MEDIA RELEASE - With a crowd capacity of 8500, tickets to the Vodafone NZ Music Awards are always in hot demand. But this year, thousands more will get to experience the event and join in remotely through social media.

For the first time, mobile viewers will get to watch the awards through the social media app Snapchat, where hundreds of video snippets filmed at the event will be uploaded to the Snapchat channel @vodafonenz.

The concept has already had huge international success. At Coachella in America, a few hundred thousand attended the music festival, but another 40 million around the globe tuned in and watched via Snapchat – an idea Vodafone’s now bringing to the Vodafone NZ Music Awards.

“Young people in New Zealand are no different. They’ve really embraced Snapchat as a way of experiencing an event through the fans who are actually there,” said Matt Williams, Vodafone’s Consumer Director.

Snapchat has taken off in New Zealand as a way for young people to send videos and messages to each other. As of January this year, Snapchat had been downloaded 1.7 million times – accounting for 70 per cent of Smartphone users.

“This year, Vodafone’s using Snapchat to give viewers a different perspective of the music awards, through a unique mash up of moments and impressions – things you wouldn’t even get to see on TV.”

The video snippets will be 10 seconds long, featuring bands on stage, exclusive clips from the stars and revellers in the crowd, and all filmed by @vodafonenz Snapchat users at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards.

The clips will be sorted and stitched together to create a continuous story – work to be carried out by kiwi digital start-up Mish Guru. The company’s been winning international attention for its innovative use of Snapchat. People away from the awards will also be able to join in, posting their own video snippets which will be linked into the story.

“There’s no doubt young people are changing the way they engage with traditional media. You’ll often find them watching TV while continuing to use their phone. They want to be highly connected,” said Williams.

In the lead up to the Vodafone NZ Music Awards, two Vodafone customers will also get the chance to become official Snapchatters at the event, getting access to the red carpet, backstage and other areas not necessarily seen on TV. Customers will be able to submit auditions via @vodafonenz.

Fans will also get a shot at fame, sending in messages of congratulations to their favourite stars which will be played back during the live broadcast of the event on TV3, or featuring in competitions that will be broadcast during the advertisements.

“We’re offering a truly interactive experience for viewers. We believe it’s the first time something like this has been attempted in New Zealand,” said Williams.