MUMBAI: The Coca-Cola Company has inked a partnership with full service licensing company Music Dealers in a deal that will narrow the gap between bands and brands, opening up a new route for emerging talent to break onto the global music stage.
The agreement between Coca-Cola and Music Dealers includes a guaranteed commitment by Coca-Cola to use the services of Music Dealers to discover and license music from currently trending bands all over the world. The investment will earn Coca-Cola a minority share in the company. More broadly, the deal offers shared value for both partners and signals a brand new model for sourcing and licensing music for global branded programs.
“We are excited about the opportunities that come from partnering the world’s most valuable brand with an innovative and game-changing start up and the potential ripple effect that can come of it. Especially for the thousands of emerging artists around the world who are looking for a global platform to launch their music,” said The Coca-Cola Company group director, worldwide sports and entertainment marketing Emmanuel Seuge.
Coca-Cola will benefit from Music Dealers’ insider industry knowledge and access, while Music Dealers and their global network of emerging talent will benefit from the scale and marketing leverage of The Coca-Cola Company – a reach that spans to over 200 countries.
“Our values are perfectly aligned — we aim to promote independent artists and share their music with fans around the world. The Coca-Cola Company is a great partner who offers solid support to our artists. When artists record a track for Coke, they put significant marketing leverage behind it. The song gets more exposure worldwide than even big artists get from a record label. This arrangement has literally helped artists launch their careers,” added Music Dealers president Eric Sheinkop.
Coca-Cola will work closely with Music Dealers to source music, artists and lyrics for a variety of brand campaigns, programs and events; including becoming the key music sourcing partner for “Coca-Cola Music” – the most ambitious and extensive global music program ever launched by the Company and that is now activated in 140 countries.
“Music Dealers offers numerous avenues to discover and secure music that is a perfect fit for a brand or project. Coke is an excellent partner. Their creativity for designing new promotions makes the work exciting for everyone,” said Sheinkop.
