Ray-Ban and MySpace Prepare Band Contest

Ray-Ban is now joining forces with MySpace to deliver an emerging band contest, Digital Music News reports.

The effort, slated to begin June 15th, will feature a customized Ray-Ban profile page that solicits material from up-and-coming acts.  Also involved in the project is LA-based Music Interactive, which recently crafted promotional concepts for Hyundai and Dodge.  As part of the Ray-Ban initiative, entrants will compete for a chance to perform at the Rolling Stone 40th Anniversary party in Vegas and the Ray-Ban party at South-by-Southwest.

Ray-Ban will also offer downloads from Tokyo Police Club and Mando Diao, as well as an as-yet-unnamed artist in August. Fans must view a Ray-Ban promotional video prior to receiving the downloads from established artists, according to pre-release details.

For Ray-Ban, the MySpace collaboration taps a highly-engaged audience, one that loves music and remains receptive to new material. For MySpace, the collaboration brings more music-related excitement to the destination, and adds to ongoing momentum in the area.

Bands already regard MySpace as a critical destination for aggregating and connecting with fans, and millions have profiles.  MySpace has capitalized on that energy with a number of new initiatives, including a series of secret shows.  The destination can also be a powder keg for fresh artists and songs, though major Universal Music remains unenthusiastic about aspects of the viral electricity.