In a world first, EMI Music UK and YO! Sushi join forces to bring music to mealtimes

This week, in a world first, EMI Music UK announces a partnership with YO! Sushi to exclusively provide music and video content to the world number one conveyor belt restaurant.

EMI Music UK’s content will be delivered to 7 iPods and plasma screens located in 2 of YO! Sushi’s newest central London restaurants. The iPods are part of a marketing collaboration between YO! Sushi and Apple UK.

EMI Music UK will also provide official content to YO! Sushi’s website. The partnership furthers EMI Music UK’s core aim to deliver its content through a wide range of digital media.

Danny Van Emden, Digital Media Director at EMI Music UK, explains, “The importance of non-traditional partnership deals, such as our deal with YO! Sushi, is that it highlights clearly the growing phenomenon of consuming music on the go. Consumers can now listen to music while travelling or commuting, and now, for the first time, they can decide what to listen to in restaurants.

"This deal is part of our ongoing objective of delivering our content through a multi-channel, multi-media approach; making our artists’ music accessible to consumers whenever and however they want it."

EMI Music UK will provide its latest digital releases and also create music genre and mood themed play lists for the in-store iPods, drawing from its massive back catalogue and labels including EMI Records, Virgin Records, Parlophone and Blue Note.

Play lists may potentially include seasonal music, such as Christmas songs, summer songs etc., and play lists from new artists that will be updated with each new release. Diners will be able to listen to this music via ‘booth-directed speakers’.

Georgia Hall, Head of Marketing at YO! Sushi, comments, “Eating at YO! Sushi has always been about providing diners with great food, coupled with exciting entertainment. The deal with EMI Music UK is bringing back the old-fashioned listening booth, enabling diners to sample new music or re-visit old favourites while waiting for friends or simply as entertainment if dining alone.”

The in-store iPods will have their content changed and updated on a regular basis.

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Editor’s notes
About EMI Music UK – Digital Media Division
EMI Music was the first major record company to establish a dedicated Digital Media division in 1998. The division, headed up by Danny Van Emden, the Digital Media Director, is responsible for the digital activity of EMI Music UK and Ireland and its individual music labels. In addition, each of EMI Music’s record labels - EMI Records, Innocent, Parlophone, Virgin and the catalogue division - has a Digital Media Manager responsible for developing artist specific new media opportunities, promotions and web presence.

The Digital Media division develops many of the company’s digital cross-marketing and artist promotions; providing exclusive content; managing data capture and eCRM systems; and monetising EMI Music’s assets across the digital media. The division is also responsible for the EMI Music aggregate site, www.the-raft.com, which has been running for 11 years and won multiple awards.

With in house skills in journalism, programming, photography, SEO and design, the team are able to generate the right mix of copywriting and creativity to exploit a range of commercial opportunities. Working with EMI’s Commercial Digital team, Digital Media has worked with retail, brand, online and mobile organisations. This year alone, the division has agreed a number of crucial deals with high profile partners including OD2, i-Tunes, mycokemusic, Napster, Orange and Vodafone Live.

Websites developed for well-known artists include Kylie.com, Kelis.co.uk, thethrills.com, nerduk.com, thedivinecomedy.com, doves.net and jamelia.com. The team is also responsible for creating artists’ web shops, selling physical products and exclusive merchandise, as well as developing mobile shops and download platforms.

EMI Music UK is part of The EMI Group, one of the largest music companies in the world and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

www.emimusic.co.uk

Contact:
Anna Vickerstaff
immediate future Ltd.
0845 408 2031
pressoffice@immediatefuture.co.uk

About YO! Sushi
• YO! Sushi was founded in 1996 by Simon Woodroffe (first restaurant opened 1997 Poland Street, London).
• In August 2003 YO! Sushi completed a management buy out, the majority shareholder is now Primary Capital
• YO! Sushi has an aggressive expansion plan in operation with the capability to grow to 30 UK and 20 international restaurants by 2007
• It is YO! Sushi’s policy to stock only the freshest sushi available, our fish is on the conveyor belt for a maximum of two hours and all our food is freshly prepared in front of our customers
• YO! Sushi is based on a mixture of traditional Japanese and Western recipes and YO! Sushi has a daily repertoire of over 130 dishes; 40% of the menu is hot
• The conveyor belt (kaiten) has been around in Japan since the 1960’s

www.yosushi.com

For further information please contact Maya Hart, PR Manager, YO! Sushi on 020 7841 0730 or maya@yosushi.co.uk