‘Throw back Thursday’ or ‘Flash Back Friday’ call it what you will, but to celebrate ‘Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars’ success at last weeks Brit Awards (Brit Award British Single – Uptown Funk) we’re reminiscing about one of our first ever VideoPaks orders.
Marcelo Bustamante recalls… “It was December 2009 when I visited Warner Music to show them VideoPak; brand new marketing & promotions technology that was exciting and fresh. Instantly they fell in love with VideoPak and were interested to showcase 4 videos to top music industry bigwigs of an emerging new artist called Bruno Mars. I was excited for the opportunity however the challenge really arose when they advised that the event was to be held at a top secret event in London – just seven days later!
I accepted the order (and the challenge) and will be honest when I say that at that moment in time I didn’t have a clue how I was going to produce the VideoPaks in such a short time. I had only produced one VideoPak order at the time and the product was still very much in its Research & Development phase.
After a challenging few days, I personally hand delivered the VideoPak units to Cafe de Paris in London, where the Bruno Mars showcase was taking place. I got them there just as the band was warming up.
I was told that Bruno mars was shown the VideoPaks and thought they were “cool”
The event was a huge success and what a global sensation Bruno Mars has gone on to become… He has received numerous awards and nominations, including two Grammy Awards and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, in 2011. In 2014, he was named “Artist of the Year” by Billboard and ranked number one on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Throughout his singing career, he has sold over 11 million albums and 68 million singles, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. As a performer, writer and producer, his total sales surpass 130 million singles. Five of his singles are counted among the best-selling singles of all time. Bruno Mars is now regarded as one of the most successful solo artists in the world, landing 5 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 since his career launched in 2010, faster than any male singer since Elvis Presley.
When I look back at this order and the early VideoPak product, I smile – as we worked on the packs day and night to get them made in time. The early VideoPaks did not have the same modern features that VideoPaks have today. Whilst the VideoPaks did a sterling job in impressing the V.I.P’s that received them, when I compare this early VideoPak (which I still have today and works like it is brand new), the product seems quite primitive in its functionality. Marcelo Bustamante
