LAS VEGAS — Time was, artists rejected the overtures of marketers. In a little-known example, R.E.M. once rejected Microsoft’s lucrative request to use “It’s The End Of The World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” in its Windows 95 TV commercial, leaving that honour to The Rolling Stones.
In these days of cashflow uncertainty, however, many bands and singers are only too happy to work with brands – and marketers are falling over themselves to buy in some music cool.
Havas Media Group and Universal Music Group consummated their affection 12 months ago, when they formed the Global Music Data Alliance, an initiative to “create powerful marketing and advertising opportunities for brands”. One year on, how does the program sound?
“All these examples have now been scaled in more than 30 countries, with dozens of implementations,” says Hamas Media Group global MD Dominique Delport, in this video interview with Beet.TV.
“It has been incredible – the pace, enthusiasm and motivation of everyone, even the artists.”
Delport says a banner example was this campaign for UK clothing etailer Very, which paid London duo Rizzle Kicks to re-record DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime“.
“The 50 guys on the screen during the barbecue party, all the clothes were shoppable – one click and you buy it,” Delport says.
“The ROI has been 6-to-1 … for less than a half-a-million investment. All that has been possible because the data, brands and bands have worked together.”
Expect to see even closer working between bands and brands in 2016.
Our coverage of CES 2016 is presented by Adobe.
