Brunelle!

LOVE this picture! Dont know when it was taken but I'm guessin 2010 or 2011

Bruno Mars Isn't a Superstar Like Other Super Bowl Alumni, and That’s Why He’s the Perfect Choice: An accessible human brand By Jeetendr Sehdev

The Super Bowl has long been America’s game and the leader in using spectacle to engage sports fans. As the event has grown in size and grandeur, it has thrilled millions with its glitz, glamour and sizzle. But in 2013, today’s younger audience isn’t drawn toward ’80s extravagance nor influenced by many traditional marketing tactics.

I believe the Super Bowl brand could use a “less is more” approach to effectively engage modern American sports fans. As we start to gear up for the 2014 game, we should look to see how the larger-than-life event will balance excess (tickets are rumored to carry up to a $2,600 price tag) with more intimate connections on social media. Can National Football League marketers find ways to humanize the Super Bowl to make it relatable to millennial fans?

According to a recent study I conducted on millennial attitudes toward celebrity and brands, authenticity is valued far more than excess—and the theme of excess has certainly been escalating at the Super Bowl since Michael Jackson moonwalked through a cloud of smoke in the early ’90s. The Super Bowl brand needs to foster loyalty from a budding new breed of sports fans inundated with more sports media options than ever before, as extreme sports, UFC, Nascar, WWE and soccer soar in popularity. There’s a strong indicator NFL marketers understand the importance of offering a more intimate experience: halftime 2014.

When the NFL announced Bruno Mars as the 2014 Super Bowl halftime performer, many questioned the decision. While Mars has quickly risen to fame, selling 10 million albums in his three-year singing career, he isn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, a bona fide superstar like Super Bowl alumni Beyoncé, Prince and Madonna. Mars marks a huge departure from those bigger, flashier acts of the past. He’s a safe, nonpolarizing choice who doesn’t generate strong feelings one way or the other. In fact, only 29 percent of U.S. millennials say they like that he’s performing at the Super Bowl, while a whopping 54 percent say they don’t care.

Despite the lukewarm sentiment, I believe Mars is a clever choice for Super Bowl XLVIII. Apart from the fact that he’s an amazing live act, Mars is flawed and real. He will engage fans by providing a more intimate experience than the plethora of manufactured artists who have reached the height of celebrity and who feel less relatable to the American public.

The dynamics of his celebrity relate to a wide range of millennials. His Puerto Rican, Jewish and Filipino heritage, combined with his upbringing in Hawaii, could also contribute to the fact he scores up to 20 percent higher in rankings of authenticity and honesty with America’s most diverse generation. And Mars’ fun, carefree songs, including “Just the Way You Are” and “Billionaire,” significantly appeal to the uber-optimistic attitude of millennials.

Much like Mars—who openly pays homage to artists who have come before him, like Presley and Hendrix—millennials have great respect for their elders. Add to this his widely appealing musical, vocal and choreography influences from the ’70s and ’80s, not to mention his affinity for tattoos (four in 10 millennials have at least one tattoo), and Mars is quite the sexy and strategic choice to lead the Super Bowl’s evolution as a more accessible and human brand. Even his 2010 arrest in Las Vegas for cocaine possession hasn’t tarnished his popularity—his quick admission to being “foolish” was seen as further increasing his brand’s authenticity.

As a backdrop to this, the NFL is upping its digital presence to create a more interactive fan experience. It recently announced a partnership with Amplify to tweet and embed videos via Twitter. The Bruno Mars team will certainly make the most of the Amplify play and leverage social to drive eyeballs to his halftime performance—an effort that will further help humanize the year’s biggest media event.

The age of holding star performers high up on pedestals is over. By putting fans at the center of the act, the Super Bowl brand shows us why it’s so damn super and poised to win big in 2014.

http://www.adweek.com/new...ice-155030

I just need to know how much the tickets are going to be...
They go on sale in a couple of weeks, so I need to know what the damage will be.

chocolate1 said:

I just need to know how much the tickets are going to be...
They go on sale in a couple of weeks, so I need to know what the damage will be.

chocolate1 said:

I just need to know how much the tickets are going to be...
They go on sale in a couple of weeks, so I need to know what the damage will be.

This! I'm anxious to know how much they will be, I'm gonna try to get front row seats this time...I need to know what the damage will be so I can make plans. Guess I might as well start taking pop bottles back now and start putting away them dimes into the Moonshine Jungle fund!

Bruno will be a presenter at next week's Grammys

BRUNO MARS, ALICIA KEYS, MIGUEL, & ARIANA GRANDE TO PRESENT AT GRAMMYS

http://www.rap-up.com/201...t-grammys/

Before Super Bowl, Bruno Mars Heads to Grammys

Wish Bruno Mars would write you a hit song? Keep dreaming.

The singer-songwriter-producer, who has penned hits like CeeLo Green's "Forget You!" and B.o.B's "Nothin' on You," says he's not interested in churning out tracks for other artists like he's done in the past.

"There's a piece of me that's no longer there — which was basically let me write a song and then sell it," Mars said in a recent interview. "That was back in the day when I was struggling and hustling to pay rent. I was selling songs for 250 bucks ... but now that I'm OK, I shouldn't treat it like a sport."

The 28-year-old, who is one-third of the production trio The Smeezingtons, has produced for Alicia Keys, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne and Flo Rida. Mars said he now wants to collaborate organically with others — much like on his latest album, "Unorthodox Jukebox," which is nominated for four honors at Sunday's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. His sophomore effort, released in late 2012, features Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Diplo and Paul Epworth. The album's lead single and No. 1 hit, "Locked Out of Heaven," is nominated for song and record of the year.

He said the upbeat jam took "months and months" to create.

"People didn't see us going at each other's throats in the studio and pulling out our hair for a song like 'Locked Out of Heaven,'" he said. "Trying to get these drums right and figure out a base line. ... It being recognized in these monster categories is an extreme honor."

The crooner's other No. 1 hit, "When I Was Your Man," is nominated for best pop solo performance, while his near-double platinum album is up for best pop vocal album.

This year marks Mars' fourth nomination for record of the year; this is his third for song of the year. He won his first and only Grammy for best male pop vocal performance with "Just the Way You Are" in 2011.

Though his debut, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," earned a nomination for album of the year, Mars said he's not disappointed "Unorthodox Jukebox" isn't competing for the top prize this year.

"I'm good, man," he said with a laugh. "If I would have asked for anything more, I'd be a jerk. I'm happy."

The singer, who was named Billboard's top artist last year and will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 2, will launch a tour April 18 in Honolulu. He said he isn't recording new music at the moment.

"Nope. Nothing. I'm tapped out," he said. "Of course melodies come into my head and chord changes come in, but honestly I've just been enjoying this right now."

———

http://abcnews.go.com/Ent...s-21622202

Super Bowl XLVIII: Bruno Mars’ rise to halftime star

Bruno Mars, a star with extraordinary appeal, is set to entertain the crowds at the big game’s halftime show. These performances always feature medleys and – even with just two albums – Mars has enough likable material to fit the bill.

BY JIM FARBER / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014, 3:21 PM

Finding the right halftime star isn’t as easy as it looks. You need a star with mass appeal, someone who has something for everyone.

It’s a role Bruno Mars was born to play. He’s a classic people-pleaser, a willing throwback to the kind of all-around entertainer the world hasn’t seen in so gleaming and eager a package since prime Michael Jackson.

Like Jackson, Mars has talents that span many disciplines. He can sing. He can dance. He can play multiple instruments. He’s even funny. When he both hosted and served as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” last year, he killed the comedy skits. He also proved himself a great mimic, mirroring the vocal styles of a host of other pop stars.

Vocally, Mars’ timbre has a lot in common with — you guessed it — a young Michael Jackson. As with M.J., Mars’ songs can seem both vintage and modern, mainstream and edgy. At the same time, Bruno’s vocals balance sweetness with sting, while his look, and character, straddles the earthy and the exotic.

Mars also broadens the ethnicity of the halftime stars. Born Peter Hernandez in Hawaii, he has a Filipino mother and Puerto Rican father born in Brooklyn.

Halftime shows always feature medleys, the better to touch on as many hits as possible in a tight 15-minute display. Even with just two albums out, Mars has a wealth of likable smashes to draw from.

His first two singles, “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade,” both reached No. 1, in the States and elsewhere. The third single off his debut, “The Lazy Song,” went Top 10.

From the latest album, the songs “Locked Out of Heaven” and “When I Was Your Man” both topped the U.S. charts and went Top Ten worldwide. A third song, “Treasure,” became a Top Five American hit.

Mars’ recent Moonshine Jungle tour sold out arenas around the country in 2012 and ’13. It returns for a new leg, with Pharrell Williams as his guest, starting the week after the Super Bowl. Just-announced dates are set for Madison Square Garden July 13 and 14.

The anointment of Bruno Mars as the halftime headliner has a generational significance as well. It marks the first time in 13 years the NFL has trusted anyone under 30 to steer the big event.

Even his young predecessors — former teenybop acts N’ Sync and Britney Spears — weren’t the sole headliners of their 2001 gig. They had to be balanced out, and share equal billing, with certified oldsters Aerosmith.

In that sense, 28-year-old Mars stands as the youngest artist ever to serve as the unquestioned halftime star attraction. (His guests — the Red Hot Chili Peppers — have an average age of 50, but that band is a side act to Mars.) He follows last year’s youthquake when Beyoncé served halftime queen.

This one-two punch represents a dramatic turnaround from the six-year string of classic rock halftime headliners that dominated the last decade. The ages of the stars in that period ranged from 40s (Prince, in 2007) to 60s (Paul McCartney, in 2005).

The obsession with AARP-friendly fare came after “nipple-gate” in 2004, when then 37-year-old Janet Jackson introduced the term “wardrobe malfunction” to a supposedly appalled public.

The string of older stars that followed certainly did their part to boost both the show’s ratings and their credibility. The 2012 event — featuring 53-year-old Madonna — drew the highest ratings in halftime history, with 114 million viewers. That was a full 3 million more than for the game itself.

Mars’ relatively tender age isn’t his only rare quality in the heady realm of halftime stars. As famous and popular as he may be, his career is still on the upswing. Most musicians toplining the entertainment portion of the Super Bowl show have long ago peaked.

But Mars has just two albums. His latest, “Unorthodox Jukebox,” became the fifth-biggest-selling album of the last year, with total sales approaching 1.9 million. And that figure measures a portion of its popularity. A British company, Musicmetric, somehow calculated that “Jukebox” enjoyed the dubious distinction of being this year’s most stolen piece of music.

Mars has the chance to enter the Super Bowl next week with the freshest possible boost. He’s nominated for four awards at Sunday’s Grammys. They include two top prize bids, for Record and Song of the Year, both for “Locked Out of Heaven.”

He’ll also perform on the Grammy show, which should serve as an ideal tease for the Big Game — as well as a celebration of a generation just hitting its stride.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.co...z2rI3Xkb4C

Bruno Mars Hit Song Gorilla and the 2014 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show Inspires Creation of a Pepsi Based Cocktail Called "The Gorilla Martini"

PRWeb

Thursday, January 23rd 2014

Convo Bar in New York City has created a new Pepsi based cocktail called "The Gorilla Martini". The cocktail will be served February 2, 2014 at the Bar's Super Bowl Party during the Bruno Mars Halftime show sponsored by Pepsi.

New York, New York (PRWEB) January 23, 2014

The Gorilla Martini recipe requires Pepsi, three types of rum, coconut water, lime and two secret ingredients. The Gorilla Martini will have a special discounted price of $7.00 during Convo Bar’s Super Bowl Party and then for 1 week after the game. The drinking age in New York City and all of New York State is 21 years of age.

"We wanted a new cocktail we could serve our clients during the Pepsi Sponsored Bruno Mars Halftime Show. Ironically the show gave our bartenders all the inspiration they needed. A dark exotic Pepsi and rum based drink called The Gorilla Martini," said Marie Harris, spokesperson for Convo Bar. “We are hoping Bruno Mars hears about The Gorilla Martini and comes to Convo Bar to try one.”

Convo Bar's Super Bowl Party 2014 is planned for 5:00pm February 2, 2014 to coincide with the American football game between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks which has kickoff scheduled for 6:25pm EST. The game will be held in the MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

About Convo Bar NYC
Convo Bar is a restaurant, Bar and cocktail Lounge in New York City. Convo Bar takes its name from the idea that great food and drinks spark great "Convo" or conversation. Convo Bar is located in the heart of New York City next to Times Square and the Theater District. Convo Bar features specialty rustic crust pizzas and Italian influenced small plates.

Read more: http://www.virtual-strate...z2rLa1xQ4a
Read more at http://www.virtual-strate...A5d5YtK.99

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS TO PLAY LED ZEPPELIN, TALK BRUNO MARS AT SUPER BOWL

NaughtyKitty said:

An unreleased gem Bruno recorded back in the day--a demo titled "Voices In My Head" Really good song, and Bruno's vocals are heavenly! Has an old school Motown sound and his voice reminds me of early MJ at times. He ended up giving this song to his sisters (the Lylas) to sing which will probably sound nice but Bruno's version is better imo

Hyundai Taps Bruno Mars' 'Count On Me' For Super Bowl Spot

• NEWS

By Andrew Hampp, New York | January 24, 2014 11:30 AM EST

The Pepsi Half Time Show won’t be the only place to hear Bruno Mars’ music during next weekend’s Super Bowl. Hyundai will feature “Count On Me,” an album cut from Mars’ 2010 debut "Doo-Wops and Hooligans," as the featured music in a spot entitled “Dad’s Sixth Sense” that will debut in the game’s fourth quarter and feature the 2016 Hyundai Genesis.

The synch license was booked by Hyundai’s longtime music agency GreenLight (a division of Red Light Management), and was chosen for reasons separate and coincidental from Mars’ previously announced Half Time gig. “The most critical thing for us is we need lyrics that really help us tell our story,” says Hyundai’s VP-marketing Steve Shannon, “and as we listened to ‘Count On Me’ and the key lyric, ‘1, 2, 3 and I’ll be there…’ it clearly summed up what we’re trying to say. Even though it’s one of his lesser-known songs, it’s our way of sharing it to a broader audience.”

Mars himself was not involved in the creative of the commercial nor will he appear in it. Instead, the 30-second commercial will tell the story of a father with a particularly intuitive knack for protecting his son in key moments – whether it’s at a birthday party or a key moment in the Hyundai Genesis. “Bruno had such a sweet voice on this song, and the way it’s presented is so genuine and heartfelt without being treacly or sappy,” Shannon says. “The magic of his voice really nailed that lyric.”

The Super Bowl is one of the most lucrative times of year for publishers and record labels with master recordings, as more advertisers turn to songs both well-known and emerging to enhance their creative. Prices for synch licenses can vary wildly from the low five figures to the mid-six range, depending on the length of the campaign, the popularity of the artist and the relative exclusivity of a synch license. Only the choosier artists, like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and several key rock estates are among the few who can still command upwards of $1 million for the use of an original master.

Hyundai is gearing up for a busy 2014, including its annual sponsorship of the Grammy Museum and its downtown activities, which returns this weekend. Shannon is currently looking for musical opportunities to amplify its upcoming campaign around the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where it’s one of six global sponsors. “The World Cup is around the same time as when our new Sonata launches mid-summer, and we’re always looking for ways music can help us tell that story.”


http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/5885223/hyundai-taps-bruno-mars-count-on-me-for-super-bowl-spot

Guest DJ: Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars as Guest DJ in iTunes Radio - If you’re ever wondering what Bruno likes to listen to you should check his iTunes playlist here

Bruno tweeting his appreciation for the Red Hot Chili Peppers back in 2010!

And now he's performing with them next week at the SB!

Huge congratulations to Bruno for winning “Best Pop Vocal Album” for “Unorthodox Jukebox” at the 2014 Grammys!

http://bit.ly/1dV3HyC with Bruno Mars @brunomars" />

CBS: Backstage at the #GRAMMYs! Watch now @CBS http://bit.ly/1dV3HyC with Bruno Mars @brunomars

Bruno winning Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards

Musician Bruno Mars accepts the Best Pop Vocal Album award for ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ from singers Gloria Estefan and Marc Anthony onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards

Singers Gloria Estefan, Bruno Mars, Marc Anthony, and producer Kenneth Ehrlich attend the 56th GRAMMY Awards

Musician Bruno Mars accepts the Best Pop Vocal Album award for ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards

Bruno Mars and Paul Mccartney attend the 56th GRAMMY Awards

Bruno Mars sits next to his girlfriend Jessica Caban while attending the 2014 Grammy Awards

Bruno Mars onstage on the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 26 in Los Angeles HQ

Musician Bruno Mars speaks onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards HQ

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thehunterpeterson: Nice meeting you @brunomars! Good luck next Sunday at the halftime show

NaughtyKitty said:

Marc better watch out!

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That was a shocker! I think most people thought JT was going to win. Kinda glad JT didn't

Gunsnhalen said:

That was a shocker! I think most people thought JT was going to win. Kinda glad JT didn't

Yes I'm glad overrated Timberlake didnt win! Sometimes the Grammys does get it right Although still think that Unorthodox Jukebox deserved to be nominated for AOTY.

Nice pics JoeBala , I think that last pic of Bruno was when he had to go to court for cocaine possession back in 2010

NaughtyKitty said:

Nice pics JoeBala , I think that last pic of Bruno was when he had to go to court for cocaine possession back in 2010

It's the only one I could find with him being pissed off. Those pics of Marc, Gloria and Bruno are cool. Thanks for posting.

JoeBala said:

NaughtyKitty said:

Nice pics JoeBala , I think that last pic of Bruno was when he had to go to court for cocaine possession back in 2010

It's the only one I could find with him being pissed off. Those pics of Marc, Gloria and Bruno are cool. Thanks for posting.

That's cool, here's one of him looking a bit PO'd at the Grammys that was just posted online:

He's thinking I'm coming for YOU Marc Anthony!

Bruno talking to Taylor Swift at the Grammys tonight

Bruno, always the goofball!

jacobbanett_ : Good meeting you Bruno

Bruno at the Post Grammy Party at Chateau Marmont.

You can see that Bruno had himself a good time at that party last night. #HowbadisyourhangoverBru?