MTN South African Music Awards announces official partners

Sponsors' input

• MTN, in its 10th year as the headline sponsor, has promised the most digitally connected awards yet. The awards will be streamed live and in real time on mobile (www.mtnsamatv.mobi) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/samusicawards). Clips will be packaged and uploaded as video on demand content, so those that do not catch the live stream can still watch the action on the mobisite and on the official MTN SAMA You Tube Channel (www.youtube.com/samusicawards).

• One of the biggest draw cards of the awards is that they enjoy live broadcast on SABC1 Mzansi Fo Sho, providing a factor of immediacy and relevancy to television audiences.

• Amstel Lager will host the exclusive winner's after party and the Green Room, where the media will interview winners of the various awards. Furthermore, it is the sponsor of the Lifetime Achievement Award to be handed out on Friday, 10 May.

• Law firm Adams & Adams continues as the exclusive legal consultant to the awards for the second year in a row. It is committed to educating those in the entertainment industry - from record labels to musicians and composers, to artists, authors and film producers.

• Kia Motors will display the newly launched Kia Optima, as the official vehicle at this year's event, assigning 15 cars to chauffeur celebrities and other guests onto the yellow carpet before the main awards function on the Saturday evening.

• Mageu Number 1 will sponsor the Best Traditional Music Award and, as part of a campaign, will give the winner of this award R25,000 to uplift the community from which he/she comes. The brand also has an ongoing promotion that involves young aspiring designers who will get the opportunity to dress a prominent celebrity in a traditional outfit that has a modern interpretation.

• In keeping with its brand image of cool, fresh, enthusiastic and responsible youth, CAN DO! will sponsor the Best Newcomer Category.

• For DAC, supporting the awards is one of the many interventions it is making to raise the profile of cultural and creative industries, with a view to unleash their potential as key contributors to economic growth, job creation and the building of sustainable livelihoods.

  "We are proud of our association with these partners and leaders in their respective fields that ensure that we will be able to produce the best instalment of MTN SAMA yet," added SAMA CEO, Nhlanhla Sibisi.