Jay-Z help relaunch cherry coke

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Jay-Z used his marketing skills to become a hip hop mogul. Now corporate America is hoping the rapper can help bring some magic to their brands. Jay-Z already has agreements with GMC, Hewlett Packard, and Budweiser to help market their products, and now he's entered into an agreement to help re-launch Cherry Coke.

Brand Week reports that Jay-Z will help design the can and the television commercials, in addition to appearing at the re-launch of the Cherry Coke brand on February 7th during New York's Fashion Week.

The new can will feature a cityscape design and a Jay-Z song will be used as the music for the new commercial.

Rocawear CMO Jameel Spencer told Brand Week, "It's his new opportunity to expand his standing in the business world. Besides just recording, he's making TV commercials and campaigns for brands . . .who is better than Coke? They're the biggest...His role is helping brands not get it wrong the way McDonald's did with African Americans rapping about French fries... There's a reassurance that they won't appear like an out-of-touch uncle trying to act cool."