BMW and Uptown Magazine Honor Black Hollywood at Pre-Oscar Events

BMW North America Partners with Uptown Magazine at the Oscars.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ / Los Angeles… Teaming up with Uptown Magazine, BMW of North America will sponsor events during Oscar week, including a golf clinic and a special event honoring the talent behind the film Precious. These events serve as the launch of a year-long marketing relationship between BMW and Uptown Media Group that includes special events in the arts, fashion and sports communities, sponsorship and advertising.

“We are happy to sponsor these events in recognition of the outstanding contributions African Americans have made to Hollywood,” said Jack Pitney, VP Marketing, BMW of North America.

“Uptown Magazine is thrilled to be a significant component of BMW's Joy initiative for 2010. Our yearlong integrated marketing campaign includes in-book, digital, event and television opportunities to spread BMW's message to the affluent African American consumer," said Len Burnett, Co-Founder and Group Publisher, Uptown Media Group.  "The series of events kick off in Los Angeleson March 4th with a private golf clinic and a pre-Oscar celebration of Black Hollywood with Academy Award Nominee Lee Daniels," he added.

Joy of Golf – Thursday, March 4, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Los Angeles National Golf Course

Preceding the much anticipated 2010 Oscar celebration; BMW and Uptown Media group will be hosting an event at the Los Angeles National Golf Course.  Fifty influential African American consumers will be provided the opportunity to take golf lessons from golf pros.  Participants will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon as well as an opportunity to test drive the newest BMW X5 and X6.

Salute to Black Hollywood – Thursday, March 4, 9 p.m., Andaz Hotel

The Joy Oscar Celebration will honor filmmaker Lee Daniels, 2010 Oscar nominee for Best Director, and the cast of Precious for its success this year at the box office. This event will celebrate and honor the achievements of African Americans both in front and behind the cameras in Hollywood.   The Salute to Black Oscars documentary will honor the African American Oscar winners and nominees.  Producing partners Sid Ganis and Stephanie Allain-Bray will show a short video presentation announcing the documentary to raise funds for their non-profit foundation, the International Documentary Foundation. 

With over 100 major projects worldwide, BMW Group cultural programs have been an integral part of the company’s contributions to society for almost 40 years. Besides contemporary art, architecture and design, classical music and jazz are key components of this engagement.

Uptown Media

Founded in 2004, Uptown Media Group is the only luxury lifestyle company targeting the Affluent African American (AAA) Market.  UPTOWN Magazine affords luxury purveyors the broadest access to this highly sought-after demographic. Uptown Media Group, LLC offers traditional and innovative strategies, including UPTOWN Magazine (published bi-monthly with NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Charlotte and National editions expanding into Philadelphia and Detroit), interactive website UptownLife.net, Uptown Social event updates and Uptown's signature events.  UPTOWN Magazine is available by subscription at www.uptownlife.net and on national newsstand, including Hudson News.  UPTOWN Magazine, a toast to Luxury, Lifestyle and Living.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 91 MINI passenger car dealers, and 31 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands.  As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of more than 1.43 million automobiles and over 101,000 motorcycles for the 2008 financial year.  Revenues for 2008 totaled EUR 53.2 billion, with earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 921 million.  The company employed a global workforce of approximately 98,000 associates as of September 30, 2009.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action.  The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.  As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last five years.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:  www.bmwgroupna.com

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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwna.com.  Additional information, images and video may be found at www.bmwusanews.com.  Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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