NAMM Announces Third Annual Wanna Play? Award Recipients

NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, has announced the winners of its third annual Wanna Play? Awards.

Five companies from outside the music products industry were honored Sunday at the Hilton Anaheim during the NAMM Show's Breakfast Session for depicting characters playing musical instruments to convey messages of hope, excitement, coolness and desire.

The winners of the 2008 Wanna Play? Awards are the California Milk Processor Board for its “White Gold” television ad campaign; AT&T for its “Team USA Soundtrack” print ad campaign; freecreditreport.com for its “New Job” TV ad; Fruit of the Loom for its “Daddy Was the Apple of My Eye” TV ad featuring Vince Gill; and Virgin America for its “Everyone Needs an Outlet” print ad campaign.

The Wanna Play? Awards are an extension of NAMM's Wanna Play? campaign, a public awareness initiative designed to inspire people of all ages to become active music makers, from taking lessons to purchasing their first instrument or software. NAMM recognizes major companies that have encouraged people to pursue—or perhaps revisit—their passion for playing an instrument through their promotion of products or initiatives.

The “White Gold” advertisement, for example, features a rock star character playing a tricked-out electric guitar while promoting the perks of drinking milk.

Freecreditreport.com's “New Job” TV ad depicts a pirate-clad waiter in a fish restaurant strumming a tune on an acoustic guitar and lamenting about his stolen identity.

“It is refreshing to see that companies in many industries use music making as a universal communication tool to convey all types of messaging,” said Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO. “We commend those companies that have tapped into this energetic and positive form of expression to help spread the word about their products.”