NEWPORT, RI (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — For the second time in 25 years, the Newport Jazz Festival is casting about for a partner for title sponsorship. The festival, founded by George Wein in 1954, enjoyed a sponsorship arrangement with JVC for 23 years and then Carefusion, a manufacturer of medical devices, for the past two years. CareFusion also underwrote the New York festival in 2010, but has decided to step away from that event as well.
"I am grateful for the two years that CareFusion sponsored the Newport as well as their one year affiliation with our festival in New York," said George Wein, jazz impresario and festival producer. "I am also thankful to Ronda Thomas of The Exordium Group, who created the jazz sponsorship strategy for CareFusion," said Wein. "CareFusion came forward at a very crucial time when my company was facing decisions about the future of this historic event. They understood the worldwide appeal of jazz and tapped into its magic to launch their brand, and we're pleased that jazz helped to make the company a household name."
The iconic festival is set for August 5 – 7, 2011 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport Casino and Fort Adams State Park. While the event's lineup has yet to be released, festival spokeswoman Carolyn McClair told the Boston Globe that the sponsorship issue does not imperil the festival and that Wein is currently booking artists.
According to the Newport Jazz Festival, the CareFusion Jazz Festival Series ultimately generated in excess of 2 billion measured media impressions and drove over 6 billion impressions in leading international media, creating significant brand awareness for CareFusion after its launch as a spin off from Cardinal Health. A media impression is a metric used in online advertising to count the number of times ads were delivered from distribution points such as placement on a web page.
"Any organization that gets involved with the jazz festival in Newport will enjoy a newsworthy celebration of America's music. The sponsorship fee is attractive and the benefits are immediate and substantial. We look forward to building new relationships as we continue to bring great music to Newport," Wein said. – Ian Courtney
