The Tony Awards Launches Social Campaign to Connect and Engage with Fans Through Contributed Videos

Tony Awards Invites Fans to Share What Broadway Means to Them via Partnership with Social Video Platform VideoGenie

PALO ALTO, CA (May 17, 2011) - VideoGenie, the expert in customer-generated video, today announced that it has partnered with the Tony Awards to launch an innovative fan generated social video campaign. Leading up to the 65th Annual Tony Awards, theater fans will have the unique opportunity to express ”What Broadway Means to Them” by recording and contributing personal video responses on The Tony Awards’ Facebook page.  The Tony Awards, which are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, will air live on CBS on Sunday, June 12th.

The initiative will tap into the passion of Broadway’s most dedicated fans using video-storytelling to create social engagement and conversation around the Tony Awards. Via the VideoGenie platform, which is used by leading brands and organizations seeking to gather, manage and publish authentic fan videos, Broadway fans will be able to both contribute their own videos and view those of others throughout the Tony Awards season.

“The Tony Awards has taken an innovative and socially-savvy approach to building excitement and engagement around this year’s event,” said Justin Nassiri, founder and CEO, VideoGenie. “The ability for theater lovers to share the ways in which Broadway has touched their lives through personal videos will create a new level of fan participation and enthusiasm around next month’s Tony Awards”

"The Tony Awards are about sharing the meaning of Broadway to fans across the world,” said Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League & Howard Sherman, Executive Director of the American Theatre Wing.  “Our partnership with Video Genie allows our passionate fans to communicate what Broadway Means to Them to an interactive and global audience."

With VideoGenie’s easy-to-use, custom-built Facebook application, fans can record and contribute 20-second videos through the Tony Awards page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheTonyAwards. A rotating selection of favorite fan videos will be featured and promoted on the Facebook page, and fans will also have the opportunity to share their videos with their own Facebook friends and through other social media outlets.  In addition to this, a highlight reel of the most popular videos will be featured on TonyAwards.com, allowing fans the opportunity to appear alongside their favorite Broadway stars.

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ABOUT THE TONY AWARDS

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Paul Libin is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the American Theatre Wing, Theodore S. Chapin is Chairman and Howard Sherman is Executive Director. For Tony Award Productions, Alan Wasser and Allan Williams of Alan Wasser Associates are the General Managers. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment are the Executive Producers of the 2011 Tony Awards.  Mr. Weiss will also serve as Director of the 2011 Tony Awards.

IBM, an official information technology partner of the Tony Awards, develops, designs, and hosts the official Tony Awards web site, www.TonyAwards.com. United Airlines is the official airline of the Tony Awards. Audemars Piguet is the presenting sponsor of the Tony Awards Red Carpet.   InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is the official and exclusive Hotel Partner for the 2011 Tony Awards and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is the Title Sponsor of the Creative Arts Awards.  Visa is the official and exclusive card of the Tony Awards.  Avis is the official rental car of the Tony Awards. USA TODAY is the official media partner of the Tony Awards.

ABOUT VIDEO GENIE

VideoGenie is the expert in customer-generated videos which tap into the passions of brands’ customers and fans. From video testimonials to reviews to ad campaigns, VideoGenies offers companies and brands lots of ways to engage customers and build an authentic voice. VideoGenie technology makes it easy to gather, manage, publish, socialize and analyze customer-contributed videos. For more information, please visit www.videogenie.com.