People are more accustomed to brands being present in all areas of culture, even the areas that would be traditionally be seen as entertainment. Partnerships with artists or celebrities work best when the partnerships are authentic, when the experience is truly entertaining, and most importantly they are receiving a benefit from it. It’s not about selling to people, it’s about engaging them.

The best versions of brand and entertainment partnerships happen when two brands come together (in this case Samsung & JAY Z) to do something that is forward-thinking and innovative.

We could have asked JAY Z to write a song about Samsung, but that wouldn’t be authentic or benefit consumers. Instead we used our marketing dollars to give people something that they had been waiting for – a new album from JAY Z for free.

A three-week integrated campaign brought the idea to life.

6/14– Teased collaboration through social media.

6/16– Launched with first ever 3-minute film during the NBA Finals. Spots invited people inside JAY Z’s creative process and teased music from album. Directed to MagnaCartaHolyGrail.com. Drove conversation with #MagnaCarta.

6/17– Second film revealed the app as the distribution channel, inviting Samsung phone owners to download it from Google Play. Sharing the app unlocked lyrics and exclusive video content.

6/24– TV, digital, wild postings, and owned media all drove downloads.

7/4– Dropped album to first 1 million users.

We made a history-making moment for Samsung and JAY Z with the launch of Magna Carta Holy Grail.

1. We stole the cultural megaphone

-#Samsung, #JayZ, #MagnaCarta trended on Twitter for 16-hours straight surrounding

the July 4 release

- 1.9 billion total earned media impressions

- 53 million YouTube views

- Our partnership landed the cover of Billboard Magazine for being a defining moment in the music industry.

2. We rewarded Galaxy owners and drove desire for the album

The album was a bonafide success, with 1 million copies distributed prior to its retail release date, thanks to the participation of Samsung owners.

- The Magna Carta app ranked #2 on Google Play

– Became the #1 album in 59 countries and was Jay-Z’s first UK #1

– Album received 9 Grammy nominations

– Our partnership forever changed how album sales are reported in the digital age.

Magna Carta Holy Grail was certified Platinum on its launch day by the Recording Industry Artists Association (RIAA). It was the first time they included digital downloads purchased during the first 30 days in market.

– The Galaxy S 4 went on the become Samsung’s best-selling smartphone ever.