The agreement covers branded content for the Bebo music homepage, a Samsung Bebo music profile and an online music programme produced by Endemol. Called Beat, this will feature band interviews, music news and exclusive live performances.
The activity launches this week, with the first of eight live monthly music events, which are the first attempt by Bebo to take its brand offline.
The move echoes activity by Bebo's social-networking rival, MySpace, which has been running Secret Show gigs for its users since 2006. It has also been taking a 'Live! in the UK' bus to music festivals, helping to reinforce the association of MySpace with music among 16- to 24-year olds.
Twitter, a relative newcomer to the social-networking scene, has also spread beyond the web with a global charity event called 'Twestival'.
Agencies claim the social networks' efforts to create an offline spark with music fans should be welcomed, and that brands can benefit from tie-ups with such 'social' events.
'Brands are moving away from display ads and trying to engage with people on a deeper level,' says Robin Grant, managing director of social media agency We Are Social. 'If it is done in the right way, people can come away with a stronger association with a brand from going to a gig, than from in-your-face advertising.'
However, despite Samsung's efforts to promote its brand with young music fans, observers claim it could risk losing credibility among its target audience with an uninspiring sponsorship deal.
Mikah Martin-Cruz, marketing director of Samsung UK, insists that the deal is 'not just a sponsorship, it is a partnership' that is 'testament to how seriously we take social networking and the need to pioneer new ways of engaging our core audiences'.
Nonetheless, Jack Horner, creative director at music agency FRUKT, doubts whether Samsung can pull this off. 'Bebo has got the audience and Samsung has got the Beat mobiles, but there is no clear perspective on what Samsung or Bebo gets out of it,' he says. 'Samsung is saying it needs coolness and is standing with Bebo, but to get people to reassess a brand you have to have a narrative.'
Horner points to Topman's decision to move away from sponsoring NME's new music tour to take 'more ownership' of its music activity. He says the only real beneficiary of headline sponsorship of such an event is NME itself. Coincidentally, Samsung is now sponsoring the NME Radar Tour.
This year, FRUKT helped to launch Topman's new music venture. Topman CTRL combines monthly live gigs curated by a popular band, in-store activity and a MySpace channel. 'The traditional music business is on its backside, so brands can take a new role in developing music,' says Horner.
Agencies argue that the best partner-ships for brands and social networks are flexible. What could start life as an online music show or blog could move onto TV or become a merchandising opportunity for the brand.
MySpace commercial director Simon Daglish points to BlackBerry's tie-up with MySpace for Frankmusik's Live & Lost tour as an example of a brand getting 'great exposure'. This followed the musician's progress from Scotland to London, armed with his BlackBerry, relying on fans to help him find and get to venues. The results were broadcast on Channel 4 in April.
Daglish says young people will be more accepting in the longer term of the brands that they find relevant during their 'formative' years. However, he warns that brands should avoid simply tagging onto 'pre-packaged' sales propositions. 'If something is a badging exercise on a music venture, the brand will be ignored,' he argues.
MySpace claims advertisers are 'being braver' about social networks, with music being a popular way for them to interact with the coveted youth audience. However, brands need to ensure their social link-ups are as relevant to their audiences as they are to their own marketing strategies.