Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts) 2014 marks 50 years of Guitar Center helping artists make music. Continuing in this tradition, the retailer is launching a new campaign and tagline entitled "All we sell is the Greatest
Feeling on Earth", a renewed declaration on the brand's mission to share that experience with the world.
In an unprecedented move, the music instrument retailer announces Time Magazine's 2013 "Coolest Person on Earth" Questlove as the campaign's first Ambassador.
"Playing music is the ultimate outlet for self expression. Everyone should experience it, that's really what this campaign is all about," says Frank Hamlin , EVP of Marketing at Guitar Center. "Questlove is the perfect partner to launch this message. He is an exceptional artist who is equally extraordinary in his desire to inspire, empower and support musicians. Guitar Center would not exist without musicians, so it is absolutely crucial for us to create a culture that simultaneously champions established artists and the potential artist within all of us."
The iconic drummer and producer will star in the first spot of a series of commercials debuting February 3rd . The MI retailer will be rolling out major campaign initiatives throughout the year featuring other genre-defying artists soon to be announced.
"The great Duke Ellington had been known to say that music was his mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one," says Questlove. "This sentiment has resonated with me for decades. It's informed both my everyday life and my professional career. The act of creating and playing music is not only life affirming, it's truly the Alpha and
Omega of all things Questlove. This campaign has a very special place in my heart. It revolves around one of the few unadulterated passions in my world, that thing which is second to none."
Guitar Center remains dedicated to developing a comprehensive scope of original content programming covering broadcast and the web, empowering artists of all types - from the unsigned and the independent to the legendary and established. Additionally, Guitar Center provides a full calendar year of programs developed to inspire non-musicians to pick up an instrument, encourage new musicians to strengthen their skills and provide opportunities for emerging artists to turn their passion into a profession.
About Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author and member of The
Roots - Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson , is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia's most influential hip-hop group. He is also the Musical
Director for Late Night with
Jimmy Fallon , and soon to be The
Tonight Show with
Jimmy Fallon , where his beloved
Roots crew serves as house band. Beyond that, this 4-time GRAMMY Award winning musician's indisputable reputation has landed him musical directing positions with everyone from D'Angelo to
Eminem to Jay-Z. Recently making his way into the culinary world with his signature "Love's Drumstick," ?uestlove began his own culinary quest with off-premise catering, featuring Creole and Korean inspired soul food with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and "on-a-stick" decadence, for hi-profile exclusive events. In 2013, Ahmir also released two books including the New York Times Bestseller Mo' Meta Blues and Soul Train: The Music, Dance and
Style of a Generation.
