Universal Music Enterprises has repackaged 60 best-of titles in its “The Millennium Collection” line, using environmentally friendly materials, which will be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart for the next three months.
“Wal-Mart has made being a green company a huge initiative for them,” notes UME VP/GM Mike Davis. According to an internal company memo, Universal Music Group itself has a long-standing commitment to being “green” and the move makes UMG the first North American music company to replace the traditional jewel case with recycled paperboard sleeves and the plastic tray with ones made from PaperFoam.
In addition, while the new packaging will contain a four-panel card, the typical 8-page booklet that comes with each title in the series will only be available through ilovethatsong.com/green.
The program will include artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Clapton, Toby Keith, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, KISS, Barry White, Four Tops, Buddy Holly, Cher, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Boyz II Men, George Strait, ABBA, Rod Stewart and Neil Diamond. The first new “The Millennium Collection” release to boast the new packaging was “The Best Of Rob Zombie,” which came out on Oct. 10.
UME will supply the eco-friendly packaging, which was designed by Shorewood Packaging, to all retailers beginning in 2007.
