My Band Got a Beer Endorsement!!!

[37point5]

Hi All,

 

I post here occasionally but figured this might be news some of you would be interested in: my band just secured an endorsement deal with a beer company! And a good one, too!

 

Feel free to ask any questions about how we got the deal. Straight out of the box I'll tell you that it had less to do with the crowd we draw at shows (which is probably average for our town), and more to do with the number of unique visitors and page views we get on our website. I also think the fact that we're filmmakers and shoot a lot of random promo films seemed to help.

 

Anyway, here's the press release we're sending out:

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

CONTACT:

Ryan Graham

ryan at 37point5 dot com

www.flutesquad.com

 

The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad secures band endorsement from Baltimore-Washington Beer Works in support of The Raven Special Lager.

 

BALTIMORE, MD, May 11, 2010 - Baltimore “Costume Rock” band The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad (DMFS) and their side project Wild Bonerz (a bluegrass duo playing hits from the 70s-90s) have formed an endorsement partnership with Baltimore-Washington Beer Works to promote and support The Raven Special Lager.

 

“We can’t think of a beer that better epitomizes what we’re all about,” says Ryan Graham, lead guitarist of DMFS. “The Baltimore connection is obvious, and like us, Poe was underappreciated in his time and seemed to enjoy writing about necrophilia. Most importantly, The Raven is a high-quality product that appeals to a wide demographic, and one which we love to drink and are proud to recommend to our fans.”

 

Founder of Baltimore-Washington Beer Works, Stephen Demczuk adds, “The appreciation of the literary genius Edgar Allan Poe was the reason for naming our beer The Raven Special Lager. Baltimore-Washington Beer Works continues to support all disciplines of the arts and looks forward to sponsoring The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad."

 

As part of the endorsement deal, the bands will promote The Raven at live shows (including the upcoming Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival in Washington DC), in the upcoming CD’s liner notes, in promo videos, and on their website www.flutesquad.com, which doubles as a marketing blog devoted to discussing the trials and tribulations of the local music scene, with the motto “We Fail So You Don’t Have To!” In return, Baltimore-Washington Beer Works will provide DMFS and Wild Bonerz with merchandise and beer as giveaway items for their typically wacky promo contests held via Facebook and onstage at their shows.

 

 

About Baltimore-Washington Beer Works:

 

The Baltimore-Washington Beer Works, of Baltimore, MD is the first to have launched a beer in another country before ever being produced at home. The Raven was originally produced in the Black Forest and still is produced at the Anker Brewery in the small town of Nagold.

 

BWBW was founded by Stephen Demczuk. He, along with Baltimorean Jim Seay and German beer importer Mr. Wolfgang Stark, styled a beer that would be appealing to the masses, drinkable and enjoyed by both the lager and ale drinker. From the assistance of master brewer Mr. Hans-Martin Walz of Anker Brewery, came The Raven, a beer brewed in honor of Baltimore's literary genius, Edgar Allan Poe.

 

After more than a year operating in Europe, the world's most competitive beer market, production of The Raven began in Baltimore in June of 1998. Today, besides being sold in Europe, The Raven is distributed in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio and Illinois.

 

Contact: Baltimore-Washington Beer Works at info at ravenbeer dot com

 

 

About The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad:

 

Over the past few years, the onstage antics of The Flute Squad have become well-known across the Baltimore indie music scene. Seeing lead singer Stephen Thomas wearing a cardboard horse head and dancing around maniacally is the most visible sign that you’re in for something different. Add to that a mexican wrestler, a king, a priest, a mad scientist, and a robot drummer, and each show turns into a cavalcade of craziness and hilarity. Equal parts performance art and classic rock show, their live performances are reminiscent of Kiss, GWAR, and Frank Zappa.

 

The sextet has been cloistered in the studio recently, recording the follow up to “Die Humpin!”, which was voted “Best Album” in The City Paper’s 2007 Best of Baltimore poll. Over the past 6 years they’ve played dates all around the country, including in Las Vegas, where they were selected as one of the top 60 bands in the US (out of more than 7000) to appear on The Next Great American Band, from the producers of American Idol.

 

For additional information on The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad, or to see a schedule of upcoming shows, please contact ryan at 37point5 dot com or visit www.flutesquad.com.

 

-END-

[Fatso Forgottso]

"The Baltimore connection is obvious, and like us, Poe was underappreciated in his time and seemed to enjoy writing about necrophilia."

 

[37point5]

Haha. I like to put that sort of thing in press releases to see if anyone is actually reading them. If they slip through to copy it makes me extra happy.

[lsits]

Sellout! Just kidding. Good on you.

[Doncorleone]

That's great! how do you get deals like that?

[37point5]

Haha, we are sellouts! It's awesome!!!

 

Doncorleone, we've had a few endorsement deals in the past, and those all came about when we bought a product from the manufacturer, really liked it, started using it onstage and in promo photos, and then let them know that we loved their stuff. This strategy works really well for startups and smaller companies; the bigger ones won't give you the time of day unless you're touring major venues.

 

For the beer endorsement, however, it was a little easier. Years ago I'd volunteered to help the company out at various events, basically pouring pitchers. So I knew the owner already. When DMFS decided we should try to get a beer endorsement we wrote down a list of our favorite beers and I had a "duh" moment where I realized I already had a good relationship with the owner of Raven Beer. So after that it was just a matter of writing up a business plan and letting him know what we could do for his company and what we'd like in return.

 

But yeah, in general the most important thing is that you have something to offer the company, and that you ask for benefits that equal what you can offer. Asking for 10 free guitars when you only play 1 show a month for 50 people obviously isn't going to work out. But asking a local pizza place for 10 pizzas for the same amount of shows probably will work out for you.

 

"Father" Ryan

The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad

http://www.flutesquad.com

[Doncorleone]

 

Haha, we are sellouts! It's awesome!!! Doncorleone, we've had a few endorsement deals in the past, and those all came about when we bought a product from the manufacturer, really liked it, started using it onstage and in promo photos, and then let them know that we loved their stuff. This strategy works really well for startups and smaller companies; the bigger ones won't give you the time of day unless you're touring major venues. For the beer endorsement, however, it was a little easier. Years ago I'd volunteered to help the company out at various events, basically pouring pitchers. So I knew the owner already. When DMFS decided we should try to get a beer endorsement we wrote down a list of our favorite beers and I had a "duh" moment where I realized I already had a good relationship with the owner of Raven Beer. So after that it was just a matter of writing up a business plan and letting him know what we could do for his company and what we'd like in return. But yeah, in general the most important thing is that you have something to offer the company, and that you ask for benefits that equal what you can offer. Asking for 10 free guitars when you only play 1 show a month for 50 people obviously isn't going to work out. But asking a local pizza place for 10 pizzas for the same amount of shows probably will work out for you. "Father" Ryan The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad http://www.flutesquad.com

 

 

I see your point, man.

Thank you for taking time to reply.

I will suggest this to my group and start using this certain product in our shows. hopefully it would work out for us. Peace and respect man