A brand deal is a partnership between a recording artist and a brand, where the brand pays the artist to promote their products or services.
This can take various forms, including:
- Endorsements: The artist endorses the brand’s products in exchange for payment, either through social media posts, advertisements, or in-person appearances.
- Sponsored content: The artist creates original content that features the brand’s products, such as music videos, Instagram posts, or blog articles.
- Product placements: The brand’s products are prominently displayed in the artist’s music videos or live performances.
- Integrations: The brand is integrated into the artist’s music or image through a branded album or merchandise line.
- Brand ambassadorship: The artist becomes a brand ambassador, representing the brand at events and in advertising campaigns and other promotional materials.
Brand deals can provide significant financial benefits to recording artists and help them reach new audiences and increase their exposure.
Here are a few ways to get started:
Networking
Attend industry events, reach out to brands, and build relationships with marketing and advertising executives who make sponsorship decisions. LinkedIn is free.
Building a strong online presence
A large social media following and a professional website can help attract brands and demonstrate the artist’s potential as an influencer.
Partnering with a talent agency
A talent agency can help connect an artist with potential brand partners, negotiate deals, and manage the partnership.
Creating quality content
Consistently releasing new music and producing high-quality and highly-engaging content can help establish an artist’s brand and demonstrate their value as collaborators to potential brand partners.
Demonstrating alignment with the brand’s values
Brands are often interested in working with artists who share their values and mission, so it’s important for an artist to communicate their beliefs and values.
Showcasing previous successful brand collaborations
If an artist has a track record of successful brand collaborations, this can make them more appealing to potential partners. This is known as the “snowball effect.”
Being flexible and open-minded
Brands have different goals and budgets, so an artist needs to be open to different types of partnerships and understand the brand’s objectives. You can learn to love and consume specialty potato chips and kombucha.
