“Music and brands” (Case studies and insights for successful partnerships between music and brands), James Male, FRUKT, UK

1. SEE ME 2014
BUILDING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH MUSIC AND BRANDS
SOFIA, SEPTEMBER 2014

2. PART 2
PART 3
MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
IN SUMMARY
PART 1
WHO WE ARE

3. 1. WHO WE ARE
A BIT ABOUT US
• Founded in 2001, we are an
integrated marketing agency that
specializes in creating strategic
partnerships, between brands and
entertainment
• HQ in London with offices in New
York, Los Angeles, Rio and Milan
• 58 team members in London, and
32 based overseas

4. 1. WHO WE ARE
A BIT ABOUT US
in the music and entertainment business
brand strategies, experiences, campaigns and content
with AAA talent, movie studios, celebrity agents,
in fact the whole entertainment industry
(we are also writers, film makers, comic collectors, photographers, DJs, architects, screen printers and knitters)

6. 1. WHO WE ARE
OUR CLIENTS
We are proud to work with some of the most iconic, brave and inspiring brands in the world.

7. 1. WHO WE ARE
HOW WE WORK

8. PART 2
PART 3
MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
IN SUMMARY
PART 1
WHO WE ARE

9. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
WE BELIEVE IN BRAND PARTNERSHIPS WHERE:
EVERYONE WINS
BRANDS:
IT’S MORE THAN
JUST AN ARTIST
PARTNERSHIP
ARTISTS:
THINK AND GO
BEYOND THE
PAYCHECK
THE VALUE EXCHANGE

10. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
BUT ‘VALUE’ NEEDS TO BE STRATEGICALLY DEFINED…
EVERYONE WINS
INCREMENTAL VALUE
BRANDS ARTISTS
REACH
CREDIBILITY
CONTENT
REPUTATION
TRADE & AFFILIATE
RELATIONSHIPS
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
$$$
REACH
CONTENT
IMAGE / REPUTATION
$$$

11. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
WE BELIEVE THAT SUCCESS LIES IN THE DETAIL…

12. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
THIS APPROACH ALSO APPLIES TO ANY MUSIC PARTNER
WHAT IS WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS
OR ARTIST OBJECTIVE?
WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND WHICH
BRANDS PROVIDE A NATURAL FIT?
WHAT IS YOUR ARTIST OR CONTENT STORY AND
HOW CAN A BRAND HELP REINFORCE IT?
HAVE YOU CREATED A CONTENT MANAGEMENT AND
DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT’S QUICK, NIMBLE AND EFFICIENT?
HAVE YOU ESTABLISHED A BRAND
ALIGNED METRICS MODEL?

13. LET’S SEE
SOME EXAMPLES

14. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
DELIVER EXPERIENCES THAT YOUR FANS WANT
BE BRAVE
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATIVE FUTURE
ENHANCE PERSONAL BRAND VALUE
GET FANS CLOSER TO THE MUSIC

15. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
TOPMAN CTRL
How can we create more exposure from
our music sponsorships, avoid peaks and
troughs and run 365 days a year across all
key channels?
Stop all music sponsorship and start Topman
CTRL. We created a single minded
proposition and multi-channel platform that
has brought together multiple assets and
initiatives with an evolving celebrity
ambassador at the core.
This integrated and innovative solution
continues to go from strength to strength
and has even become a TV Show, with all
aspects combining to credibly connect the
brand to their 18-24 year old audience, 365
days a year.

16. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
SPRINT
Having conceived, built and developed the
new integrated strategic music platform
for Sprint – Sound Sessions – how could
we not only launch the initiative, but also
demonstrate both the exclusive new HTC
One’s Harmon Kardon audio technology
and Sprint’s world-class wireless network?
Our solution was to get a super-hot artist to do something
really creative and cover both challenges at once. We
identified Pharrell Williams and instead of giving him a band,
we used the phone’s awesome audio capabilities to play the
backing track: 500 hacked HTC Ones distributed to the
audience. The phones were also utilised to provide a visual
backdrop, with colour and effects synchronised to the
track.
Held at the legendary NYC music venue Webster Hall, the
invite-only concert for Sprint competition winners, media
and VIP guests attracted a star-studded crowd that lived
long after Pharrell's performance was over.

17. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
BANK OF AMERICA
Bank of America, U2 and the (RED)
Foundation had begun discussions about a
major new philanthropic initiative. How
could FRUKT conceive, negotiate, deliver
and launch this innovative partnership?
We negotiated a 12-month partnership with U2, which
would raise $10m through a series of programmes for the
fight against AIDS. We redeployed existing media spend
around the XLVIII Super Bowl, where the partnership was
announced by giving away the first track of U2’s new album
for free via iTunes for a 24 hour period. For every
download, the Bank of America would donate $1. We
oversaw the creation of a 60 second TV spot, filmed
alongside the creation of U2’s new video for ‘Invisible’,
which was broadcast in the XLVIII Super Bowl.
Within an hour of the commercial airing, the initial total
target of 1million downloads and $1million donated by
Bank of America had been reached. The final total proved to
be over three times that amount.

18. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK – TRENDS IN EDM
CREATIVE KICKSTARTERS: MENTORING MATTERS
A SMALL NUMBER OF BRANDS POSITION THEMSELVES AS EDM MUSIC PIONEERS, CHAMPIONING ASPIRING
ARTISTS AND PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO CREATE, PROMOTE, AND HONE THEIR CREATIVITY. WHETHER
ITS CHAMPIONING EMERGING ACTS, PROVIDING STUDIO SPACE OR FACILITATING EXPERT MENTORING.
EXAMPLES
• RED BULL - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY
• BURN - BURN RESIDENCY
• SMIRNOFF - MASTER OF THE MIX
KEY THEMES
SUPPORTING EMERGING TALENT, MENTORING,
FINANCIAL / MARKETING ASSISTANCE, EXPOSURE
EDM FAN BENEFITS
DISCOVERY / KNOWLEDGE, PART OF GRASSROOTS
CULTURE, ABILITY TO FULFILL MUSICAL
ASPIRATIONS

19. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK – TRENDS IN EDM
CONTENT CATALYSTS: DELIVERING EXCLUSIVES
BRANDS HAVE ATTEMPTED THE A&R ROUTE OVER THE YEARS WITH LIMITED SUCCESS. HOWEVER, SOME BRANDS
ARE ACTING AS THE CATALYST FOR EDM MUSICAL FIRSTS – FROM NEW TRACK RELEASES, TO HIGH END MUSIC
VIDEOS - ACTIVELY FUNDING ACCESS TO EXCITING NEW CONTENT
EXAMPLES
• G STAR RAW – ART OF RAW
• VOLVO – LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND
• ABSOLUT – GREYHOUND
KEY THEMES
EXCLUSIVITY, LONGEVITY (CONTENT BECOMES
PART OF MUSIC HISTORY), PRODUCT INTEGRATION
EDM FAN BENEFITS
QUALITY CONTENT, EXCLUSIVE ACCESS, FEELING
VALUED (FAN CENTRIC CONTENT)

20. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK – TRENDS IN EDM
LIVE REVIVED: NOT YOUR AVERAGE STAGE SHOW
WITH 81% OF MILLIENNIALS SAYING THEY VALUE EXPERIENCES MORE THAN POSSESSIONS AND 72% CITING A
PREFERENCE TO PAY FOR EXPERIENCES, DEVELOPING LIVE EVENTS BEYOND THE CONFINES OF THE TRADITIONAL
STAGE FORMAT PROVIDES EDM AUDIENCES WITH THE EXCLUSIVITY FACTOR THEY INCREASINGLY CRAVE.
EXAMPLES
• NOKIA – DEADMAU5 LUMIA LAUNCH
• RED STRIPE – MAKE SESSIONS
• RED BULL – REVOLUTIONS IN SOUND
KEY THEMES
EXCLUSIVITY, UNIQUE, INNOVATIVE LOCATION/
DELIVERY. ‘HAD-TO-BE-THERE’ EXPERIENCE, NON-TRADITIONAL
PRODUCTION
EDM FAN BENEFITS
STATUS VALUE, PART OF UNREPEATABLE EVENT,
INTIMATE ARTIST ACCESS

21. 2. MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK – TRENDS IN EDM
THE PLUR EFFECT: BUILDING SOCIAL STORIES
THE CONCEPT OF PLUR (PEACE LOVE UNITY RESPECT) IS CENTRAL TO THE EDM FESTIVAL ATTENDEE AND BRANDS
ARE INCREASINGLY LOOKING TO TAP INTO THIS KEY ELEMENT, BRINGING FANS INTO CLOSER PROXIMITY WITH
EACH OTHER IN MOMENTS THAT EVOKE A SENSE OF UNITY, SHARING AND COMMUNITY.
EXAMPLES
• SOL REPUBLIC – SOL SHUTTLE
• MOTOROLA – KANDI SHOP
• BRUSSELS AIRLINE – TOMORROWLAND FLIGHTS
KEY THEMES
SHARED EXPERIENCE, EDM SPECIFIC TRAVEL, EDM
CULTURE ENHANCEMENT (CLOTHING, KANDI)
EDM FAN BENEFITS
PART OF UNIQUE MOMENT, COMMUNITY OF
LIKEMINDED PEOPLE, OWNERSHIP, PRE-EVENT
VALUE

22. PART 2
PART 3
MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WORK
IN SUMMARY
PART 1
WHO WE ARE

23. 3. IN SUMMARY
EVERYONE WINS
FIND YOUR VALUE SWEET SPOT DELIVER IT AS YOUR FANS WANT IT
BE BRAVE
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATIVE FUTURE
ENHANCE PERSONAL BRAND VALUE
GET FANS CLOSER TO THE MUSIC

24. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH
james@wearefrukt.com // @JREMale // @wearefrukt
www.wearefrukt.com