and fifth years, respectively. The Keg is sponsoring the Juno Cup, the annual hockey game between a team of musicians and a team of retired professional hockey players, and Sirius is sponsoring a number of things. The company’s name will be on the Juno Block Party, an outdoor concert at Toronto’s Metro Square, and also attached to JunoFest, a two-day festival at 15 venues. The final piece for Sirius is the sponsorship of the Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards.
Additionally, 15 of the 40 Juno awards will be brand-sponsored, including the Juno Fan Choice Award, which will be presented by newcomer Live Nation. Last year, the award was sponsored by PepsiCo.
Another newcomer to the sponsor list is Virgin Mobile, which is sponsoring Juno Fanfare in the MuchMusic environment.
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