Branding Survey 2025: On Brand And In Command

Branding has become an integral part of the live business. From music festival activations to artists repping certain brands while on tour, the aim of each collaboration is to remain authentic to the artist (or festival) in order to best appeal to fans. For Pollstar’s debut branding special, we reached out to key branding executives to get their take on how a partnership can best succeed.

PARTICIPANTS

TomDodd
Brand Partnerships Agent / WME

Matthew Ferrigno 
Co-Founder / MTW Agency

Andrew Klein
President of Global Partnerships / AEG Presents

Chamie McCurry
GM and CMO / Danny Wimmer Presents

Stephanie Miles
SVP of Brand Partnerships / Wasserman Music

Carly Mindel
Music Brand Partnerships Executive / CAA

Katie Nowak
VP, Marketing and Partnerships / TBA Agency

Courtney Trucksess
Sponsorship Director / C3 Presents

What is the sponsorship/branding initiative you worked on in the last year that was the most successful and why? 

Tom Dodd: One of the most fun, and important, was Usher’s recent arrival in London. Here we had a global megastar arriving in London for a historic 10-date run at The O2 (200,000 tickets sold). Usher is one of the most relevant artists in the world in terms of operating at the cultural zeitgeist while having the ability to unite generations from the mainstream through to real and credible subcultures. (See page TK for more on Usher). 

Matthew Ferrigno: Over the last year, MTW Agency has created a handful of brand partnerships within the live music space. Our favorite of the last year, was partnering our client PATRON with Becky G to sponsor her US tour “Case Gomez: Otro Capitulo” – this was the 2nd Becky tour that the brand sponsored. The partnership involved content, on-site branding, meet and greets, social posts and more. The most impactful and unique aspect of this sponsorship was Becky integrating the product into her show and bringing out the bottle on stage to celebrate the evening with a lucky fan. The authenticity is undeniable when an artist brings a product on stage to the most sacred place, their stage. 

Andrew Klein: We are big fans of our T-Mobile relationship at AEG Presents. Our T-Mobile deal includes most of the AEG Presents venues and Stagecoach.  This deal is a true partnership – we are able to offer T-Mobile customers extra access and perks to concerts at our venues across the country & Stagecoach.  In addition, T-Mobile is able to help market our concerts to their millions and millions of customers helping build awareness to an audience that may have not been aware of the shows.

Chamie McCurry: The best campaigns aren’t just about pushing a message — they’re about creating experiences that truly surprise and delight fans. Last year, Beatbox nailed it at Aftershock by hosting pop-up performances at their activation. The crowds went wild — getting an intimate show in such an unexpected setting created a real “you had to be there” moment. It was a total win-win for Beatbox, Aftershock, and most importantly, our fans. At the end of the day, if fans walk away feeling like they had a great experience because of the brand — not just around it — that’s when you know you got it right.

Stephanie Miles: The most rewarding and successful alignments between artists and brands are always rooted in authentic storytelling, and a great example of that was our client Chappell Roan’s recent collaboration with Sephora. In Sephora’s docuseries, Faces of Music, she shares her journey from Kayleigh (her given name) to Chappell Roan the artist, and how beauty has played a pivotal role in that transformation. The brand simply allowed her to tell her story honestly and beautifully, which made it compelling for both her longtime fans, who were able to hear very personal stories they may have never heard before and created the opportunity for people who discovered the series on Hulu who may not have been as familiar to understand some of her influences and motivations a bit more in depth.

Carly Mindel: White Claw’s 2024 “Grab Life By The Claw” campaign with T-Pain stands out as one of my most rewarding partnerships this past year. Beyond metrics like virality and strong engagement, its success was built on genuine authenticity – T-Pain is the biggest White Claw fan on the planet. This one was a true win for him and our team as he has wanted to work with the brand for a very long time. 

Katie Nowak: This last year our incredible team, in partnership and collaboration with Microsoft, built a campaign called Artifacts. We paired each artist (Yaeji, Bladee, & Cuco) with three visual artists (Andrew Thomas Huang, James Ferraro, and Paul Trillo & Paul Flores, respectively). Using the power of Microsoft’s open AI tools and Copilot, they created three completely original pieces of work. For Yaeji, it was a music video for her latest single “Pondeggi.” For Cuco, it was tour visuals. For Bladee, is an interactive game.

​​Courtney Trucksess: One of our most successful initiatives in the past year was expanding our partnership with American Express at ACL Fest. We grew their presence beyond a branded activation into a fully integrated experience for our fans who are cardmembers. Amex has offered elevated viewing platforms, on-site spend credit, local store “shop small”  integrations and fan amenities. What has made it so successful is how seamlessly it fits into the fan journey. It stands out because it added real value to attendees, not just brand visibility.

What are the key ingredients/best practices in creating a successful marketing campaign? Feel free to provide examples.  

Dodd: Our team works with such a wide range of artists, from superstars like Usher to the Canadian/Sudanese poet Mustafa or the photographer and filmmaker Gabriel Moses. There is a real wide-ranging breadth to what we do, and the key ingredient is curiosity. We invest time in listening and understanding the journey each one of our clients wants to take. We are a team that is proud to think differently, and importantly we show up for each other if there are areas we need support.

Ferrigno: At MTW Agency, we believe that creativity and strategy are the foundations of a successful partnership. Some would say authenticity, but that’s a given. Even if you have an authentic alignment, the creative must be right! Once you have the artists aka the “who” you must come up with the right execution aka the “what” – so many times brands will spend all of their money on the talent fee but cheapen the creative content or experiential. 

Klein: The best ingredients/practices for making a program successful for a partnership is truly having a “partnership”, not just a financial commitment. Sitting together in person to really understand each other’s KPI and define what success is and can look like when the program is over. I also think truthful communication is imperative. If either side dropped the ball or something was missed on the deliverables, admitting mistakes, solving the issues, and moving forward works best. Your business relationship often becomes true friendships, so building trust and honest communication makes for great long-term business success and meaningful relationships. 

McCurry: To me, a successful marketing campaign really comes down to a few key things: it has to feel authentic, it has to genuinely excite people, and it has to create a way to keep the connection going after the moment is over.

Miles: Never force it. If there is not an organic fit, it’s usually not worth it. Also, both parties (the brand and the artist) need to be patient when building the relationship. A great recent example is our client Alex Warren and Chipotle. The brand was his #1 priority from the first day we started working with him. He is a diehard Chipotle fan who eats there multiple times a week.

Mindel: In today’s social landscape, a successful marketing campaign/brand partnership generally incorporates artist-driven creative, viral strategy and authenticity. Artist-Forward Creative (Creative Autonomy): A key driver for brands partnering with talent is access to their established audience. Artists and their teams have unparalleled insight into what resonates with their fanbase across various platforms. Viral Strategy: While virality can be somewhat unpredictable, incorporating a strategy to elevate the artist’s creative approach will help generate more engagement and earned media for the campaign. Authenticity: Campaigns that feel genuine and honest, both from the artist and the brand, build trust and foster deeper engagement. 

Nowak: A key ingredient in creating a successful campaign is knowing your artists, what they love and what spaces they most organically occupy… A great example of this is what we did with Remi Wolf and Crocs. Remi came to us and said, “I love Crocs, and I want to do a deal with Crocs.” She wore Crocs on stage every night and in her everyday life, so it was a natural fit.

Trucksess: Authenticity and fan-first thinking are key to success. A great example is our long-standing relationship with Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Their campaign taps into local pride and gives back through their “Love, Tito’s” initiatives on-site. The result is a campaign that feels like it belongs at the festival and resonates deeply with fans. And of course, they have been with us since day one, and we have grown together!

What do you think makes a branding partnership unsuccessful and why? Feel free to provide examples.

Dodd: This is simple. Inauthentic collaborations create unsuccessful brand partnerships. If a partnership doesn’t excite the artist, talent, or brand; then that partnership will ultimately fail. It will feel forced, and it will not connect with its intended audience.  

Ferrigno: Partnerships fail when they are transactional instead of relational; when the artist, the audience, and the brand don’t all benefit equally. It’s not about chasing and signing the most successful person on the charts, it’s about aligning with the talent that is going to lean into the partnership and give 110% and their values align with the brand values. Too many times partnerships fail because the brand just wanted the “biggest” or “hottest” name without realizing there is more to it. 

McCurry: A branding partnership becomes unsuccessful when it feels disconnected from the audience experience. Fans can immediately sense when a brand activation is forced, overly transactional, or irrelevant to why they are at an event. True success comes from creating experiences that genuinely resonate — moments that enhance the fan journey, not interrupt it.

For example, a brand simply placing a logo on a stage or banner without any thoughtful interaction often gets lost in the noise. On the other hand, when a brand creates an immersive experience that taps into the emotions of the fans — whether it’s a curated lounge, a surprise artist moment, or an interactive installation — it builds true affinity. Fans leave associating positive feelings with that brand because it became part of the memory, not just part of the scenery.

Miles: When there is no genuine collaboration between the artist and the brand on creative. An artist knows better than anyone how to connect with their fans, so when that connection is interrupted by a narrative that feels off for them, the fans can sense it and engagement drops off, which can have a negative impact on the success of the partnership for both the artist and the brand. 

Mindel: While I’ve stressed authenticity repeatedly, its significance in a campaign’s success cannot be overstated. If talent aligns with a brand or category they don’t genuinely use or engage with – an artist with a healthy lifestyle promoting fast food, for instance – their audience will immediately recognize the disconnect. Similarly, if the creative direction feels forced or doesn’t align with the talent’s organic style, the partnership will lack credibility. This is particularly true with younger audiences, a generation adept at detecting inauthentic collaborations, which makes these partnerships essentially ineffective for all involved.

Nowak: When a partnership feels forced it will not succeed. Oftentimes, brands really want artists to act as influencers. Depending on the artist, that might work, but most artists do not want to stand in front of a camera and say “Wow, I love (name brand here) and you should buy these. Head to this link and get these with my discount code.” Sometimes people take a gig because the money is nice, that’s simply part of the business, but if the artist isn’t able to collaborate creatively and make it theirs, in their voice, it will fall flat. Fans see through that and perceive it as inauthentic. 

Trucksess: When a brand tries to retrofit a generic message into a high-energy environment like ours, it just doesn’t land. We’ve seen instances where the brand’s objectives weren’t in line with the fan experience—too sales-y, too forced—and that kind of disconnect is hard to recover from. The fan is smart! They know when something isn’t authentic.

How do you pair your artists with brands, or vice-versa, to best ensure a partnership is successful? How difficult is it to create that synergy? 

Dodd: It’s our job as brand partnership agents to have a deep understanding of both our clients, and the market around us – We love music, fashion, and culture, and we live and breathe it every day. At WME, we are a community of individual agents; but we work in teams to make sure our breadth of knowledge is unmatched. That’s very important.  

Ferrigno: At MTW, we approach pairing like casting the right actor for a lead role. We spend significant time studying both sides — the brand’s DNA and the artist’s values, audience, and trajectory. Synergy isn’t accidental; it’s curated. It’s about finding where the brand can amplify the artist’s story without diluting it and where the artist can naturally embody the brand without “acting.” It’s not always easy, but when you find the right fit, it’s magic — and the audience feels it instantly.

Klein: I think the best partnerships between brands & bands are authentic relationships.  If the artists or band truly use the product or services, then they are successful. If the artist is just looking for a “check”, then these fail. These partnerships are not difficult to close/execute, both sides just need to clearly communicate expectations. 

Miles: We ask both the artist and the brand a million questions to make sure it’s a good fit. The more we can find where the goals line up and where the organic opportunities are, the more natural the partnership will feel. Sometimes it doesn’t come together no matter how many questions you ask…so maybe you pause for now but keep the door open. It comes back to patience and waiting until all the right elements align. I tell our clients all the time that it’s never too early to start talking to a brand that the artist loves. The brand may not be ready to jump on board at that moment, but, the more the brand and artist keep the conversation going and grow to understand each other, the more likely it will blossom into an opportunity for a truly organic partnership.

Mindel: Our team spends significant time with our talent to ensure we fully understand their goals, needs and wants in the brand partnership space. We maintain open and consistent communication with both the talent and their teams, proactively exploring their authentic brand affinities, aspirational campaigns, and creative passions. This close collaboration provides a distinct advantage in crafting effective strategies. By acting as a true advocate for our talent in the marketplace, this profound understanding enables us to identify the most organic and mutually beneficial brand collaborations.

Nowak: We pay very close attention to what brands our artists love. We have constant conversations with artist teams about strategy and what stories we want to tell depending on what is going on in the artist’s cycle. Building a narrative and telling a cohesive, holistic story is key – so our goal is to always create and find partnerships that will help us tell those stories.

Trucksess: Lots of times artists are fans of the brand already, so it’s an easy integration. Those are the ones we see the most success when they already have the affinity!

With so many platforms available for sponsorship/branding initiatives (live events, streaming, billboards, broadcast, social media, street marketing, etc,), are there platforms you think work especially well with live music initiatives? Why? 

Dodd: This is the fun part. Our playground is huge, and each brand has a different approach. Each platform provides a series of exciting opportunities for our clients. 

Ferrigno: Influencer marketing  – whether it’s a festival activation we’ve done such as HBO Max sponsoring Suenos or the PATRON x Becky G tour sponsorship having influencers attend the shows and post about their experience with the brand at these shows is very impactful. It allows the activation to reach far beyond the limited number of people that are IRL on site. Let influencers tell the story and reach various audiences and algorithms that will take note of your brand showing up in the right places with the right people. 

Klein: I don’t think any are better than the other. I think it depends on the KPIs. Each marketing medium offers different value to brands.

Miles: All of them have their place because all artist/brand relationships are different. But for me personally, there is still nothing better than the magic of seeing an artist perform live and in-person That direct connection creates a lasting impression and a truly meaningful memory like nothing else for the fan/consumer vs. stumbling on it while doomscrolling through your social media feeds.

Mindel: It certainly depends on the opportunity – each brand and campaign has different objectives. Once we have a true understanding of their KPIs and what they are aiming to accomplish, we can then help recommend how to craft the best partnerships on the talent side. We have worked with brands who have successfully put together comprehensive 360-degree strategies, including digital, social, out-of-home, promotions, and live activations, which showed significant expansion across platforms. In today’s digitally-driven landscape, many brands opt to lean into a strong and well-defined social strategy, which generates a substantial return on investment in areas like engagement, new audience development, and viral reach. We treat each opportunity like a fresh start – whatever the main priority is for the brand, we help lean in wherever we can with our talent. 

Nowak: Social media is huge for music artists. It’s where artists communicate with their fan bases the most. Allowing the artist to bring the campaign to life in their voice, to their core base is invaluable. Live events also work extremely well, because that is often where artists feel most comfortable, and there are a lot of ways to activate. You can have an on-site activation, host a meet and greet for VIP,  run giveaways, provide branded merch, and create content, all in one place. If the brand fit is right, it will feel seamless. Remi and Crocs is a great example of this, particularly having her wear the shoes on stage / on tour and using that content as a vehicle to push the campaign forward.

Trucksess: Social media extensions, especially TikTok and Instagram Reels, have allowed our sponsors to amplify moments from our festivals in real-time giving the overall partnership more legs and a broader reach.

What’s a good example of a unique, innovative, out-of-the-box and exciting marketing/branding campaign that pushed the envelope that you appreciated and didn’t necessarily work on? 

Dodd: We love innovation and always celebrate it as a group. For me, a standout moment was a collaboration created across the agency for Casio G-Shock. At WME we represent an incredible collective called Actually Creative led by Clint (Corteiz). The Casio G-Shock project allowed us to work with a non-WME client Central Cee and really deliver something truly authentic for him. The project used the creative direction of Actually Creative as the glue between Central Cee and the G-Shock brand – telling the story of Central Cee’s incredible journey. The results were groundbreaking.  

Ferrigno: It’s an exciting moment in branding and we’re seeing amazing creativity every day. This week alone it was very interesting to see 7-11 buy the naming rights for the “When We Were Young” festival. There is great synergy between the brand, the audience and the artists that are on the lineup. This is the first time a brand purchased the naming rights to an existing festival and it could be the first of many. 

Klein: I like the work and the partnership between Bud Light and Post Malone.  Bud Light has used Post in commercials and live streaming, he often drinks the product on Stage. Seems very authentic.  Also, Kohler did a deal with Bonnaroo integrating their products into the camping experience – which was smart. 

Mindel: A colleague of mine worked on a partnership last year that I felt was such a great story. Freshpet, the healthy dog food company, had never done a talent partnership before and wanted to engage someone for their upcoming campaign. Knowing authenticity is key, my colleague knew that Meghan Trainor has four dogs and is a huge pet lover. Following confirmation of the deal, Meghan joined a creative call where she actually offered to write a song for the brand – not originally part of the deal – which they of course loved. After some additional negotiation, she delivered an amazing track that became the foundation for a very successful campaign and partnership. The song also gets stuck in my head weekly.

Nowak: Doja Cat x Taco Bell Mexican Pizza is one that I immediately think of. It felt singular to her and definitely did not feel like an ad or partnership campaign, in fact, everyone thought it was just her being goofy until the news of the partnership broke. It allowed her to fully be herself and be goofy and fun in the name of bringing back a signature item for a huge brand. It’s a unicorn I think about often.

Trucksess: I love what Toyota has done with their Toyota Music Den partnerships at Outside Lands. It’s a fantastic example of a brand building its own music property in a way that feels authentic, high energy, and artist-forward while being a memorable fan experience in a festival environment. 

On the backend of a campaign, what metrics do you use to measure success? Impressions, sign-ups, audience reach, increased consumption, etc.?  

Dodd: Every brand has a different approach to measuring metrics depending on what part of their journey they are on. Are they creating brand love or are they in a real sales mode? Are they experimenting with audience connection or have they mastered direct to consumer sales? This differs from project to project but as we are so focused on meaningful relationships and longevity, we always set out KPIs and objectives before we start so that when we debrief, we can have real conversations about the successes of a campaign or project. 

Ferrigno: This is something that we have invested heavily in and are creating our own proprietary systems that are able to track and measure campaigns in a best-in-class way. Quantitative: Impressions, reach, engagements, click-throughs, attendance, conversions. Qualitative: Sentiment analysis, social listening, cultural impact. Business Outcomes: Increase in brand awareness, consumption lifts, and audience growth in key demographics. 

Klein: All of the above.  Just depends on what the brand is looking for.

Mindel: Ultimately the biggest win is when both parties walk away from the partnership feeling as though the goals have been met, consumer engagement is strong, and knowing that both parties are hungry to do more together. While metrics such as impressions, earned media, and online virality provide valuable insights into success and ROI, the most rewarding achievement is knowing that the fans resonate with the partnership enough to see long-lasting results. Watching a brand campaign come to life while simultaneously discussing future opportunities to continue the relationship is the best measurement of a long-term partnership.

Nowak: We certainly use audience reach, engagement and impression numbers, and sometimes press mentions if the campaign warrants it. A really great campaign will produce word of mouth, organic engagement, or user-generated content. If a ton of people are re-sharing the partnership as a result of its uniqueness and impact, that’s the mark of success.

Trucksess: Onsite engagement, content views, dwell time at activations and social sentiment, are a few measures of success. Increasingly, we’re focused on the quality of interaction—how meaningful was the connection? Did fans share it? Did they talk about it after the fact? That tells us if a campaign really worked.

In these mixed economic times, how do you see the overall sponsorship/branding market doing in the next year and why?  

Dodd: We must be knowledgeable of our markets and how they are affected by these very turbulent times. We are always mindful of our clients when it comes to challenges facing brands—whether it be the supply of raw materials, production problems, tariffs, or a slip in consumer behavior due to the cost of living. We work tirelessly as a team to be mindful of these challenges and we are always looking for new and unique opportunities when markets change – We must evolve and take nothing for granted. That makes WME a great partner.

Ferrigno: Having just gone through COVID and post-COVID, inflation, and now “these times” – we are used to some level of unpredictability and chaos. The unknown has simply become some of the known and we just continue to focus on the work and our value to brands as being experts in culture. There is no doubt that brands are being more thoughtful and calculated with their investments but they are absolutely still spending on music and we don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. 

Klein: We are bulling on a deal for 2025.  However, for brands that are importing goods/materials from countries where there are tariff issues, I do foresee some headwinds.  However, where one door closes a touch, hopefully, other categories of business come into play and other doors open.

Miles: Music moves people. It evokes emotion. It can create joy. It can bring comfort. It is an escape. It brings people together. Nothing can ever change that. When brands are looking to connect with consumers, music will always be a smart investment of marketing dollars as the passion and engagement music fans have will endure regardless of what is going on in the world and a brand can tap into that excitement. Also, when times are challenging, we all evolve to become more efficient and effective. 

Mindel: Although the overall ad budget might decline, I expect music and talent partnerships to remain a vital and dynamic component of the music ecosystem. An emerging trend we have seen is a pivot towards elevating existing opportunities – branded content and planned talent events – rather than initiating brand-developed events and significant media buys. Fortunately, brands are still very much wanting to engage in the music space and I look forward to continuing to find unique and innovative ways to partner.

Nowak: Branded content has usurped traditional media in terms of impact and impressions at this point, so I don’t see brand partnerships going anywhere, at least in the digital space. I think these weird times create an interesting opportunity for brands and artists to continue to collaborate in ways that feel more out-of-the-box, and tell a story through multiple verticals like live, social, and editorial. In other words; maybe do more with less.  

Trucksess: There’s definitely pressure on budgets, but live music is still an important and meaningful way to connect with people and brands recognize that. Brands are more selective—but also more willing to commit when they see value. I think the next year will be about quality over quantity.