Unboxing Live: Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones

Unboxing Live - Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

Here's some unpackaging porn from Unboxing Live whose Executive Producer Andru Edwards examines the packaging and contents for the Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones from Monster Cable.

It knocks me out that they're making videos focused on unboxing gear.

Monetization Side Note:
Checking out Andru's faded Crush shirt made me realize that they might have a serious tee shirt placement opportunity.

Via Crate Kings.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Reviews: Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones
Hip Hop @ CES: Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

Over at Hip Hop Press:
Highly Anticipated "Beats by Dr. Dre" High Definition Headphones
Exclusively Available at Apple and Best Buy

MIMS Launches Zazzle Store, Wins Ringtone Award

MIMS has launched a merch shack at Zazzle.  I'd boost a product with a picture but Zazzle frowns on that kind of thing.

In other news of MIMS, This Is Why I'm Hot won Ringtone of the Year at ASCAP'S 21ST Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.

Biggie Smalls Action Figure Based on Juicy Video

Yes, there's a new Biggie Small action figure available from Mezco Toyz with an outfit based on the Juicy video.

WoooHah has a photo and info.

Real Talk NY has a tradeshow video.

Snoop Dogg: Snoopermarkets Grocery Stores, Rich & Infamous Clothing, Pet Care Products

In the midst of a discussion with Snoop Dogg about his current musical activities, Shaheem Reid drops a great nugget for ProHipHop:
"In 2008, Snoop wants to introduce a new clothing line called 'Rich and Infamous,' a brand of pet-care products and a chain of grocery stores called 'Snoopermarkets.'"

If he's planning to launch a line of pet-care products, then I'm guessing that his dog toys and apparel must be doing ok.

I'm getting the feeling that those folks who thought Snoop Dogg was overextended when he launched the pet line are missing the magic of Snoop though I admit to having questions of my own from time to time.

Key problem with Snoopermarkets concept:
Isn't Snoop gang affiliated?  Can I hear you say DRIVE BY?

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Hip Hop Handcuffs: Paul Wall's Iced Out Cuffs, Snoop Dogg's Vinyl Petcuffs

Marketing & Merch: Soulja Boy's Yahhh! T-shirts

Soulja Boy Yahhh! T

Soulja Boy brings the marketing and merchandising pain with Yahhh! t-shirts for women and men.

Via Wooohah!.

Related Soulja Boy Marketing Coverage:
YET ANOTHER REASON WHY SOULJA BOY IS A GENIUS
Soulja Boy: Hear 'Em Out

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Yahhh! Soulja Boy to Rule '08

Commercial for the Ghostface Killah Doll

Ghostface Killah Doll Commercial

Via WoooHah!

Little Brother On Tour: Marketing & Merchandising

Little Brother Tour Bus

Little Brother is on tour supporting their newly released album Getback and Vibes and Stuff got to enjoy their performance in Toronto.

More importantly for our purposes Del focuses on the business aspects regarding marketing and merchandising as well as pointing out that these guys are great showmen.

I saw them in Austin years ago without 9th Wonder and Phonte and Pooh totally killed it.  They're very much entertainers with a generous quality onstage in sharp contrast to some of the begrudging nonsense that is so easy to find at rap shows.

Join The Getback Army

Del points out that the Little Brother Getback shirts also now state "On the road with Zune".

While browsing Little Brother's MySpace page for promotional graphics I found myself enjoying pics of the Getback Army in the photos section.  That graphic really catches the eye and their fanbase looks pretty cool too.  It's a simple yet strong example of putting your fans at the center.

Hip Hop Handcuffs: Paul Wall's Iced Out Cuffs, Snoop Dogg's Vinyl Petcuffs

Iced Out Cuff Bracelets from Grills by Paul Wall

Paul Wall debuts iced out handcuffs and they come with their own backstory:
Paul Wall and his partner Jamie Kennedy fashioned exclusive Iced Out Cuff Bracelets in support of recent celebrities incarcerated such as Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, Nicole Richie, Snoop Dog and many others, "My boy Jamie Kennedy came up with the idea because a lot of celebrities kept going to jail." -Paul Wall

Snoop Dogg Pets Vinyl Handcuffs with Rope

What are these petcuffs for exactly?

Official Sites:
Grills by Paul Wall
Snoop Dogg Pet Products

Marley's Exodus Released as Limited Edition USB Stick [and on vinyl, too, he whispered]

Bob Marley's Exodus in a USB Memory Stick Edition

Though Bob Marley's Exodus is not a hip hop album, its upcoming release in limited edition USB stick mode is quite relevant to merchandising in a digital age:
4000 limited edition reusable USB Memory Sticks feature not only the 10 original songs on Exodus but also audio and video content, including three video tracks recorded at London's Rainbow Theatre in June 1977.

Other merchandise available for the album's 30th anniversary include a commemorative CD, limited edition CD/DVD with concert footage, a commemorative book and a t-shirt based on the Exodus tour t-shirt.

In the digital age you've got to make the hard copy very special and this is a good example of creating a whole line of merchandise for an album's anniversary with a variety of special touches.

However, there's one aspect I haven't mentioned and didn't even catch until writing up the list of merch.  The original album will be released on vinyl!  I think that's as cool, if not cooler, than the USB stick, which is pretty darn cool, especially in the dog tag format.

As usual, I enjoy coaching from the bleachers, so let me point out that a campaign emphasizing the simultaneous release of Exodus in both a USB and a vinyl edition would be an even stronger pr hook.

Official Merch Outlet:
Bob Marley

MediaStreet Introduces Public Enemy Branded Portable Media Player

SLAMjamz/Public Enemy PMP-DVD

MediaStreet promotes their new eMotion (PMP-DVD) Portable Media Player DVD by releasing a SLAMjamz/Public Enemy branded version preloaded with tracks and music videos.

Oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be any info available on MediaStreet's website other than the press release.  Or not so odd given that I regularly see press releases promoting websites or sections of websites that aren't yet live.  That's a nasty gap in an attention deficit culture.

On the plus side, this isn't MediaStreet's only involvement with hip hop having recently shown support for DMC's Felix Organization.

Photo courtesy MediaStreet.

Snoop Dogg's Dog Toys & Apparel Launching Soon

Here comes Snoopy Claus, here comes...sorry.

The launch of the Snoop Dogg pet line of toys and apparel is nicely timed with the upcoming release of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment and, hey, it's the Christmas shopping season!

Endorsements/Merch: Superhead, Smirnoff, NBA, Pussycat Dolls' Dolls, LL Cool J, Funkmaster Flex

Karrine Superhead Steffans is starring in an adult DVD from Vivid entitled Superhead.  Note that the press release title has transformed the supergroupie into a "Hip-Hop Star" (insert "guess you are what you eat" joke here).

Smirnoff is exploring the use of hip hop and community with its series of Smirnoff Movement Studios.  I should get their response to scientific pr regarding alcohol marketing and hip hop.

The Adidas Group's purchase of Reebok pays off with an 11 year deal with the NBA.

Interscope Records and Hasbro have agreed to produce a line of Pussycat Dolls' fashion dolls.

LL Cool J and Rodale Books join forces to create LL Cool J's Platinum Body.

Funkmaster Flex, who formally had an endorsement deal with BF Goodrich, now has a year-long deal with Cooper Tires that will include a variety of promotional activities.

JAKKS Pacific to Create Snoop Dogg Pet Products

Snoop Dogg says his love for the universe extends beyond humans to animals and it wouldn't be right for him not to show pets some love.  Of course, given his name, Snoop Dogg's starting out with products for dogs from toys to leashes to treats.

Actually, it's unclear based on the press release whether or not they have any plans for other pets.

JAKKS Pacific is creating the line which will appear later this year in major retail outlets and pet stores.  The company also hopes to get the "urban and edgy" line into music and novelty outlets, suggesting that, come Christmas, Sparky will have his/her choice of a fetching PIMP, b*tch or HOE embroidered sweater plus a padded grill, if you haven't trained the darn thing not to chew the furniture.

Currently no plans have been announced for a "Pimp Slapping IS Obedience Training" educational dvd series.

Official site: JAKKS Pacific

Update: Long or Short Capital has an interesting take on Snoop Dogg's activities:
Like a company that has expanded outside its core business, Snoop Dogg has overextended himself. He has peaked and is ripe to be shorted.

The post also relates to my discussion of the many names of E-40.

Diabolical Biz Markie Beat-Boxing Doll

Legendary hip hop artist Biz Markie is set to release a limited edition Diabolical Biz Markie Beat-Boxing Doll. 1000 of the 2 foot tall dolls will be made with such details as late '80s kicks, a three-finger BIZ ring and a detachable microphone. Known for his beatboxing skills, the Biz Markie doll beat boxes when you squeeze his cute little stomach!

Official site: Biz Markie Doll

Snoop's Brother Pushes Snoop Doggs

Snoop Dogg's brother Bing Worthington has come up with another merchandising concept to build on the Snoop Dogg brand. Having already developed Snoop Skateboards, Bing is now pushing footlong hot dogs called Snoop Doggs.

It's tempting to look at Bing's efforts as a simple process of slapping the Snoop brand on as wide a range of products as possible, but the choices are actually stronger than that. Bing is said to have come up with the skateboard idea after "hearing Snoop tracks played repeatedly at last year’s X Games." He said:
“I knew there had to be a skateboarding market for Snoop . . . But when you ride the board we want you to feel the Snoop in it, so we’re gonna have spinners on there.”

While the hot dog is more a play on Snoop's name, there's something about it that works and Bing says that "everyone I’ve said it to has laughed", though I think he means laughing with rather than laughing at. I know I chuckled as soon as I heard about it.

Bing is also developing non-Snoop ideas, such as "hip-hop trading cards, model replicas of pimped-out celebrity rides, and his newest as of yesterday: a much-needed player’s club in downtown Boston", as well as working on his own music.

Merchandising Dead Rappers

I can't decide if Fallen Rapper PEZ heads are better or worse than duets with Biggie.

Snoop Skater Merch Co.

Snoop Dogg is endorsing a skateboard and related stuff company that will kick into gear next month. Initially, skateboards and accessories will be offered followed by "high-end Snoop Dogg luggage and travel bags" next year. According to the official website, snowboards will also be offered.

The press release features the deal as a venture between Snoop's people and Pentagon Distribution which is owned by Pacific Sports Group Inc.. Their website lists Snoop Dogg Board Company as one of its businesses along with Academy Snowboards and Kampus Wakeskates, though its site is "launching September 10." Hey, no rush guys!

Though the online store doesn't open till September, you can check out some of the designs at Snoop Dogg Board Company. Make mine the Snoopdollar, you can keep your greasy Pimp deck to yourself!

Catching Up, Air Fresheners, Greeting Cards

I'll be playing catch up for a couple of days, but I want you to know that hip hop now has both pimp cup air fresheners and greeting cards that play music.

Dupri's Empire, Def Jam Mobile, Rockers' Merchandising

Jermaine Dupri's empire expands today with the opening of Atlanta's Cafe Dupri. Next up, Hotel D followed by the So So Def store.

According to the New York Post (but I'm linking to CNN cause they don't require registration), Def Jam Mobile has launched as a partnership between Def Jam Enterprises and American Greetings and will feature both music content and "sportz tonez", which are apparently sports oriented ringtones. Sounds like big money to me.

As rappers begin to age, they may want to get some tips from the ongoing merchandising of aging rockers.

The Wayans Announce Merchandising Bonanza

All three Wayans Brothers have announced a new animated kids series based on their childhood called Thugaboo. Inspirations for this "children's lifestyle property", which will focus on 9 child characters, include Fat Albert and Peanuts. The project will begin with a direct-to-video series for the 2005 holiday season along with all sorts of licensed stuff.

In related news, the Wayans are working with Topps to bring out a trading card game called The Dozens in the spring. In addition, Bonus Mobile is working on a cellphone version of the game for multiple players.