Sony Powers Jimmy Kimmel Live Concert Series

SAN DIEGO, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics today announced the launch of a year-long relationship as the official concert series partner of the ABC late night hit, Jimmy Kimmel Live, which airs at 11:35pm/10:35pm CT. UM, a division of IPG Mediabrands, negotiated the deal which begins on March 19 with T.I. as the first performer on JKL's Sony Studio Stage in Hollywood, CA.

Starting today, Sony will be both powering the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" broadcast and Concert Series with their products. Sony will also be providing their award winning Digital Imaging products to ten T.I. concert-goers attending the performance on the outdoor Sony Stage. These fans will be able to use these devices to film the concert from the crowd, creating the first ever crowd sourced coverage of a "Jimmy Kimmel Live" performance.  This event will live on the newly launched Jimmy Kimmel Live Music YouTube Channel.  

Throughout the relationship, Sony will showcase new products in the Jimmy Kimmel Live show with multiple custom integrations.  State of the art Sony products and technology will also be integrated into the brand new indoor and outdoor Sony Stages, which will house a total of 146 concerts during the relationship, allowing musical artists to perform on the most technologically advanced stage in late night.  Sony will enhance the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio with the latest in innovations and trick out the green room with the most premium consumer electronics.

The relationship represents a blend of music and technology that creates a custom platform for Sony Electronics and its sister divisions, including Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

"Teaming up with Jimmy Kimmel Live reinforces Sony's vision for synergy among consumers of entertainment and technology, and demonstrates Sony's desire to reach those consumers through more engaging, custom platforms," said Phil Molyneux, president and COO of Sony Electronics. "Sony is the only company that can take consumers from the lens, the studio, and the set to the living room for the ultimate entertainment experience."

Danny Kaplan, SVP, Client Business Partner, UM explained, "This collaboration leverages a platform that resonates with the passions of Sony's key consumers and maximizes impact by integrating product messaging into the fabric of the program." 

The deal is perfectly timed to coincide with Jimmy Kimmel Live's recent ascendance in the 11:35pm timeslot, which has led to its highest ratings to date. 

Doug DeLuca, Jimmy Kimmel Live's Co-Executive Producer stated, "Jimmy Kimmel Live is dedicated to producing the best content possible. Be it comedy or music, we focus on creating a spectacular viewing experience for our audience on all platforms. Sony is best in breed when it comes to tools for content creation so it is a natural for us to join forces."

ABOUT SONY ELECTRONICS
Headquartered in San Diego, Sony Electronics is a leading provider of audio/video electronics and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, design, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony is noted for a wide range of consumer audio-visual products, such as the BRAVIA® LCD and 3D high-definition televisions, Cyber-shot® digital camera, Alpha Digital SLR camera, Handycam® camcorder and Walkman® personal stereo. Sony is also an innovator in the IT arena with its VAIO® personal computers, Reader devices and Sony Tablets; and in high-definition professional broadcast equipment, highlighted by the XDCAM® HD and CineAlta™ lines of cameras and camcorders, and the SXRD™ 4K digital projector. For more information, visit www.sony.com/news or join the Sony Community:  www.sony.com/blog; www.facebook.com/SonyElectronics; www.twitter.com/SonyElectronics; www.youtube.com/SonyElectronics; and www.pinterest.com/SonyElectronics.

ABOUT UM
UM (www.umww.com), a division of IPG Mediabrands, is a global marketing communications agency that represents some of the world's leading marketers and strategic thinkers. Our clients include Chrysler, Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, Microsoft and Sony. As part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, UM has 151 offices in 127 countries and employs 3,600 creative thinkers and doers. UM has set out to prove that "Curiosity Works". A performance driven agency with avid curiosity, enthusiastic collaboration and resolute accountability at its core, UM breeds a culture of curious collaborative thinkers. Yes&, for this reason, UM holds itself to a higher standard where the opportunity to take an idea further is a mandate. UM is consistently ranked as a top-ten global media network. A leader in advanced analytics, UM was named the 2011 "Media Analytics Agency of the Year" by Media Magazine. At the Malaysia Media Awards UM was named Agency of the Year for the second consecutive year. UM was also named Network of the Year at the inaugural Festival of Media Asia.

ABOUT "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE" (weeknights, 11:35 p.m., ET)
Jimmy Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of Emmy Award-nominated "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the ABC Television Network's late-night talk show. Now in its tenth season, "JKL" is packed with hilarious comedy bits and features a diverse lineup of guests including celebrities, athletes, musicians, comedians and humorous human interest subjects. Every night Kimmel delivers his up-to-the minute take on the latest news and pop culture topics from the day's events in his monologue, and has recently welcomed such notables as Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Robert Pattinson, Katy Perry, Will Farrell, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron, John Krasinski, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Justin Bieber, Jessica Simpson, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Andy Samberg, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Charlie Sheen, Chris Pine, Jeremy Renner, Jada Pinkett Smith, Josh Brolin, Russell Brand, Woody Harrelson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. 

"Jimmy Kimmel Live," broadcasts from Disney's El Capitan Theater, located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of L.A.'s star-studded Walk of Fame. Kimmel showcases this illustrious location's unique character throughout his show by regularly interacting with the local "Super Heroes" parading along the boulevard and challenging passersby to participate in various comedy bits. He has also created many one-of-a-kind concert experiences, closing down Hollywood streets around his studio to hold musical block party events with artists such as Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z and Depeche Mode, as well as special outdoor and lobby performances by Adele, Linkin Park, Justin Timberlake, Drake, Tony Bennett, Pitbull, Britney Spears, Lady Antebellum, Usher, Lenny Kravitz, Brad Paisley, Lil Wayne, Phoenix, 50 Cent, No Doubt and Dave Matthews Band.

Jimmy Kimmel and Jill Leiderman serve as executive producers. Jason Schrift, Douglas DeLuca and Erin Irwin serve as co-executive producers. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is shot live in front of a studio audience and produced by Jackhole Industries in association with ABC Studios. For more go to www.jimmykimmellive.com.

SOURCE Sony Electronics