More and more often in the thematic literature we encounter the term music marketing. It means using music to achieve the marketing goals of the business. This tool can be used in the decision making process for various marketing instruments. It’s mostly applied on marketing communication, and more and more often as part of creating new products.

Music marketing as a communication platform reliant on music can utilise many elements, e.g.:

• music in advertisements,

• audiomarketing - usage of music in public space (music setting for buildings, places, shops, restaurants etc.),

• brand communication through sponsoring of music events (parties and concerts),

• sponsored music messages (CDs, streaming) added to products and services (causing an increase in sales) – which favourably affects the image of the brand who sponsors such add-ons,

• the combination of channels used to connect to the client’s target groups with music product campaigns (sponsoring such projects), 

• pro-sales actions in places visited by music fans,

• the usage of brand communication and product adverts in the distribution channels of music utilising new technologies (e.g. apps, social media, steaming channels),

• finally, music content marketing, in particular the trackvertising tool, that is collaboration of artists and brands, including the placement in the lyrics and music videos of names and logotypes.

Watching the advertising market in Poland two forms of music marketing are noticed most often: the use of original music in TV film adverts, Internet, cinema and the sponsoring of music festivals and concerts.

Sponsoring of music festivals fits well with the concept of integrated marketing communications. One of the latest tools of marketing communication is experience marketing, defined by Ph. Kotler and K.L. Keller as:  organised by a company actions and programmes, whose daily or occasional goal are brand related interactions with the consumers, among them: sport, cultural, entertainment and charity, differentiating within this category also:  entertainment events, festivals and cultural events. The following foals of event sponsoring are mentioned: identification with a defined target market, creation or enhancement of the most important brand associations, improvement of the brand image, creation of sensations and expression of emotions, expressing care for the community or social issues, offering music to key customers and rewarding key employees, creating an occasion for merchandising and promotional actions.

The authors Ph. Kotler and K. L. Keller stress that the successful sponsoring requires the adequate selection of events, a study of optimal programme and the measurement of effects, and that an event must be suitable for the marketing goals and the strategy prepared for the brand. The recipients must be selected according to the target market.

The event must be well known enough to have the right image and be able to generate the required effect. The ideal event should be unique without being crowded by too many sponsors. It should also easily yield to the accompanying marketing actions and reflect or enhance the image of the brand or the sponsoring company. They come to the conclusion that the measurement of event success is a real challenge. The supply method of measurement evaluates the potential contact with the brand, assessing the number of media relations. The demand method focuses of the contacts found by customer declarations.

There can be observed as well, more complex and interesting but rarely realised in Poland variances of communication on the verge of advertising, PR and music worlds. Those are plurennial campaigns with simultaneous use of multiple music products, and some various means of communications. This type of marketing platform means connected actions to communicate with the selected target group and enhancement of the brand image. A feature of such platform is the possibility of shaping it according to the needs of the company to maximise the effect. It’s important in the times of fast digital growth, smartphone functions, music apps and streaming services.

Long term marketing campaign can use the following tools of music marketing:

• The choice of adequate music repertoire for the TV, cinema, radio, internet adverts, including the creative choice, owner search, rate and conditions negotiation, contract preparation, coordination, logistics, reporting, acting from the idea generation to the end of agreements; apart from original repertoire – also professional production of legal covers and repertoire from the sound banks;

• Music setting for public use buildings, influencing not only the positive image but also definite, efficient purchasing decisions and the customer loyalty phenomenon;

• Sponsoring or creating and organising requested club events, seasonal, summer, winter;

• Sponsoring or creating and organising a cyclical, large or small music festival.

• Creation of a mobile app and streaming service and social media activity;

• Sponsoring or publication of own music series with an advertising campaign;

• Creation and organisation of pro-sales actions, e.g. CD or DVD premium publication, or virtual premium, or premium streaming (codes, text messages, internet, social media);

• Sponsoring – intense presence of the sponsor brand as part of promotion of existing CDs or CD series;

• Sponsored mentions in TV programmes, radio programmes, printed media and Internet;

• Presence mentions in various forms on other records of Polish and foreign artists and compilations;

• Music content marketing, e.g. Trackvertising – placement in lyrics and videos of products, or names and logotypes products, series and brands;

• Brand alliances.

The tools mentioned above should be used according to the marketing plan on the project, paying attention especially to: setting the strategy and matching the product to the needs of the customer and the target group, the timetable of actions; the repertoire selection and artist selection.

Skilful, long term strategy combining music products with the mechanisms of warming the image of brands and also the professional management of such communication through a well selected team of specialists can fruit with a spectacular success.