It’s an exciting time at the intersection of brands and music. Before the pandemic, brand partnerships were an under-utilized tool in the music industry. In early 2020, before the paradigm shift, the music business was seeing double-digit growth in all areas except brand partnerships. Sure, brand partnerships were on the rise, but not at the pace that the rest of the industry was setting.
Nue has been highlighting this growth opportunity for nearly a decade and the pandemic finally brought it to the fore. When the music industry came to halt and over 75% of artist revenue (i.e. shows) dried up indefinitely, everyone became more open to brand partnerships because they bring in revenue and boost marketing profile. The world finally saw what we saw: a win-win.
Many life ropes were thrown – from the galvanizing of the indies with NIVA; to the publishing boom; to the rise of livestreaming and the explosion of NFTs and the Metaverse – but one thing that doesn’t get enough credit were the brand partnerships and the people that made those happen. It was a brand bonanza that has stuck even as other revenue streams have opened back up.
Brand partnerships are very exciting and can create truly meaningful outcomes. Of course, there is a lot to think about when structuring these deals. That’s why I’m excited to be headed to Advertising Week tomorrow in NYC to talk my talk!
This is the conf’s second year back post-pandemic. They have a new venue, new owners, and a scaled back in-person offering with a greater focus on the hybrid component. Panels are available to stream and one of my favorite rappers, Jadakiss, will be presenting. He launched a coffee brand with his father and son called Kiss Cafe.
I love that Diddy is back, too. He performed his new single last night with YouTube at Webster Hall.
The reason I’m in town though is to close out the show on the main stage, I’m interviewing the hilarious Impractical Jokers (Thursday @ 450P). These guys have a global hit TV show, a brand new season featuring awesome celebrity guests, and a huge live Live Nation tour set for 2023. Have you heard of them? The session is called Hiding In Plain Sight and we’re introducing the endless marketing possibilities of their genius to the brand world. They are rockstars that are building an empire and becoming NY icons. These guys appeal to every generation and it will be a good time. If you’re around, come check it out. If you’re not, hit the livestreams on-demand.
Also published on Medium.