12 Weeks
Level 6 (Proof of a Bachelor's Degree Required)
3-Credit Tuition
$2,817Non-Credit Tuition
$2,615Relationships between artists and consumer brands are increasingly symbiotic, helping to strengthen emotional connections with their audiences, develop meaningful relationships, and earn revenue. In Music Marketing: Strategy for Consumer Brands, you will learn to make appropriate alignments between brands and artists and devise strategies for campaigns that have measurable outcomes, such as KPIs (key performance indicators) and ROI (return on investment), that inform further investment. The goal of this course is to position you to conceptualize, build, and execute best-in-class music campaigns for consumer brands in a professional, real-world context through research, analysis, presentation, and critique.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Evaluate whether brands have a rightful place in the music space and how to adapt strategies to increase relevance where it doesn’t exist
- Articulate the value emotion plays in driving purchasing decisions and assess how music can be leveraged to enhance these connections
- Quantify brands’ assets that are of value to the artist community and can provide the foundations for a campaign
- Identify what a brand looks for in terms of an artist’s communication, team, and brand before considering them for partnership
- Develop campaigns that simultaneously deliver value for artists and the brand for authentic ambassadorship
- Avoid major mistakes that many brands make relating to the artist community relating to payment, approvals, and contracting
- Add further cohesion to campaigns through a focus on storytelling across the PESO (paid/earned/shared/owned) model
- Assess the ROI of a campaign, based on its targets and KPIs to understand whether it’s a good spend of company resources
- Deliver concepts and campaigns that go beyond marketing consumer products to impact consumers and the industry in more meaningful ways
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Introduction to Music Marketing for Brands
- Marketing Music vs. Consumer Products
- A Brief History of Branded Entertainment
- Marketing a Brand with Music: Challenges and Opportunities
- The Future: Emerging Trends and Innovation
- Assignment 1: Artist/Brand Pros and Cons Short Essay
Lesson 2: Why Brands Work in Music
- Engaging the Most Valuable Demographic
- Increasing Consumer Trust
- The Value of Ambassadorship
- The Power of Emotional Connection
- Assignment 2: Brand Case Study Part 1: Research and Essay
Lesson 3: Common Characteristics of Successful Campaigns
- Realistic Goals
- Relevance in the Space
- Efficient Use of the Brand
- Credibility, Engagement, and Reach
- Assignment 3: Brand Case Study Part 2: Interview and Essay
Lesson 4: The Pillars of Music Marketing
- Artists
- Events
- Content
- Consumer Engagement and Amplification
- Assignment 4: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 1: Umbrella Theme
Lesson 5: Driving Results
- Why Metrics Matter
- Overarching Goal
- Objectives
- Key Results
- Health Metrics
- Assignment 5: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 2: Targets and KPIs
Lesson 6: What Brands Want from Artists
- Professionalism
- Reach
- Engagement
- Momentum
- Assignment 6: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 3: Filters
Lesson 7: Artist Collaborations
- Building Relationships
- Win/Win Collaboration
- Timing and Timelines
- Watch Outs
- Assignment 7: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 4: Artists
Lesson 8: Events and Sponsorships
- Partnering vs. Producing
- Understanding the Consumer Journey
- Making an Impact
- The Halo Effect
- Assignment 8: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 5: Events
Lesson 9: Content Development
- Assigning a Purpose
- Establishing a Voice
- Developing the Format
- Content Strategy
- Saying Something Unique
- Assignment 9: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 6: Content
Lesson 10: Consumer Engagement and Amplification
- Paid Media
- Earned Media
- Owned Media
- What Happened to the S in PESO?
- Assignment 10: Music Marketing Campaign Strategy Part 7: PESO Model
Lesson 11: Case Study: Red Bull
- Context and Approach
- Points of Differentiation
- Pillars
- Summary
- Assignment 11: Finalize Music Marketing Campaign Strategy: Impact
Lesson 12: Music Marketing Ethics
- Respect the Art
- Finding the Win/Win
- Deliver What You Promise
- Stakes
Requirements
Ready to submit an unofficial copy of your transcript?
Submit TranscriptPrerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Completion of Music Business Revenue Streams, The Business of Music Marketing, and Data Analytics in the Music Business or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
Textbook(s)
- The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance between Strategy and Design by Marty Neumeier (New Riders, 2005)
- Brand Leadership: The Next Level of the Brand Revolution by David A. Aaker and Enrich Joachimsthaler (Free Press, 2000)
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Classes. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author
Stephen Canfield is an expert in global brand strategy. Currently serving as the Head of Host Marketing at Airbnb, his team is responsible for growing the host community and bringing new products to market. Prior to that, he worked as Vice President of Marketing for WeTransfer and is also known for his tenure as program director for Red Bull Sound Select. Stephen plays guitar and graduated from Berklee College of Music with his degree in Music Business/Management.
Author
Jamal Dauda currently serves as the Vice President of Content Marketing at Playboy. Prior to that, he was the Global Head of Music at WeTransfer and the first-ever Artist Marketing Manager at Red Bull, where he helped to further diversify their vast music profile throughout North America. Recognized in 2018 as one of Adweek’s Creative 100, he has spearheaded branded film projects with Bjork, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Zola Jesus, Fleet Foxes, and many others.
Instructor
Chris Roberts currently serves as the Director of Experiential Marketing at Activision. Prior to that, he was the Head of Artist Relations at VICE Media, Sr. Manager of Events at Red Bull Music, and Festival Director at SXSW Music. Recognized by Music Ally Sandbox awards for his innovative music marketing campaign for Robyn’s Honey, and AdAge with a Media Vanguard award for The Creators Project, Chris has worked with the worlds top talent in a branded environment, the likes of Arcade Fire, Spiritualized, Big Sean, Snoop Dogg, Justice, Daft Punk, Robyn, Action Bronson, Justice, Migos, Animal Collective, Tokimonsta, and many many more.
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Music Marketing: Strategy for Consumer Brands can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Related Certificate Programs
Related Degree Majors
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
