14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson announced on Tuesday that the second annual Sony Ericsson FanWalk challenge had kicked off. The challenge is set to gather 100 dedicated fans from all over Europe and will get them from Hamburg to Berlin, from October 27 to November 5, offering them not only the possibility to attend the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards, but also the chance to get up on stage and present one of the Awards live.
The competition has been launched in collaboration with MTV Networks International, the company states, while also announcing that the 100 winers will be selected from a number of 15 countries and will have the chance to walk FanWalk together from Hamburg to Berlin from October 27 to November 5. In addition, one of them will be selected to become the great winner that will have the opportunity to present one of the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards live on stage.
“Having had a big success with the Sony Ericsson Fanwalk to the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008 it was logical for us to continue to build on this property in 2009. There continues to be a growing demand for innovation between music and mobile technology, and as the communication entertainment brand we are continuously working towards providing consumers with unlimited entertainment,” Robert Styppa, head of marketing Western Europe at Sony Ericsson, comments.
Given the fact that only one participant will have the chance to present an Award, the 100 fans will have to overcome exciting challenges to qualify for the big prise. All 100 FanWalkers will receive one ticket to the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards in the last day of the competition, November 5, and the chosen one will also be designated that day.
Those willing to win the chance to go to the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards can apply to join FanWalk on the competition's website. There will be an online casting, where participants need to win at least 50 percent of the website’s visitors’ votes, and the shortlist of finalists will be made according to the creativity of the profiles and the originality of the answers. Sony Ericsson’s jury will also interview the finalists before selecting the final 100 FanWalkers. Users can apply for participation on the website starting July 13 to September 11, 2009.
The official song of the competition, the company says, is “Let’s Get It On,” and will be provided by German band Pardon Ms Arden. Upcoming Sony Ericsson phones will have the song preloaded, but it can also be downloaded as a ringtone. In addition, the mobile phone maker also says that users will have the chance to watch FanWalk virtually through online updates on the challenge's site.