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Radio Helps Build ‘GagaVille’

Clear Channel works with social network game site in Lady Gaga’s album promotion

Mark it down as another step in the changing face of radio and music promotion.

Facebook fave FarmVille, a simulation game where players operate their own farm, will be the venue for the debut of Lady Gaga’s album “Born this Way.”

Helping in this atypical venture is Clear Channel and its iHeartRadio Internet media division. Along with FarmVille developer Zynga, they’ll create GagaVille, something of a suburb of FarmVille. Cuts from the new album will be available starting May 17, several days before the album’s official release.

Visitors to GagaVille will be treated to “Born This Way” themes and storylines. The tunes will be available through Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio player, which will be enabled at the site. Additional “virtual” GagaVille goodies will be announced on Clear Channel stations on May 17. Not surprisingly Clear Channel will be pushing this unusual promotion heavily.

On its end Zynga will be teaming up with retailer Best Buy on a full album download promotion, along with additional promotional alliances with other Zynga platforms.

The announcement was made by Anders Klemmer, global director of media partnerships for FarmVille developer Zynga, and Clear Channel Chairman of Media and Entertainment Platforms Bob Pittman.

Pittman said the arrangement shows how Clear Channel “is adding the social element to radio in ways no other company can … We are deeply invested in working with both platform partners and record labels to promote new music in creative ways that reach fans wherever they are.”

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