Four considerations brands need to make while partnering with Social Media Influencers for music licensing and the artist’s involvement.
- Brand Considers influencers catering to a similar demographic as the bands for advertising. This requires them to consider the audience they cater to, the cost of engaging them, how calm, professional and reliable, they are since most social media influencers don’t have an agent, manager, or lawyer managing them. In pays influencers assuming they will get a viral video in return. However, the nature of social media can get things to backfire since videos get viral spontaneously. There is no set formula to make it happen. Therefore, brands must let influencers create a video they feel is right instead of handing them a scrip or asking to say a few jargons won’t work. Since many influencers use music in their video, brands must take their music choices very seriously. Recording on a social media platform picks up the bill (licenses it for them) but when an advertiser wants to use a piece, they need to have an agreement. Approval parties: publishers, labels, writers, and artists (or their estates) along with the paid influencers.
- Artists and licensors when brands want a specific recording to share with a social media influencer to promote the products offered by the brand, brands must get a formal synch and master license. Synch licensing is used only for a specific time frame where the product will be demonstrated. Synch license allows brands to audio-only when it is required so that brands can anonymously instigate a viral event or get a video viral made by the influencer they have hired.
- Consideration of Story By using a song that resonates with customers allows brands in getting their videos viral. Therefore, there is a possibility that once the licensor gets to know about brands looking to involve an influencer for their video they might spike the synch fees. While the reason stated by the licensor is that they’ll be giving up the control of the song as much as it will be used in the video therefore the licensors must be compensated for the risk taken by the artist and writers of the song/track.
- Consideration of the Future Publishing representatives understands that they can’t be rigid in how their music will be used by advertisers and will be licensed. Both brands and licensors understand the value of a famous song and its impact to hook the targeted demographic. Hence licensors are always looking to get the highest price for their copyright while brands in their midst struggle to pay the market price.
Be it while utilizing the traditional tools like TV commercials or while move along with the trends by getting an influencer onboard music licensing plays a very crucial role.
