Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR; LSE:PCCD) has lost one of its winning cards in its current music marketing campaign, when popular singer Kelly Clarkson announced last night that she was canceling her performance in Israel.
Partner was sponsoring Clarkson’s two performances, which were at the center of Partner’s marketing campaign in all media formats, at a cost of $400,000. The sponsorship cost several million dollars altogether.
At midnight yesterday, Clarkson’s agents notified producer Shuki Weiss that she “was forced to cancel her performance in Israel because a severe throat infection.” The agents added that Clarkson had been ill for several days, and had previously cancelled a performance in Paris, recovered and performed briefly in Berlin last night. After that performance, her personal physicians ordered her to completely halt all activities, because of her worsening throat infection.
Partner has been running an extensive marketing campaign to strengthen its music branding. The branding includes the launch of new music applications, end-user devices, and peripherals, as well development of a content library. The campaign was also supposed to include performances by Clarkson. Partner’s campaign was launched to compete against Cellcom Israel Ltd.’s Volume campaign, and Pele-Phone Communications Ltd.’s sponsoring of a Depeche Mode concert in Israel.
Tickets for Clarkson’s two performances in Tel Aviv were only for Orange customers, and were sold out within two days of the start of sales. Ticket-holders will be refunded in full through their credit cards used to pay for them.
Clarkson’s performances in Israel were due to conclude her European tour, so they will not be rescheduled anytime soon.
Partner said it would continue its specialized music marketing activities.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 23, 2006
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