If music be the food of love, play on.
So if you tuned into last week’s post, you know that this week I’m talking about UMG. And for everyone who hasn’t stepped foot in UMG before, I’m here to tell you everything you heard is true. The people, the space, the vibe — all incredibly cool.
To gush for just a moment longer, everyone here is also extremely smart, passionate and kind. Music is not only at the very core of the company, but also at the heart of the individuals. Let’s just say if UMG offers me a warm embrace, I’ll jump into its arms every time.
Last week, I completed ‘Music Business Fundamentals’, which is designed to help individuals gain a greater understanding of the overall industry. The course covers everything from the role of the manager to copyright law to streaming to innovation (like VR). I spent the day with Stevie Wonder’s manager and another A&R guru gaining a broader understanding of the foundations of the business, as well as hearing some amazing anecdotes about working with Stevie and Michael Jackson!
I then spent the majority of week learning from, and working with, UMG&B in KV (Kensington Village if you aren’t following my en vogue abbreviations) — shout out to everyone there and in Commercial Affairs (and the larger UMG family) for making it a killer first week. From sharing a laugh to sharing ideas, it felt like network collaboration at it’s best.
Together we’re working on a few projects, and as we began to take a look at the intersection of music and brands, I was curious to learn more about how they align a brand with an artist. As we know, today’s customers have a high BS meter so the need for authenticity is super important. They shared with me the rigorous system they have in place to identify artists who most closely align with a brand’s values based on quantitive and qualitative research and the proprietary data they are constantly updating and capturing. The amount of consideration and strategic thinking that go into creating a brand and music partnership is so impressive.
I also saw first hand how products/brands can be leveraged as a part of a music video. In my role at an advertising agency, I’ve executed everything from big TV to robust social and digital campaigns, but I hadn’t necessarily considered music videos as a forum for brands to create deeper connections with consumers. To see the pieces come together in such a way was impressive to say the least!
What else happened? I saw Big Ben, palaces of real royalty, the palace (home really) of fashion royalty David and Victoria Beckham, and the London Eye. I took in some classical music as Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy conducted a programme with soloist Pekka Kuusisto at beautiful Cadogan Hall.
Oh, and I took over the Havas Lofts Snapchat for 24 hours so you all could tag along.
I’d like to end this week’s blog on a more serious note. I’ve been in working in Kensington for the past few weeks and many of my co-workers live close by. I am so grateful they are all safe following the horrific fire that happened at a local tower block. I can’t say it better than the Queen, “My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital. Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others. It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event.”
Stay safe. Cheers.
