Play to Stay: Sour Patch Kids Opens Brooklyn House for Touring Bands By Max Willens

Artists Can Stay at the 'Brooklyn Patch' in Exchange For Content. Bands and touring musicians looking for sweet relief from their touring schedules may soon start dreaming about Sour Patch Kids. A couple weeks ago, the Mondelez-owned candy brand opened up a house in Brooklyn where touring bands can recover from the rigors of the road. It's called the Brooklyn Patch, and according to Mondelez marketing director Farrah Bezner, the Patch represents a long-term investment in indie music culture. "We wanted to be able to contribute," Ms. Bezner said, pointing out that the Patch is meant to start long-term relationships with indie music artists and their fans. When one gets down to brass tacks, the overall goal is to drive awareness and regard for the Sour Patch Kids brand among a specific demographic. "Our target consumer," Ms. Bezner said, "is teenagers." The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house is in a historic landmark building on a quiet street in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn; Ms. Bezner asked that the address be kept private. The NUE Agency is serving as lead agency, while the Participation Agency handled its design and experiential elements. "We want people to feel at home," Ms. Bezner said. Quid Pro Quo Nevertheless, there is a quid pro quo associated with staying at the Patch. Artists who stay at the house are expected to create some content that Sour Patch Kids can share across a number of digital channels, which include a Brooklyn Patch-branded Tumblr as well as the brand's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Ms. Bezner said it is also exploring the possibility of adding further amplification partners. Even though it's too early to tell if the Patch will bear any fruit, Ms. Bezner and her agency partners have already started planting additional seeds. An Austin Patch should be ready in time for SXSW in 2015. Advertising Age