UK first live music stream TV ad with Sam Smith

‘Latch’ singer Sam Smith will mark an historic UK first as he performs his new single throughout an entire ad break, sandwiched neatly in between Alan Carr’s ‘Chatty Man’ this Friday (May 30).

Signed to Capitol, the ambitious idea was the brainchild of the music labels general manager Murray Rose and head of marketing Tom Paul. The innovative music promotion brought together the label and Universal Music’s Globe division, as well as ad agency Mediacom, creative agency The Outfit, Channel 4 and Google Play – an extensive collaboration.

Mediacom came up with the idea after being asked to construct a unique and new way to reach the artist’s target audience to promote his debut album – ‘In The Lonely Hour’.

Danny Peace, Agency Principal, Channel 4 said that the plan will “go beyond the traditional ad execution to create an exclusive must-see event that our viewers will want to make an appointment to watch.”

Dino Ioannou, Mediacom’s Global Head of Universal Music said: “We knew that for a mainstream artist that had earned credibility with a tastemaker crowd, we had to showcase Sam Smith as an outstanding live performer in a mass reaching channel. We are thrilled to be part of this exciting partnership that both innovates in broadcast and drives consumption through digital channels.”

Smith will perform ‘Stay With Me’ at approximately 10:45.