Vending Industry Continues to Thank Gen Y with The Gratitude Tracks

CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its successful seven-city Gratitude Tour, the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) announced that it is giving away a music sampler, The Gratitude Tracks, consisting of 17 free downloadable original songs, written and performed by the local artists featured on the vending industry Tour. The Gratitude Tracks is now available on the following sites:

• TuneCore: http://www.tunecore.com/music/thegratitudetracks
• CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thegratitudetracks 
• The Vend.Love.Win. Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VendLoveWin?sk=app_155326481208883 

NAMA is also working with iTunes to try and make the sampler available there as well.

The Gratitude Tour took vending on the road this fall to convey thanks to Gen Y (ages 18-29) and other loyal consumers for preferring vending and to reinforce that vending delivers what consumers want, when they want it and where they want it. A major catalyst for the Tour was recent NAMA research indicating that Gen Y prefers vending over convenience stores and grocery or drug stores for snacks and cold beverages. Tour stops featured the latest in vending machines, products and technology, thousands of free product giveaways and entertainment from the local bands and performers featured on the new music sampler. 

"The idea behind The Gratitude Tracks is to continue showing appreciation to Gen Y with a key staple in their lives:  music," said NAMA Interim CEO Dan Mathews.  "As the current and future users of vending, these are tech-savvy consumers who will appreciate free music downloads.  We thought this would be a great way to say 'thank you' and extend the Tour to others who may not have participated in it."

The Gratitude Tour is one element of a larger ongoing program initiated by NAMA and the vending industry earlier this year, all designed to boost awareness and generate excitement among consumers about the vending experience. Other elements of the program include a Facebook contest (http://www.facebook.com/vendlovewin), a broad media relations program targeting social media and other online destinations where young consumers "hang out" on the Internet, a mobile nutrition app that will be launched in the coming months, and other vending-related surprises involving consumers' mobile devices. 

About The Gratitude Tracks

Boston 
Aloud: This high-energy rock 'n' roll band is known for its entertaining live shows, powerful vocals and impressive songwriting. In support of its latest album Exile, Aloud has engaged crowds at almost 100 shows in 42 states. The band consists of married couple Henry Beguiristain (lead vocalist, guitars, keys) and Jen de la Osa (lead vocalist, guitars, keys) along with Charles Murphy (bass, backing vocal) and Mike Tucker (drums).

New York
Zak Smith: Often described as "haunting indie rock," Zak Smith's music is filled with emotional highs and lows. This prolific songwriter is influenced by artists such as Leonard Cohen and Elvis Costello. Although Zak mostly plays around New York City, his recent album, Haunted Feet, has generated some nationwide buzz.

Under the Elephant: With a unique mix of pop, rock and electronic sounds, Under the Elephant features melodic lyrics and dance-worthy beats. In 2011, the band released its debut album, The Eleventh Hour, which received recognition on NBC in New York. 

Emily Brooke: Emily Brooke is a talented singer/songwriter who has been active in the New York City music scene since the age of 17. More than just a pop singer, Emily writes inspirational songs with a deeper meaning behind them. Her music has been compared to Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple.

Atlanta
Rollie: With a diverse sound that blends pop, acoustic and hip-hop, Rollie is a dynamic force in the Atlanta music scene. Rollie is currently filming for the premiere season of the potential MTV reality show, Rising Stars.

Austin, TX
Marmalakes: This dynamic folk-pop trio plays lyrical songs with rich harmonies. Marmalakes is comprised of Austin natives Max Colonna (bass/vocals), Josh Hapern (drums/vocals) and Chase Weinacht (guitar/vocals). On November 15, the band released its latest album Even Clothed.

Minneapolis
GABE: Louisiana-born recording artist GABE writes lyrics and melodies on a daily basis. Influenced by artists such as Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross and The Temptations, GABE has a diverse mix of songs about love, relationships and overcoming challenges. He has toured with popular recording artists including Chris Brown and Trey Songz.

Madison, WI
What Moves: Milwaukee-based funky rock band What Moves has a unique sound that doesn't fit into any one genre of music. That's why the band doesn't categorize itself into any category and prefers its fans to decide what the music sounds like. What Moves consists of Noah Snyder (bass), Flo Rida Sunrise (percussion), Jamie Hollenberger (vocals & keys), Taylor Jarocki (vocals and guitar) and Panro Smithe (guitar).

Editor's note:  For more information, photos or videos about the Gratitude Tour, please visit our media hub at http://www.vendialogue.com. 

About The National Automatic Merchandising Association
NAMA, based in Chicago, is the national trade association of the food and refreshment vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries including on-site, commissary, catering and mobile.  Its membership is comprised of service companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers of products and services to operating service companies.  The basic mission of the association, to collectively advance and promote the automatic merchandising and coffee service industries, still guides NAMA today as it did in 1936, the year of the organization's founding.

SOURCE NAMA