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02.08.13 MusicWeek 25
PUBLISHING SPECIAL SYNC SYNC OF THE POSSIBILITIES
The nature of music synchronisation demands that publishers come together with labels to quickly clear and make the most of their rights in TV, film, video games and adverts. We talk to companies on both sides who have seen sync success, and get tips from music supervisors
LICENSING BY TOM PAKINKIS
T
he power of music has never been lost on Hollywood, TV studios and ad agencies, but these days, with bands more willing to work with brands and industry executives keen to diversify their revenue streams, the power of a good sync placement is incredibly appealing to the music industry as well. In its RIN 2013 report, the IFPI states that
revenues from global synchronisation deals continue to grow, with a 2.1% increase to $337 million in 2012. And it would probably have been more but for tough economic conditions hampering sync fees and the sharp decline in popularity of music-based video games (generating over $1bn a year at retail in the US from 2007 to 2009 but just $50m in 2012). In the UK specifically, recorded music revenue
from sync has seen a slow decline over the last three years but still stood at $28.9m (approx. £18m) in 2012.
ABOVE
“Sync is now seen as a key platform to bring music to the masses. A good sync can re-ignite a song or catalogue like nothing else” MARC ROBINSON, GLOBE
Even so, publishers and labels across the UK
music industry are keen to work together to make the most of sync opportunities. Imagem Group president of Creative Natasha Baldwin tells Music Week that sync is considered very important to publishers – and not just because of the money that can still be made from deals directly. “Generally, sync can contribute anywhere between 5-15% of total net publisher’s share,” she says. “Most syncs, crucially, then also create a bump in performance related income – with advertising being a key medium for that - and mechanical income from DVD sales of films and CD and digital sales of related records.
TV Guys: Universal’s Globe recently scored a sync placement for The Lumineers’ Ho Hey in a TV campaign for Eon (top) while Imagem
licensed Daft Punk’s Harder Better Faster Stronger for a Euro-wide Audi campaign
“The fact that multiple income streams can be
positively affected by this one activity makes sync very important to both the music industry and their bands and artists,” she adds. Universal’s dedicated creative and commercial
division, Globe, brings the company’s sync efforts under the same roof as brand partnerships and content production. When asked about the value of sync placements for Globe, MD Marc Robinson clearly looks well beyond direct monetary income. “For me, what’s exciting about the whole premise of Globe is that we deliver alternative avenues to expose the brilliant music that comes out of our labels and from our artists, and also help bring wider audiences to engage with,” he explains. “Labels are really excited about sync and the
opportunities it can bring,” he adds. “It’s now seen as a key platform to bring music to the masses. “In an era of iTunes, Shazam and social media,
you can tell instantly when a song connects – it feels like a new dawn for sync.” Robinson explains that every sync that comes out
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