Orchard First: Artist Promotion via iPhone App

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Orchard (NASDAQ: ORCD), a global leader in music and video entertainment, today announced that a comprehensive iPhone Apps program is being made available to its artist and label clients as a method of driving promotional strategy and increasing artist revenue. Orchard has tapped Fluidesign, the creative company behind a new developer program called Mobile Roadie, as its technology partner for the service.

“The Orchard’s marketing team has done everything possible to ensure that Black Lips have stayed as connected to their audience as possible. This application is another in a long line of innovative tools and promotions that The Orchard uses to keep artists and fans connected.”

Orchard clients now can create iPhone Apps directly through The Orchard’s Artist/Label Workstation^sm (ALW^sm). These Apps will ensure fans have real-time mobile access to exclusive music and videos, tour dates, photos, news, FanWall and more. Last week, Apple announced that there are now over 25,000 Apps available at the iTunes App store, a very notable increase from the 15,000 that were available only two months ago. To date, more than 500 million Apps have been downloaded from the store.

The Orchard is the first entertainment services company to offer its clients the ability to create customizable, affordable iPhone Apps. This is the latest in an ongoing series of next-generation tools available through The Orchard’s powerful ALW platform, a dashboard-based used by clients to analyze sales, manage assets, and improve promotional effectiveness.

“Our clients will be able to deepen their fan relationships with this offering. As artist to fan connections become more and more impactful on revenues, we find ourselves shifting away from a model of simply selling songs, to one of monetizing large audiences in new and creative ways,” commented Jaclyn Ranere, head of marketing for The Orchard.

By partnering with Fluidesign on this initiative, The Orchard ensures its clients have access to the award-winning firm also responsible for the design of ALW. “As our exclusive distribution partner, The Orchard gives us access to their wide range of artists and labels, as well as a program launch much larger than we had originally anticipated. It allows more people to see how useful and inventive this application can be,” commented Michael Schneider of Fluidesign.

The Orchard’s inaugural App was created for VICE Music’s artist Black Lips. The Black Lips’ iPhone App was launched on the Apple App Store in time for their national tour, giving fans a place to chat with the band about their shows. The App also features a suite of innovative features such as a constantly updated news feed, up to the minute tour dates, the song and video of their single “Short Fuse”, and the ability to purchase their entire discography. All of these app features are now available for all Orchard artists and labels.

VICE Music General Manager Jamie Farkas commented, “The Orchard’s marketing team has done everything possible to ensure that Black Lips have stayed as connected to their audience as possible. This application is another in a long line of innovative tools and promotions that The Orchard uses to keep artists and fans connected.”

About The Orchard(R)

The Orchard (NASDAQ: ORCD) licenses and globally distributes more than 1.3 million songs and over 5,000 video titles through hundreds of digital stores (e.g. iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, YouTube, Hulu) and mobile carriers (e.g. Verizon Wireless, Orange, China Mobile, Telefonica, 3). With offices in 29 countries around the world, The Orchard drives sales for its label, retailer, brand, and agency clients through innovative marketing and promotional campaigns; brand entertainment programs; and film, advertising, gaming and television licensing. Through its recently acquired TVT Distribution division, The Orchard also offers physical distribution solutions of music in CD and vinyl format for select record label partners. A pioneer in digital music and media services, The Orchard fosters creativity and independence.

The Orchard is a registered trademark and The Orchard logo is a service mark of Orchard Enterprises NY, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Fluidesign

Fluidesign is an award winning interactive agency based in Los Angeles. The company designs and develops brands, websites, and iPhone Apps. Clients include AOL, Toshiba, World Vision, KCRW, USC, LMU, Rogers & Cowan, and The Orchard. The company was founded in 1998 by Michael Schneider, its CEO. www.fluidesign.com / www.mobileroadie.com

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding The Orchard's expectations regarding future events and operating performance within the meaning of Federal Securities laws that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the ability of The Orchard to distribute certain products, videos and artist recordings. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements as they speak only as of the date hereof, and The Orchard undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except as may be required by law. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in The Orchard's most recent periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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