How to Pitch for an Artist / Brand Partnership

Partnerships between brands and artists have become a mainstay in the music industry as an incredibly effective strategy to elevate both parties involved.

Artists offer brands a valuable, immersive opportunity to define their culture in a way that completely breaks the fourth wall, creating organic activation with potential and recurring customers.

In the first few months following the initial onset of the global pandemic, United Talent Agency founded 165 brand partnerships. But brand partnerships aren’t just for superstars. In fact, many brands are actively seeking up-and-coming artists to partner with, and artists are seizing this opportunity to spearhead their monetization strategy.

Pitching Effectively

The market for brand/artist collaborations is fast-paced and competitive, so it’s imperative that you have a strong value proposition built into your approach.

You’ll also want to share some of your history, and have it be as relevant to the brand as possible. A personal connection to the brand is a huge plus.

Communicate your ambitions, what you’ve been doing to make things happen so far, and let them know what you have to offer. Ideally this will be a clear message about your career that’s currently exploding after years of hard work.

If you’re pitching to someone who specifically works in the music departments, chances are they’re used to using SourceAudio. Send them a link to a playlist on your SourceAudio site, to make it clear that you’re serious about your career in music. If you don’t have a SourceAudio site, register for one here.

Beyond that, be creative. Stand out from the crowd. And most importantly: be transparent. Be honest and sincere about your goals when communicating with brands, and chances are they’ll offer you the same courtesy.

Who to Pitch To

Generally speaking, titles related to “entertainment marketing” will be the best point of contact, but since brands of all sizes engage in partnerships with artists, the process can differ depending on the size of the enterprise you’re reaching out to. 

One thing that stays constant at all levels of business: strong, pre-existing relationships go a long way in the early stages of building a connection.  Leverage your pre-existing network to find a good fit for a branding partnership through mutual connections. 

Inevitably, you and your brand partner will not see eye-to-eye on every aspect of your collaboration, and there will be challenges to face. Exercising a cooperative mentality at every opportunity can make the difference between closing a deal or having to start all over.

And don’t forget, it’s always a plus when the artist actually uses the product they’re endorsing. If you sign a deal with a clothing brand and often wear their competitor’s brand, your partnership probably will not last. Consider whether or not your partner’s values, culture, and product actually fit within your life before reaching out to start building a relationship.