Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Wed, October 14, 2009
Tue, October 13, 2009 Yahoo! Inc.: Yahoo! Sets Out to Personalize Its Signature Yodel
SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire - October 13, 2009) - As part of the launch of its global "It's Y!ou" brand campaign in late September, Yahoo! Inc. (
"The foundation of the 'It's Y!ou' campaign is about making the web more personally relevant to each of our consumers, so it's important that we engage the world in the creation of our new yodel," said Elisa Steele, Yahoo! executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "It's essentially a unique form of user generated content that honors the millions of people who visit Yahoo! every day."
The Yodel Studio kicks-off a casting call for the world's best new yodels, allowing people to personalize and reinterpret the Yahoo! yodel. From now until November 8, people can create and submit their own yodel at [ http://yodelstudio.yahoo.com ]. In addition, Yahoo! is hosting live recording events today in New York City and London, and on October 14 in Mumbai, with celebrities and musical artists to coach yodelers.
Participants will compete for a chance to be featured in Yahoo!'s new global advertising campaign and on one of the world's largest stages: the Yahoo! homepage. For each yodel submitted in the online contest, Yahoo! will also donate to participating global charities.*
"The yodel is synonymous with Yahoo! and we're ready for people around the world to put their unique expression on it," added Steele. "Whether your yodel is '80s punk or country funk, the Yodel Studio is about self-expression, having fun and allowing all the people who use Yahoo! to be an essential part of our brand revitalization effort."
"My parents were both musicians, and my dad taught himself to yodel by listening to Jimmie Rodgers records. By the time I was six, my parents had me performing a yodel act during their dinner shows," explains country music superstar, Jewel. "Yodeling has deep roots in the history of country music and I have finished many of my concerts with a yodel. It's always rewarding to have my audiences respond so positively to it. I love that Yahoo! is helping expose more people to yodeling now, too."
Yodel Your Way into the Online Competition
People from anywhere in the world can submit their yodel at [ http://yodelstudio.yahoo.com ]. Whether they prefer modern rock, bluegrass, hip-hop or funk, participants can select an original background musical track from an extensive list of musical options, record their yodel, and upload their entries directly to the site.
Based on the number of times an entry is viewed, top yodels will 'go gold,' and one submission in the US, UK and India will each 'go platinum.' Participants can use built-in social media tools to help generate awareness for their yodels and voting for the platinum yodels will take place from November 9-15. Winners will be announced during the week of November 16, 2009 and will have a chance to be featured on the Yahoo! homepage and incorporated into Yahoo!'s new global advertising campaign.
Live Yodel Studio Coming to Y!ou
Yodel Studio will also kick-off today with one-day, live events in New York City, London and Mumbai, to create a synchronized, global musical exhibition.
Professional recording studios will be opened at these locations with the backing of a live Yodel Studio house band. Each local extravaganza will involve celebrities and musical artists who will serve as in-studio coaches to help yodelers deliver the best performance possible.
New York City, Times Square - October 13, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET
-- American Idol finalist Kimberly Caldwell will host the event live, with Jewel, LeAnn Rimes, Randy Jackson, Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, super- producer Rob Cavallo and Ryan Leslie as celebrity musical coaches. -- Noted industry veteran Julian Raymond will serve as musical director for the house band, which includes musicians who have played with such icons as Sting, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Beck and Alanis Morissette. -- Times Squares' Military Island will be transformed into a multi-story recording studio, with record-your-own yodel kiosks throughout Times Square. -- For each yodel submitted, Yahoo! will donate $10 to the classroom project of the participant's choice via DonorsChoose.org.
London, Covent Garden - October 13, 8:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. GMT
-- Located in London's Covent Garden, the Yodel Studio will be at the heart of the UK search for the new Yahoo! yodel. -- The day's best yodelers will have the chance to sing with British pop superstar Pixie Lott and vocal coach Annie Skates, and record a yodel with a band made-up of leading session musicians, directed by leading music producer Steve Sidwell. -- Judging the entrants of the day and passing on hints and tips will be The X Factor's talent spotter, Sinitta. -- For each yodel submitted online, Yahoo! will donate £5 to Nordoff- Robbins Music Therapy.
Mumbai, High Street Phoenix Mill - October 14, 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. IST
-- Pedestrian mall, Phoenix Mill, will become Yodel central with renowned Bollywood singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan as host. -- Participating musical artists will include VJ Nikhil Chinappa and Shaa'ir + Func. -- For every participant recording a yodel, Yahoo! will donate 100 INR to India's Child Relief and You (CRY) organization.
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The Yahoo! yodel was established in 1996 as a mnemonic device to help people make the association with the brand and the euphoria of finding what they were looking for online. The classic yodel was created by yodeling cowboy Wylie Gustafson and aired at the end of Yahoo!'s first television commercial in May 1996. While the company's new campaign consists of myriad new yodels, including those sought by Yodel Studio, the original will remain part of Yahoo!'s ongoing legacy.
More information is available on the company blog, [ Yodel Anecdotal ], and multimedia materials are available at [ www.newsinfusion.com/yahoo ].
* Yahoo! will make donations up to $100,000 in the U.S., £15000 in the UK and $6,300 in India
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! attracts hundreds of millions of users every month through its innovative technology and engaging content and services, making it one of the most trafficked Internet destinations and a world class online media company. Yahoo!'s vision is to be the center of people's online lives by delivering personally relevant, meaningful Internet experiences. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit [ http://pressroom.yahoo.com ] or the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal ([ http://yodel.yahoo.com ]).
Yahoo! and Yodel Anecdotal are the trademark and/or registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc.
All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
