It wasn’t too long ago that artists and musicians were hesitant to work with brands because they didn’t want to be seen as a sellout. Thankfully that’s no longer the case. From household names to indie bands, artists aren’t afraid to work with companies that align with their own brand. 

I personally have been a part of campaigns for Warner Brothers, Astars, Creative Labs, Schick and I also regularly tout my love for the gear I use to make music. Often these deals benefit musicians with a mix of complementary or discounted products, exposure from the brand when the content is shared on the brands platforms and of course financial incentives. They benefit brands with access to the unique relationship and trust that artists have built with their fanbase and the one-stop content machine that is today’s influencers and creators. 

With the recording industry being what it is I think artists have to look for ways like this to supplement the income lost from their album revenues. But also, who doesn’t LOVE sharing something amazing with their friends too? If you’ve discovered the best chocolate chip recipe or even on a local level - if you love your vet, dentist or plumber you want word to get out because you want everyone to have that great experience too and support that person doing great work and making great things. 

Whether you are a musician considering working like this with brands or a business owner looking to promote a product you should check out and join a site like Intellifluence to connect with the right partners. https://intellifluence.com/music They can walk you through a campaign, which is really helpful if you’re new to collaborating on a social media campaign no matter which side you’re coming from. 

If you’re just starting out as an artist or are releasing new music try using Intellifluence to connect with influencers and promote your music. With 2020 taking it’s toll on the music industry -- making it hard to tour and get in front of new fans -- an influencer campaign can be a great way to jumpstart your growth. Working with a few select social media influencers on a multi posts campaign that targets listeners who would likely already be fans of your music could get you a lot further than ads spend or just creating content on your own. Similar to buying ads to promote online this can take a little trial and error to test out and find the right people to collaborate with but once you do I think you’ll be excited by the results. 

I think one of the most overlooked benefits of working with influencers is that you’re not only getting the reach of their online audience but they are also creating great content that you can repost at a fraction of the cost. As an actor I’ve been on sets where there are people employed for hair, makeup, wardrobe, catering and of course the director, camera operators, lighting... it goes on and on depending how extensive the set is. The actual costs of the location and actors adds up too and these are all things that the company paying for the production is paying for -- or were paying for until COVID-19 hit the breaks on most sets across the country. 

When you work with an influencer, many creators are a one-stop shop and encompass all of those rolls -- doing their own hair, makeup, wardrobe, knowing of great locations and even editing their own photos and videos. It’s tedious work and I think sometimes businesses don’t realize that’s part of what they are paying for when they hire a creator to make content promoting their product. 

Once you realize that, it should make it a no-brainer if you have the right creator to collaborate with whose demographic fits your target audience. Working with someone who is a good fit can drive a lot of new people to discover you and give you a big boost online especially if the campaign is creative and tailored to excite your audience. 

Some research and creative thinking will help you come up with great ideas for campaigns. From takeovers to social media challenges this blog has some great ideas to get your started as well as some details on working specifically with music on a campaign because there are some legalities that come up.

In this time when we’re all social distant, music can help us connect through our screens and across the space between us all to inspire and uplift. I think it’s obvious brands and musicians should work together and that music is vital to a successful online campaign but I’m a musician so maybe I’m biased.