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22.06.12 MusicWeek 13

SOLE…WITHDIGNITY d up with the likes of Doritos and Relentless. So what does he think of brands moving into music?

LEFT He’s with the brand: PG has partnered up with the likes of Doritos, Relentless Energy and Puma

RIGHT

Getting his kicks: PG is in the second year of his partnership with Puma, whose trainers he regularly wears

Do brands bring the opportunities to you, or do you seek them out? They tend to reach out and present stuff to me. I’m in my second year with Puma but it fits. My whole thing with brand ambassadorship and branding deals is that it has to fit. In my first year I did a lot of short-term deals and learnt what to do and what not to do. I’ve said no to more deals than I’ve said yes to.

Really? Like what? Kappa made an offer, erm... which I did turn my nose up at. Does that make me a bit of a snob?

No, perhaps it’s just a generational stereotype... I was a massive part of that stereotype. I never wore Kappa as a kid. Puma’s always been quite cool. It kind of sits well with me and also I actually wear the trainers. I don’t have to be made to do it. It’s not something that I think: “Oh God.” I don’t have to think of the pound signs when I put them on my feet.

A lot of artists coming out now are entering into these kind of brand partnerships. Do you think there’s less of a ‘selling your soul’ stigma than there used to be? Yeah, more now than

ever, it’s accepted. But it always, always depends on whether it fits or not. You can see that some things are clearly and

only for financial gain. I’m not up for compromising my integrity.

What’s been your favourite commercial campaign that you’ve done? Puma. Because it’s been so easy, it’s kind of fitted in seamlessly. There’s been no days of waking up going: “Aaarggh. Not again.” Everything I’ve done with them has crossed

over into places which I’ve already done work. Like we’ve just done this thing with FHM (above left). I sit well in FHM anyway, I’ve done so much with them in the past. It says a lot that I’m still in the contract with Puma after two years.

In a deal brokered by EMI Music’s UK Brand Partnerships Team, Professor Green has been announced as an ambassador of Relentless Energy Drink. He will work on several promotional projects with the brand throughout 2012. The move marks the end of the

Coca-Cola-owned brand’s Virtues campaign, which used four brand ambassadors – jiu-jitsu champion

Roger

Gracie, street dancer Zoe Green, BMXer Mark Webb and guitarist Steph Carter from the band Gallows. A Coca-Cola spokesperson

said: “It’s the perfect ambassadorship: both share a dedication to their art, both are defiant in the face of compromise, and both live life to the full in a truly no-half-measures way.”

RELENTLESS AMBITION