MP3 awareness campaign gets logo

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 4 Nov 2008 at 15:33

Seven of the UK's largest music downloads sites have launched a new MP3 logo intended to educate customers regarding the benefits of DRM-free music.

Led by trade body ERA Digital, HMV, Woolworths, 7digital, Digitalstores, Tescodigital, Tunetribe, and Play.com will all display the logo on their sites, as they seek to raise awareness of the limitations of DRM laden tracks.

"Consumers love the freedom of MP3," says Ben Drury, chief executive of 7digital, which recently became the first UK retailer to offer music from all four major music labels in the MP3 format.

"The beauty of an MP3 file is that once you have bought it, you don't need to be a computer genius or a lawyer to make it work and you are not locked in to a relationship with a single retailer or hardware manufacturer."

The scheme is also being backed by the BPI which hopes the logo will also become a recognisable symbol of legal music download services.

"This logo will not only help give consumers confidence that the music files they are buying will play on a wide range of devices, but will also help them know that they are legal and that artists are getting paid," says Geoff Taylor, BPI chief executive,

The retailers say they are working on earning the support of MP3 player manufacturers to display the logo on their device. They are also seeking to make the logo an international standard.