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Giant Step and Ki-Bi Partner to Release Mobile Content Card in the US

Giant Step and Ki-Bi Partner to Release Mobile Content Card in the US

Giant Step and Ki-Bi today announced a partnership to release Ki-Bi’s mobile content card containing Giant Step related music and promotional opportunities. The card will be used as part of Giant Step’s activities to celebrate its 15-Year anniversary. It will be activated for a 15-week period starting September 5th and will offer ringtones, sweepstakes, music downloads and wallpaper.

The Ki-Bi mobile content card is a physical device and server platform for the retail and distribution of mobile content. To access content from a Ki-Bi card, customers dial the Ki-Bi service (an 800 number), hold their card up to their phone and press the button relating to the content they wish to receive. An acoustic tone is played which triggers the download of content to the phone from the central server.

Ki-Bi was launched in Europe in 2003 and to date has relationships with global leaders in the mobile market such as Ericsson, Orange, O2, MTV, Ericsson, Siemens, Sun Microsystems, Motorola, mForma, and Glu Mobile (formerly Sorrent), Gameloft and others. Ki-Bi was listed publicly in London (LSE:KIB) in May 2005 and raised about $20m at the time of listing. In the US, Ki-Bi is already penetrating the market with a deal with Sun Microsystems and will continue to target content providers.

Maurice Bernstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Giant Step commented, “Giant Step is very excited to be part of Ki-Bi’s initial launch in the US. As a music marketing company we are always looking for innovative ways to promote new content and we view the Ki-Bi card as an excellent vehicle in the expanding mobile space. Giant Step has taken this opportunity to promote content relevant to our current music promotions. In the future we will be partnering with other record labels seeking to increase the shelf-life of a new release and create meaningful experiences with their fans.”

Ehud Levy, CEO and Co-Founder of Ki-Bi commented, “This partnership is an extremely significant development for us as we launch in the US. To have Giant Step as one of our first partners is an affirmation of our aim to distribute quality content into the mobile space in a manner that is easy for all. We look forward to deepening our relationship with Giant Step.”

About Giant Step

Starting as concert and club promoters in New York in 1990, Giant Step has expanded its operations to include artist management, a record label, and music marketing. Today the Company is regarded as a leading light for the discovery of new music particularly in the genres R&B, Hip-Hop, Soul, Dance and Electronic music. Giant Step’s music marketing division works with all the record labels to introduce new album releases through events, its website and jukebox, grassroots marketing and its highly coveted music and lifestyle influencer network. Non-music clients include Levi Strauss & Co., LG, Sony Electronics, Evian, Rheingold Beer, PF Flyers/New Balance, Puma and Schweppes.
For more information contact: Gamall Awad or Marah Eakin @ Backspin Promotions 718-399-1632

About Ki-Bi

Ki-Bi provides innovative technological solutions for the physical distribution and marketing of content and applications for mobile handsets. The Company’s business model is based upon the sale of electronic content cards (“Cards”) and sharing of the revenues from the content distributed through the Cards. Ki-Bi was admitted to AIM in May 2005.

Content, such as ringtones, music, video and games for mobile handsets, is currently distributed mainly by over-the-air downloads into handsets, but there are technological, logistic and marketing barriers to traditional physical distribution of such content via retail outlets. Ki-Bi provides a solution for the physical distribution of mobile content based on a combination of proprietary consumer electronics devices and central management server systems. It also provides an opportunity for companies to promote their brand in the mobile space.

During the past two years, Ki-Bi has established relationships with global leaders in the mobile market such as Orange, O2, MTV, Ericsson, Siemens, Sun Microsystems, Motorola, mForma, Glu Mobile (formerly Sorrent), Gameloft and others.

posted by Sneaker15 @ 1:20 PM