I’m not sure how I feel about Starbucks becoming a major cultural influence, but they are doing some interesting things.
Listening Library, Random House’s children’s audiobook imprint, and Starbucks Hear Music have teamed up to co-release two audiobook titles from the lauded and long-out-of-print Rabbit Ears Collection of celebrity-narrated recordings, which was acquired by Random House/Listening Library earlier this year. The Velveteen Rabbit and The Night Before Christmas, both read by Meryl Streep, and featuring music by George Winston and Mark O’Connor respectively, will each be available for a four-month stretch, exclusively, at Starbucks locations in the U.S. and online at www.starbucks.com/hearmusic. Following the initial exclusive period, the two selections will receive traditional retail distribution. The Velveteen Rabbit will debut in Starbucks outlets on August 29; The Night Before Christmas will hit the coffee giant’s shelves on November 7.
I am glad that these recordings are being re-issued, and I read that Listening Library is planning to re-launch all of the Rabbit Ears titles. Now I wonder if any of that would have come to pass had it not been for the Starbucks deal.
——–
Courtesy of The New York Times I read that commercials have come to Broadway.
No, to answer your question, there is nothing sacred. The advertisement, which is itself advertised as the world’s first live theatrical commercial, is a creation of Visit London, a tourist organization. There have already been performances of the live commercial on stages in Dublin and Hamburg, said Ken Kelling, Visit London’s communications director, and there is to be another on Friday in Pittsburgh. “They’re a captive audience,” Mr. Kelling said. “They can’t switch channels or change over or walk out once the thing is started.”
And they want us to pay $100+ for a ticket? I wonder what Terry Teachout will have to say about this.