Plurimedia launches BlingTones in France

Plurimedia, a company specializing in the production and distribution of mobile phone content and services, is launching BlingTones in France, the first hip-hop, rap and R&B label with content specifically created and produced for mobile phones, including ringtones, screensavers and wallpaper, ring-back tones, answering machine messages and videotones – all EXCLUSIVE, ORIGINAL and ready to download.

BlingTones was launched in the United States in late 2004, with hit sounds from the biggest stars in American hip-hop and R&B, including Rockwilder, Jay Dee, Hi Tek and many more. Distributed by the main mobile operators (ATT, Cingular, Sprint, Nextel, Boost, Q-Mobile and so on), BlingTones experienced phenomenal success and became the standard-setting brand for mobile content in the United States, selling more than three million downloads since its launch.

On April 6, 2005

, BlingTones arrives in France! Plurimedia is supplementing the American catalogue with hit tunes from some of the hottest French DJs and producers, including Kore and Skalp, DJ Goldfingers, DJ Poska, Kessey DJ Sek, DJ Doze, E-Rise, DJ Kim, DJ Cam and more, plus images from the hip-hop scene specifically adapted for mobile phone screens.

The BlingTones artists have demonstrated an exceptional level of creativity in the production of highly original, offbeat creations – and the bet has paid off! With these high-quality new sounds, hip-hop, rap and R&B fans can now customize their mobiles with a personal statement that rings loud and clear, and their ranks are continuing to swell: hip-hop, rap and R&B are the preferred musical styles for 11- to 20-year-olds (Médiamétrie’s youth indicator, Dec. 2004). In France, 70% of the titles broadcast on FM radio and of the ringtones sold in 2004 are hip-hop, rap or R&B!

With nearly 215 million mobile phone subscribers in the United States and France, BlingTones provides a phenomenal distribution platform for artists on the hip-hop, rap and R&B scene.

For Fabien Baunay, Managing Director of Plurimedia, “The maturity of the mobile content market and consumer expectations have led us to create a range of highly specific and original products. With BlingTones and the release of some never-before-heard creations, we are entering an entirely new era in the history of this medium.”

For Fabrice Sergent, Managing Director of Lagardere Active Broadband, “BlingTones is becoming a world-class download brand on the hip-hop scene. Its success reflects Lagardere Active Broadband’s goal of creating mobile content with an international scope.“

BlingTones will be available on the Web, the mobile Internet and Audiotel, and will be promoted through various partnerships via print media, radio and television.

Lagardere Active Broadband, the New Media subsidiary of the Lagardère group, specializes in the creation, production and distribution of content and interactive services provided by telecom operators and the media. Lagardere Active Broadband has a presence in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Plurimedia, a French subsidiary of Lagardere Active Broadband, specializes in the creation, production and distribution of mobile phone content and services. Plurimedia produces and publishes content for Europe1 Interactive, Astralia, the Virginmega.fr mobile sites and the Live1 interactive communities, among others.

Blingtones Web Site