Universal Music Group for Brands launched UMusic Media Network

Universal Music Group for Brands (UMGB), the global partnerships division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced the public launch of the UMusic Media Network – a comprehensive media and data offering to uniquely connect brands and partners with exclusive media from world’s largest music company and most iconic and influential artists. 

The UMusic Media Network offers brands access to the world’s largest inventory of unique music video content and spans across the global ecosystem’s leading social media platforms. UMG is ranked #1 in Music and #2 in Entertainment on ComScore for U.S. digital reach. Within one program, brand partners can exclusively access premium, culturally relevant content from some of the world’s most viewed and engaged artists, alongside UMG’s industry-leading data and insights. UMG is the world’s leading music-based visual entertainment company, with tens of thousands of hours of video content and more than 4 trillion minutes of cumulative watch time of UMG content on YouTube.

For the first time, the offering allows for audience hypertargeting at a scale through the most exciting music videos and artist driven content. Partners will be able to tap into UMG official music videos, songs and lyrics videos, original content, behind-the-scenes and artist vlogs, and lifestyle content from UMG-owned platforms such as Rebel Labs, Mercury Studios and Polygram Entertainment. The network will also offer branded content and partnership opportunities across the company’s labels and artists, providing a uniquely holistic and creative solution for each advertiser’s objectives and needs.

With massive growth in demand for premium video advertising to run alongside popular music content, UMG’s UMusic Media Network will help unlock value for UMG artists worldwide and maximize opportunities for UMGB advertising partners. UMG’s consolidated digital properties draw more than 150 million unique visitors monthly across desktop, smartphones and tablets in the U.S. alone. This impactful and engaging content coupled with market-leading data and insights will help brands identify exactly where they can be most effective in reaching both primary and new audiences, and further establish their authenticity while creating amplification around programming.

The UMusic Media Network will be led by Richard Yaffa, Executive VP, Global Head of UMGB, and Morgan Buksbaum, Senior VP of Media and Properties at UMGB, and is fully integrated into UMG’s global operations, utilizing the resources of key divisions including; commercial services & UMGB, led by Michele Anthony (Executive Vice President, UMG),  digital strategy led by Michael Nash (Executive Vice President, Digital Strategy), data, e-commerce and media  led by Richelle Parham (President Global E-Commerce and Business Development), and digital rights administration, led by Todd Rosenberg (SVP, Business Development & Content Strategy) to create a cohesive and comprehensive support network for partner campaigns.

The launch comes after a year-long BETA program that has seen advertisers content achieve millions of views from music fans globally, alongside artist content. With an established track record, UMGB has worked across all major media buying agencies, holding companies and creative agencies to support partner campaigns and create authentic culturally relevant connections alongside UMG content.

Richard Yaffa, Executive VP, Global Head of UMGB:

“The UMusic Media Network brings together UMG’s unmatched artist roster, marketing capabilities and resources to empower brands and partners directly. Through this cutting-edge new platform, UMG artists can create destination programming exclusively for brands, giving our partners the ability to hyper-target culturally relevant content where they have not been able to do before,”

“When advertisers connect with culturally relevant content and associate their brand with our artists, consumers feel greater brand affinity and engage with those ads more actively.”

Michele Anthony, Executive Vice President, UMG said,

“The UMusic Media Network combines the unique collective resources that only UMG, as the world’s leading music-based entertainment company can provide to partners, creating an unrivalled service that leverages and delivers the reach, power and influence that great music and artist content can bring, while creating value for our artists, labels and our partners.”

UMG is home to the world’s leading artists and songwriters. In 2021, eight of the world’s top ten-selling artists on the IFPI global charts were signed to or distributed by UMG labels including BTS (1), Taylor Swift (2), Drake (4), The Weeknd (6), Billie Eilish (7), Justin Bieber (8), SEVENTEEN (9) and Olivia Rodrigo (10). In addition, all six of the musicians that feature in the world’s top ten influencers by combined social media following are UMG artists. UMG offers leading content creation resources and teams across film, TV, branded content, podcasting and more. Over the past two years, UMGB has won 19 Clio’s for outstanding brand campaigns integrating music and artists.

The new offering of UMusic Media Network from the world leader in music-based entertainment further leverages the power of music and culture to accelerate business and provides additional unique global approaches to making brands culturally relevant. UMG has the strongest global network of labels and publishing companies, with divisions covering 200 markets and content relevant to all audiences and demographics worldwide.

Leveraging the power of music and culture to accelerate business, UMG for Brands offers a unique global approach to making brands culturally relevant and brand marketing, with teams across 74 countries. Whether a brand is looking to shift perception, reach a new generation, boost sales or build loyalty; UMG for Brands helps define a brand’s authentic voice in culture. Recent CLIO and Cannes Lions wins are a testament of the true synergy that can be achieved between culturally relevant artists and brands.