Polk Partners with Pop-Rock Band Walk Off the Earth to Launch Nationwide Talent Competition

BALTIMORE, Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Polk announced the launch of its "Listen to the Music" campaign, which pays tribute to The Doobie Brothers' classic rock hit of the same name, reimagines the song across genres, and celebrates Polk's 40 years in building world-class audio. The multi-platform "Listen to the Music" campaign includes a collaboration with Canadian pop-rock band and YouTube viral video sensation Walk Off the Earth, social media contest, and mobile recording studio that will travel across the nation through spring 2014.

At the heart of the "Listen to the Music" campaign is a call to musicians of all genres to reinterpret The Doobie Brothers' hit song "Listen to the Music" and submit a video of their cover as part of a nationwide artist competition.

To kick off the platform and inspire contest participants, Polk tapped Walk Off the Earth—which garnered more than 155 million YouTube views with its cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," and recently released R.E.V.O., a full-length album of original songs on Columbia Records featuring the hit single "Red Hands" and follow-up single "Gang of Rhythm"—to record a fresh interpretation of "Listen to the Music." Walk Off the Earth band members will also serve as contest judges, helping to narrow all entries on the Polk Facebook contest to 10 finalists, with a public vote determining the final winner. The artist or band selected will get the chance to open for Walk Off the Earth and nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, John Legend, at a concert in January 2014, as well as win a suite of Polk listening products.

The "Listen to the Music" video contest is now open for nationwide submissions; additionally, bands can record and submit their cover of The Doobie Brothers' track from a Polk mobile recording studio, which begins its nationwide tour today in New York City. The Polk team gutted a classic artist tour bus and outfitted the vehicle with recording and video equipment, providing a mobile studio for bands around the U.S. that want to get involved with the "Listen to the Music" campaign. On the bus, musicians can record audio and video of their cover and submit their track to the contest page. Additionally, bands and musicians can check the polkbus.com website for a list of local tour stops.

"This campaign is by far Polk's largest and most exciting undertaking in its 40 years in audio, and all elements are intended to support and celebrate the independent artist who shares our love of listening to music," said Blair Tripodi, Chief Marketing Officer for Sound United. "The Doobie Brothers' track has always been a bit of an anthem for our brand, and we can't wait to hear how musicians reimagine the song and make it their own. We are also thrilled to have Walk Off the Earth as a partner on this project. The band embodies the fresh approach to music that we celebrate as a brand."

Beginning Oct. 12, the bus will travel to State College, Pa., for the Penn State vs. Michigan football game. It will then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for the Florida vs. Georgia game on Nov. 3; to Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 16 for the Arizona State vs. Oregon State game; to Los Angeles on Nov. 23 for the UCLA vs. Arizona State University game; to San Jose, Calif., on Nov. 30 for the Stanford vs. Notre Dame game; and finally to San Diego, Calif., on Dec. 30 for The Holiday Bowl. The bus will round out the tour next year with stops at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January; the Super Bowl and The Daytona 500 in February; and Mardi Gras in New Orleans and SXSW in Austin, Texas, in March.

For more information on the "Listen to the Music" campaign, cover competition and video contest, please visit www.polkaudio.com.

About Polk
Polk (www.polkaudio.com) is an award-winning designer and manufacturer of high performance audio products and the largest audio brand of Sound United. Founded in 1972, Polk is the market share leader in premium Home Theater speakers in North America, and is a leading manufacturer of sound bars, headphones, wireless speakers, mobile and marine speakers and amplifiers, and other high performance audio products. For more information on Sound United and its brands, visit www.soundunited.com
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Related Links:
Polk Website
Walk Off the Earth Website

SOURCE Polk Audio