Marlton, NJ – June 3, 2010: NARM, the music business association, announces a new promotional icon and messaging program — “music + more” — to support the sale of deluxe versions of physical, digital and mobile music product that contains value-added content and provides consumers with enhanced quality and convenience.

Following the October 2009 release of a NARM-conducted survey that validated the importance of deluxe product at retail outlets, NARM’s New Formats Committee’s Deluxe Product Workgroup focused its attention on the development of this promotional icon and messaging program.

“We applaud the efforts of the Workgroup and are excited to be introducing this new promotional tool to the industry,” said NARM President Jim Donio. “We urge the industry to use the logo on product, in advertising and with other promotional media to highlight deluxe music product.”

“We have tried to represent with this logo various forms of deluxe releases so that this message can be used frequently and reinforce visually what the more highly engaged fans are looking for,” says Candace Berry, Exec.VP of Sales and Marketing for Universal Music Distribution. “Deluxe versions have become a very successful configuration in music, and there has developed a great need for merchandising support in stores and in advertising materials. We are hopeful that this logo will provide that support as the configuration continues to florish and grow.”

In addition to the logo, a set of proposed Usage Guidelines and a Style Guide have been developed to suggest recommended logo placement and demonstrate examples of logo misuse. The Guidelines and the Style Guide, along with the EPS version of the logo can be downloaded here.

The Deluxe Products Survey, which was the driving force behind this icon/messaging program, revealed that a little more than 60% of respondents believe that consumers are “more likely” to purchase deluxe product over the standard CD once they are aware of it. The survey also yielded a number of key insights on defining deluxe product; sales and inventory; sales challenges; merchandising and positioning; timing of deluxe releases; and more. To review the survey, click here.

The Deluxe Product Workgroup includes representatives from NARM member companies and organizations including: Amazon.Com, Anderson Merchandisers, Best Buy Enterprise, Music Monitor Network, Sony Music Entertainment, Trans World Entertainment, Universal Music Group Distribution, and WEA Corp.

Media Contact: Nicole Hennessey, 856.596.2221, hennessey@narm.com