From basic All Stars in childhood to pink low cuts in high school and, currently, red satin Chinese print high tops and black sequined low cuts, I’ve walked, jumped, kicked, and danced in Converse shoes through every stage of life – including moments on stage. My experience is certainly not unique.

Because the shoes are well made, inexpensive, and come with a super-sized I-don’t-give-a-**** vibe free in every box, they’ve been favorites of the young and the restless for decades. Do a little shoe gazing at Bumbershoot, SXSW, ACL or NoisePop and you’ll see them everywhere, including the stage.

Geoff Cottrill, CMO of Converse, says the brand “has a rich history of supporting music and being embraced by the artistic community,”  and he’s not kidding.  Within the last couple of years alone, the brand has staged the “Gone to Governor’s” live music series, the “Get Out of the Garage” music competition, and the “Three Artists. One Song” series.

Deep in the heart of the creative wilds of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, they’re building their best venture yet – Converse Rubber Tracks.

The 5,500 square foot recording studio will be a place for emerging artists to record music in a high-quality studio operated by experienced engineers — for free. This will help new musicians overcome one of the biggest hurdles in their career: affording studio time.  Artists will retain ownership rights to their music, and the brand will have no influence on the content or style.

The studio is expected to open at the end of 2010, but the Converse is already busy promoting it within music circles – strategically enough, during the CMJ Music Marathon this week.  Emerging artists were invited to the West 23rd St creative offices/showroom to learn about the venture and get a sneak peek at the registration process.

Several CMJ artists, including singer/songwriter Charlene Kaye, performed on the brand’s permanent stage.  Emerging NYC artist William Lord was invited to debut his new song, “Good Riddance,” and was joined by additional musicians for an impromptu jam session which brought down the house.  Before leaving the event, attendees were given extra special swag: a pair of Converse by Jon Varvatos shoes, signed by the designer.

William Lord, singer/songwriter

As if all the sweet swag and studio time weren’t enough, Converse is giving bands a ton of opportunities to expose their music to a larger audience through content captured at the studio, including exclusive in-studio video testimonials, track-of-the-week features, behind-the-scenes footage, and unique rehearsal session clips. The word-of-mouth value alone is mind shattering – for the bands and the brand.

Gillette’s “Uncut” campaign is a brilliantly produced series of short music films featuring four of today’s top music artists/acts. Rather than jamming these artists into typical celebrity spokesperson roles, Gillette opted to give consumers something they couldn’t get anywhere else – a ringside seat on tour with – and in the dressing room of – will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), All American Rejects, Mark Hoppus (Blink 182), and Tim McGraw.

Give something of value.

will.i.am, Black Eyed Peas

Danny Clinch, whose extensive experience with rock photography and live concert films is apparent, delivers a brief yet intimate look into life on tour in authentic rock-umentary fashion. With delivery ranging from thoughtful to inspired to cocky, the artists invite viewers to experience their private pre-show rituals.

Make it great and people will talk.

Tim McGraw

Not surprisingly, every short film includes shaving in the preparations, but it’s done with a touch so deft it feels completely natural. Consumers who want to dive deeper (and who have the patience for things to load) can learn how to “shave like a rock star” with assorted Gillette (and P&G) brands on the website.

Deliver brand message with authenticity.

All American Rejects

While I’m not Gillette’s target market, as a consumer/marketer/music-lover I’m impressed on multiple levels by this campaign – and I’m talking about it. If more brands considered how to add value to their consumers’ lives, advertising as we know it would be dramatically different.

It’s no surprise that experiential marketing has become a staple in the marketing mix of thoughtful brands – it intrinsically delivers value to consumers. When experiential marketing is designed, planned, and executed properly consumers talk – in person and via social media – about the brand experience, ultimately resulting in substantial ROI.

Generate WOM to deliver ROI.

So congratulations, Gillette!  You’ve certainly captured my attention.  While you probably didn’t design “Uncut” with experiential marketing tenets in mind, it’s clear that we share a fundamental approach to winning the hearts and minds (and buying power) of consumers.  Any time you want to talk, I’ll be backstage getting ready for the curtain to rise.

Mark Hoppus, Blink 182

Organic social media presence kick-started the WeLikeBike42 experiential brand activation. 42BELOW Vodka’s native New Zealand is known for its sense of adventure and environmental conscience.  In that spirit, the brand selected 42 cyclists to ride from NYC to LA in a massive celebration of biking culture.  After training, a kickoff party, and an appearance on The Today Show, the riders parted ways to conquer a northern route and a southern route.

This video features photos taken by a variety of the riders as well as a couple by Javelin crew members. It’s a stunning display of appreciation for beauty in nature, adventure, and the sheer joy of living.

In major markets along the way, consumers cheered the riders on at parties hosted by 42BELOW Vodka, complete with the brand’s signature Caipiroska 42. Fans could join the journey by reading the individual riders’ blogs and Twitter accounts, and by following the tour at @WeLikeBike42.

Over 58 days riders witnessed some of the most beautiful scenery the country has to offer, pedaled a combined 8,549 miles, and exceeded their goal of getting 20,000 followers on Twitter.  In turn, 42BELOW made a $42K donation to the Alliance for Biking & Walking at the finish line event.

With more than 125K WeLikeBike42.com page views, 4.9 million blog views, radio reach of 2 million, 1.45 million over-the-road impressions, and more, 42 Below’s We Like Bike had an experiential program reach of more than 72 million. This extensive reach would not have been possible without the robust social media presence the riders brought to the experience through their blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr accounts.  Cycling enthusiasts, adventure devotees, and lovers of the vast beauty found across the United States all found something compelling to participate in, over and over.