Coca-Cola Signs Worldwide Deal with Start-Up, Music Dealers

The Coca-Cola Company has formalized a partnership with full service licensing company Music Dealers in a deal that will narrow the gap between bands and brands, opening up a new route for emerging talent to break onto the global music stage.

It was taken at Music Dealer's Chicago office. In the picture are the three co-founders of Music Dealers with Emmanuel Seuge, Group director Worldwide Sports and Entertainment Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company, and Umut Ozaydinli, from Deviant Ventures, who made the introduction between Music Dealers and Coke. (L-R) seated John Williamson, Music Dealers, Emmanuel Seuge, Coke, Eric Sheinkop, Music Dealers, Jonathan Sheinkop Music Dealers, and Umut Ozaydinli Deviant Ventures (Photo credit: Geoffrey Adler, Music Dealers)

The agreement between Coca-Cola and Music Dealers includes a guaranteed commitment by Coca-Cola to use the services of Music Dealers to discover and license music from currently trending bands all over the world. The investment will earn Coca-Cola a minority share in the company. More broadly, the deal offers shared value for both partners and signals a brand new model for sourcing and licensing music for global branded programs.

"We are excited about the opportunities that come from partnering the world’s most valuable brand with an innovative and game-changing start up and the potential ripple effect that can come of it,” said Emmanuel Seuge, Group Director, Worldwide Sports and Entertainment Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company. "Especially for the thousands of emerging artists around the world who are looking for a global platform to launch their music.”

Coca-Cola will benefit from Music Dealers’ insider industry knowledge and access, while Music Dealers and their global network of emerging talent will benefit from the scale and marketing leverage of The Coca-Cola Company – a reach that spans to over 200 countries.

"Our values are perfectly aligned — we aim to promote independent artists and share their music with fans around the world,” added Eric Sheinkop, Music Dealers President. "The Coca-Cola Company is a great partner who offers solid support to our artists. When artists record a track for Coke, they put significant marketing leverage behind it. The song gets more exposure worldwide than even big artists get from a record label. This arrangement has literally helped artists launch their careers.”

Coca-Cola will work closely with Music Dealers to source music, artists and lyrics for a variety of brand campaigns, programs and events; including becoming the key music sourcing partner for "Coca-Cola Music” – the most ambitious and extensive global music program ever launched by the Company and that is now activated in 140 countries.

"Music Dealers offers numerous avenues to discover and secure music that is a perfect fit for a brand or project,” explained Eric Sheinkop. "Coke is an excellent partner. Their creativity for designing new promotions makes the work exciting for everyone.”

"The deal with Music Dealers is one example of how we are evolving our approach to partnerships, leveraging our scale to achieve shared value and bottom line efficiencies for both parties,” added Emmanuel Seuge. "Through our close collaboration we gain a strong partner in the music industry that has the knowledge, credibility and access to help us continue to build and activate global music programs in the most relevant and compelling ways.”

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About Music Dealers

Music Dealers was founded in 2008 to level the playing field for talented artists worldwide to gain equal access to professional opportunities with film, brands, TV, video games, etc. Through technology and relationships with artists worldwide Music Dealers created a new model for artists to monetize their music and for brands to access up and coming talent. Music Dealers works with over 10,000 talented artists worldwide to crowdsource custom music, and offers the largest catalogue of pre-cleared music in the world, all searchable by hundreds of sonic tags (Demo Here). In the first half of 2011, MD completed over 600 license agreements for individually crafted briefs with artists located in 24 countries. In addition, over 1500 songs were licensed out of the catalogue, with licenses going into every major market in the world from artists living on every continent. Music Dealers is based in Chicago, with offices in LA, New York and London and affiliated offices now serving Israel, Sweden and France. www.musicdealers.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Coca-Cola and Music Dealers: Examples of the partnership in practice:

Case Study One: Global Anthem for "Coca-Cola Music”

Coca-Cola was looking for a song with strong teen appeal to become the global soundtrack for the "Coca-Cola Music” program. A brief for the song was submitted to Music Dealers.

Within 24 hours, Music Dealers had crowd-sourced 22 songs that fit the brief. Working together Coke and Music Dealers selected and perfected "Can You Feel It” as the song that would be performed by Brit band "One Night Only” for the "Walls” commercial - the global ad created for the "Coca-Cola Music” program.

The ad has since aired in 60 countries, including a high profile airing during American Idol in the US. "You Say France & I Whistle”, the Swedish band that wrote the song used the opportunity to start a new record label, book a 10-date tour in Europe, and hire a PR firm. They’ve earned tons of media in Sweden and internationally and have increased their bookings and revenue. They continue to receive writer royalties whenever the commercial runs.

Case Study 2: Taio Cruz – Collaboration Session

Taio Cruz is partnering with Coca-Cola as part of "Coca-Cola Music” to create a brand new mix of the hit track "Higher”. Giving an emerging artist the chance to collaborate with Taio in the creation of their own version of the remixed track, Coca-Cola came to Music Dealers to help source and select artists.

Music Dealers identified a shortlist of artists based on Coke’s brief, ultimately leaving the final decision to Taio who selected three indie artists for the program. Fans will use Facebook ‘likes’ through the "Coca-Cola Music” digital hub to choose which artist will have the chance of a lifetime to collaborate with Taio.

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