The role of the brand in the digital music age

There’s no doubt that any forward thinking brand understands the importance of using music in at least some aspect of their marketing activity. Whether its simply syncing tracks for ad campaigns, aligning themselves with artists through traditional endorsements or by going further and developing more creative music properties or sub-brands. Whichever route a brand does go down or gets advised to take, with the waning of the traditional music business model and the boom in digital music services, the music marketing landscape has changed.

Arguably, the changes we’ve seen and that we continue to experience in the music industry are largely a result of the shift in power from labels to the technology they have failed to embrace. Over the last decade, the majority of the industry decision-makers have been desperately clinging on to an outdated system and have been hell-bent on legislating against progress and essentially alienating their consumers. In rejecting the advances and possibilities of the Internet, the music business has left a gap in the market. In my view, this gap stems from the same concept that has led to the success of Radio over the years… music fans need direction and actually want to be told what to listen to!

So who is capable of utilizing technology and filling this gap? The music media has always influenced what we listen to and continue to do so relatively well in the digital age with blogs, podcasts and the music press having developed their online presence. However this is by no means a closed shop and it presents brands with a novel opportunity to really engage with the consumer. Marketing in general is at its most effective when it builds a relationship with its audience and what better way to build a relationship than by recommending a great new band or an amazing gig!