Adam & Eve to promote EMI artists

EMI Music has appointed Adam & Eve to promote its portfolio of artists, which includes Coldplay and Lily Allen (pictured), and increase revenue through non-traditional channels.

EMI has already signalled that it is seeking new ways to connect with consumers. Last year, Guy Hand, chief executive of private equity company Terra Firma, which owns the record company, indicated the company would allow brands to sponsor artists.

At the time it provoked a furious reaction from artists, with Coldplay, Robbie Williams and The Verve threatening to withhold their new releases.
The record company has been under increasing pressure since being acquired by Terra Firma in 2007. The music industry is facing falling CD and single sales as music fans turn to a variety of free and paid-for download services.

The appointment of the agency comes in the same week that the company announced a major restructure of its global marketing team. The move is aimed at better supporting and developing artists.

The company is reorganising marketing around Europe, North America and Mexico and the rest of the world. It follows the departure of senior vice president of global marketing, Susie Smith, who left the label to establish her own artist management consultancy last week.

Bart Cools, currently a marketing manager at the company, will become senior vice-president for marketing in Europe including the UK. Howard Handler, also a marketing manager, will take responsibility for North America and Mexico also as senior vice-president for marketing. Adrian Cheesley, who is already regional president for the world outside Europe, North America and Mexico, will now also handle marketing for that territory.

All three new vice presidents will report to EMI Music’s president of global marketing, Sam van der Feltz.

Carole MacDonald will remain as vice president of marketing for priority artists, which includes Kylie, Coldplay and Robbie Williams.
EMI has also created two global priorities teams to focus on major international releases from the label’s new music division and key projects from regional and developing artists.

One team will be based in London and the other in New York. MacDonald will work alongside former senior vice-presidents of international marketing, Pietro Paravella and Matthew Tilley, who have been promoted to senior vice-presidents of global priorities and heading up the London and New York teams respectively.

EMI has also appointed Smith as a senior advisor to its new music board. In her
consulting role, she will be advising the board on new strategies and continue to support global marketing campaigns for major artists.