Sprite, in harness with agency Electus, has sponsored youth-centric web series Jerk All-Stars on the revamped MySpace.
The branded entertainment, online series spotlights new urban dance movement known as ‘Jerk’ or ‘Jerkin’. Originally nurtured in Los Angeles, but is exploding nationwide largely through online viral spread and buzz/word of mouth.
Popular with teens, Jerkin’ has become associated with “dance crews and youth who typically sport skinny jeans and bright colourful-clothes and crew names. Not just a dance scene, but Jerk is also evolving as a positive youth movement that champions individuality, diversity and tolerance. Part of the reason why Sprite has backed the campaign.
Sprite, through its ‘Spark’ positioning, aims to get the drink in front of influential, trend setting teens in their natural spaces and habitats.
The All Stars series is engaging look into a emerging cultural phenomenon. Created by online video specialists Electus, the web series highlights the dance craze/youth subculture, its origins and its early stars (like the New Boyz) and includes a competition for crews to win the All Star title. It charts Jerkin’s origins and early star crews like New Boyz
Social media in general, and MySpace in particular, have played an important role in the movement’s development. So using the recently relaunched MySpace as the platform for the series shows a understanding of the phenomenon and its communications. A core part off the series sees MySpace appeal to crews nationwide to upload videos of themselves for a chance to appear on the show.
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After the loss of its top spot in the social media pecking order and a few years in the treading water, MySpace has relaunched as a music discovery site and it is aiming to be a natural home for just this kind of exclusive web series.
For content creator and brands, the site is reinventing itself as a place to brings music and dance fans and fresh content together. Early statistics suggest this could be a success, with the series already racking up 1.4m+ plus friends to date.
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