NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Doyle-Kos Entertainment has partnered with Arcavista Corporation to deliver music, video, commerce, news, information and exclusive interviews directly to the desktops of Rusted Root fans.
The musical sensation known for its Grateful Dead-meets-African tribal chant melodies has built an application using Arcavista Communicator, a unique communications platform, to open a direct, ongoing channel between loyal fans and the band. With the September re-release of the band's debut album, Cruel Sun, fans can easily and quickly install the software from their CD onto their PC or even download it from the band's Web site, www.rustedroot.com.
After the initial installation of the Rusted Root Communicator, a Rusted Root icon appears on the desktop and continuously downloads updates to the user's computer. Rusted Root drummer Jim Donovan calls the software "a great way to visit fans around the world, communicating with them in their own homes and making the band more accessible to them. Rusted Root fans will have access to previously unreleased concert tracks, breaking news and up-to-date concert information without leaving their seat."
The Arcavista Communicator also has an e-commerce function that allows fans to purchase products directly from the desktop by clicking on the Rusted Root icon. The band elected to use the e-commerce option of the Arcavista Communicator to take control of the commercial element of their career. By guiding fans directly to their online store, they do not have to rely on conventional means of marketing to further sale of Rusted Root products.
"Rusted Root has a loyal fan base but does not rely on traditional methods to promote itself," said Rob Kos, partner, Doyle-Kos Entertainment, Rusted Root's management company. "Bands and record companies are always trying to market to fans through traditional mailings or emails. Arcavista Communicator is a powerful tool that will help Rusted Root grow and communicate directly with their fan base."
Rusted Root will be touring all summer, and will begin selling the album on August 6, at live performances, followed by the album being available at retail on Sept. 9. "We hope to increase sales with Arcavista Communicator, which allows the band to communicate and sell directly to its fan base," said Mr. Kos.
Extremely flexible, Arcavista Communicator can use a wide variety of content and programming, including an assortment of off-the-shelf Web-based markup and programming languages, such as Macromedia Director and Flash, popular audio and video formats, and is compatible with programs and formats such as Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF.
About Arcavista
Arcavista Corporation (www.arcavista.com) is the developer of Communicator, an application development platform that helps bring companies and customers closer together. Communicator takes electronic customer support, service and loyalty marketing out of the clutter of email and the Web. Using Arcavista's platform, companies can radically improve response rates from customers and provide an extraordinary range of automated applications such as cost-effective dissemination of investor relations and SEC material as well as fully transactional promotional content to driving television viewers to programming for improved ratings.