New Music Tuesdays at W

Joe Wilcox | June 01, 2004, 08:50 AM

Holy Pepsi promotion, Batman, iTunes has gone chic with the "W."

Looks like Starwood Hotels is offering "iTunes Days" at select W locations. The promos are Tuesday fare, which I'm sure intentionally coincides with iTunes "New Music Tuesdays." Today, the Chicago W will feature an iPod DJ from 6-10 p.m. CDT. During the events, held monthly, at the select Ws, Starwood will give away iPods and iMacs.

Additionally, W has its own iTunes playlist and as part of the "Wired Wonderland" promotion, offers three free iTunes downloads with broadband access.

I don't intend to sound like a W commercial. The point: How iTunes and iPod are transcending technology and increasingly are becoming cultural phenomenons. I'm reminded of the Sony Walkman, which in its early days eluded a status symbol mystic.

Apple would do well to continue carefully choosing its promotions, emphasizing those that help solidify the iTunes and iPod chic status.

My question: At what point does iPod become so popular that it's suddenly, "oh-so yesterday?" Apple's challenge will be building momentum and sustaining that with iPod's successors and continued music store improvements.

In less than eight years, Apple created two cultural icons: the original iMac and iPod. Execs at other companies would salivate to score just one huge hit product in a couple decades.

With iMac, Apple faced strong headwinds sailing down the Windows PC canal. Not with iPod; open seas ahead. The company was right to create an iPod division and look for ways to extend the product's appeal. The ultimate music sales value of the Pepsi or W promotions is questionable. But they serve a greater purpose of heightening awareness and establishing an iTunes/iPod cultural movement.

As for the W, none of my upcoming business trips coincide with iTunes Tuesdays in New York or San Francisco. Will people start booking trips around those days? If they do, they've transcended reason. In marketing, that qualifies as success.