Music Brand Partnership CompanyKristin GrantAngela Jo

Connecting emerging artists and brands

using Data Validation with analytical expertise!

Interviewed: 12 (4 Brands, 6 Artists, 2 Managers)Total: 48

BRANDSBRANDS ARTISTSARTISTS

Here’s What We Thought Day 1

- Brands want to partner with

artists

- Fit matters

- Brands want data

validation – Data can

change the way partnerships

are done!

- Timely process (~2 to 5

months) and multiple layers

of approval/people required.

Desire to save time

- Artists want to partner with

brands

- Fit matters

- Brand managers are hard to

reach

- Artists want data validation

- Timely process and multiple

layers of approval/people

involved. Desire to save

time

Monday Canvas

BRANDS ARTISTS

Our Company

The Best Idea Ever!

“Data is good” Artists would like data on

brands to determine fit

“I’m Interested” Artists want to partner with

brands

Artists

“It is hard for me to get in touch with brands”

Emerging artists have a harder time finding direct contacts to brands than the more established artists

“Fit Matters” Partnering with brands are great,

but more than it is about dollars, FIT matters. How will the brand image affect my own? Will it be beneficial?

Here’s What We Learned Day 1 Interviews

Brands

womp womp…

?

Key partnerships

-Music Analytics Company (ie: Next Big Sound, Nielsen Soundscan)

-Access to Artist Dashboard and Database

-Acquisition of Brand Partnerships

-Reduction of risk and uncertainty through data validation

Key activities

-Solidifying deals and contracts between brands and artists-Creating sustainable relationships with brands-Building a network of artists

Value propositions

-Forming Brand Partnerships between the artist and the branddirectly-Reducing time required to sign contract-Providing a revenue stream for artists without having to sign a record label contract-Presenting analytical reports that show correlation between Brands, consumers, and artists’ fans-Enhance brand image by partnering with artist

Customer relationships- High level of customer service and hands on involvement- Contract based relationships with artists- Fixed Term relationships with brands-Word of mouth-Mailing list outreach-Professional/Personal network-Proven track record of excellence

Customer segments

Artists & Managers-Independent, Indie, Major-Emerging Artists (Not charted on BB 100, Under 50 Facebook Fans & Twitter followers)-Non-emerging Artists

Brands-Sponsorships & Events Department

Music Analytics-Next Big Sound

Key resources

-Office -Revenue Stream-Human Capital-Patent-Data Analytics Expertise

Channels- Industry connections and personal relationships- Mailing List Outreach-Word of mouth-Website-Direct Sales (contracts, fixed term engagement with artists)

Cost structure

-Fixed Costs (Office)-Advertising & Marketing-Human Resources

Revenue streams

-% of signed brand artist contracts-Fixed payments for additional artist reports

Tuesday Canvas

“I don’t have connections”

Emerging artists need direct connection to brands

“Equity also matters”

Emerging artists want to partner with brands not just for dollars but for equity

Artists

“As a Gen-X brand, we are looking for emerging artists”

Emerging brands look for emerging artists

“Data Matters”Both large and smaller brands

use data to make informed decisions about partnerships

Here’s What We Learned Day 2 & 3 Interviews

Brands

“Why partner with emerging artists?”

Larger brands tend to gravitate towards more established artists

“We work with agencies”

Brands reach out to ad agencies or partnership agencies to reach artists and make deals“We already get

data”Brands get data from various

sources already (E-scores, NPD)

NPD Data Report Example

VALUE PROPOSITION

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Connecting with Brands through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”***

- Save Time

- Emerging Brands

Brands

-Connecting with emerging artists through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”***

- Save Time

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

-Music Analytics Company (NBS)

-Acquisition of Brand Partnerships

-Reduction of risk and uncertainty through data validation

KEY ACTIVITIES

-Creating Reports in order to close Brand Partnership Deals

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Analytics Expertise

-Connection to Brands

Brands

-Analytics Expertise

-Knowledge of Emerging Artists

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Emerging Artist/Managers

CHANNELS

-Website

-Direct Sales

-Connections

COST STRUCTURE

-Fixed Costs (Office)-Advertising & Marketing-Human Resources

REVENUE STREAMS

-Fixed payments for Music Analytics reports-% of signed brand artist contracts

KEY RESOURCES

-Data Analytics Expertise

-Office

-Revenue Stream

Brands-Sponsorships & Events Department

Emerging Brands***

Music Analytics Company

-Next Big Sound

Wednesday Canvas

VALUE PROPOSITION

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Connecting with Brands through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”

- Save Time

- Emerging Brands

Brands

-Connecting with emerging artists through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”

- Save Time

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

-Music Analytics Company (NBS)

-Acquisition of Brand Partnerships

-Reduction of risk and uncertainty through data validation

-Agencies* ?

KEY ACTIVITIES

-Creating Reports in order to close Brand Partnership Deals

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Analytics Expertise

-Connection to Brands

Brands

-Analytics Expertise

-Knowledge of Emerging Artists

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Emerging Artist/Managers

CHANNELS

-Web/E-Commerce

-Direct Sales

-Professional/Personal Network

-Partnership (NBS)

COST STRUCTURE

-Fixed Costs (Office)-Advertising & Marketing-Human Resources

REVENUE STREAMS

-Fixed payments for Music Analytics reports (freemium)-% of signed brand artist contracts (brokerage revenue model)

KEY RESOURCES

-Data Analytics Expertise

-Office

-Revenue Stream

Brands-Sponsorships & Events Department

Emerging Brands

Music Analytics Company

-Next Big Sound

Thursday Canvas

“Our partnerships are campaign-specific”

Brands partner with artists for different campaigns

“Fan base needs to match our customer segment”

Brands will choose to partner with emerging brands depending on FIT

Artists

“Meh. What Else?”

“The current system works fine for us”

Person to person interaction and finding artists through networks is not a pain point for most brands

Here’s What We Learned Day 4 Interviews

Brands

“I’m Down!”

VALUE PROPOSITION

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Connecting with Brands through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”

- Save Time

- Emerging Brands

Brands

-Connecting with emerging artists through data validation (reports)

- Good “FIT”

- Save Time

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

-Music Analytics Company (NBS)

-Acquisition of Brand Partnerships

-Reduction of risk and uncertainty through data validation

-Agencies* ?

KEY ACTIVITIES

-Creating Reports in order to close Brand Partnership Deals

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Emerging Artist/Managers

-Analytics Expertise

-Connection to Brands

Brands

-Analytics Expertise

-Knowledge of Emerging Artists

CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Emerging Artist/Managers

CHANNELS

-Web/E-Commerce

-Direct Sales

-Professional/Personal Network

-Partnership (NBS)

COST STRUCTURE

-Fixed Costs (Office)-Advertising & Marketing-Human Resources

REVENUE STREAMS

-Fixed payments for Music Analytics reports (freemium)-% of signed brand artist contracts (brokerage revenue model)

KEY RESOURCES

-Data Analytics Expertise

-Office

-Revenue Stream

Brands-Sponsorships & Events Department

Emerging Brands

Music Analytics Company

-Next Big Sound

FINAL Canvas

No Go (…)

BUT!

Research Niche market: Are there cases where the current system (person to person interaction) is not working for brands? Determine if there is large enough scale to pursue.

How can we add additional value to the current system of data validation?

Can we redefine “connection”??

Consulting services on top of reports? New business + Consulting

1

What Now?

2

3

4

What We Learned

Solution-centric mindset Problem-centric during customer discoveryBe careful of cognitive bias and assumptions

Approach customer discovery to disprove hypotheses

No such thing as a “simple idea”All problems have interconnecting pieces that need to be uncovered early on