The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) took place last night and have long served as an unrivaled launchpad for pop music artists. Not only do the VMAs catapult artists’ careers into the stratosphere virtually overnight but also amplify the appeal of these artists to brands. For emerging stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, Benson Boone, and Gracie Abrams, the VMAs represent a pivotal opportunity to boost their marketability and grow their sponsorship portfolios. These artists, each nominated in various categories this year, are already making waves in the endorsement ecosystem, partnering with major brands across industries ranging from tech to beauty—with a slew of new offers almost sure to follow. 

With over 78M monthly listeners on Spotify, Sabrina Carpenter burst onto the pop music scene this year and already boasts a fast-growing partnership portfolio that includes blue-chip brands like Samsung, Marc Jacobs, and Skims. Her top-performing Instagram post this year (for Samsung) garnered 3.8M  engagements—more than 12 times the average of 300K per post by pop music artists—showcasing her ability to seize the moment in the attention economy. Similarly, Tate McRae’s partnerships with brands like American Express and Essentia Water highlight how her burgeoning popularity is making inroads with top-tier brands. With 66% follower growth YoY and two VMA nominations, she is poised to elevate her brand value even further.

Gracie Abrams and Benson Boone, both nominated for Best New Artist, are also gaining traction in brand partnership opportunities. Abrams’ collaboration with Target has racked up 661K in total engagement on social media in the last 12 months, while Boone’s deal with Hollister scored 173K interactions over the same period. 

Meanwhile, Teddy Swims’ alliance with the Soundwaves Art Foundation—which raises money for charity through the sale of artwork featuring the signatures and handwritten lyrics of leading recording artists—marks his first foray into the partnership space. In light of his four VMA nominations this year, endorsement offers from enterprising brands can't be far behind. 

Lollapalooza—one of the world’s premier music festivals which headed to Chicago this past weekend—continues to attract a wide array of sponsors, enhancing the festival experience for its 400K attendees while providing invaluable exposure for brands. This year’s robust lineup included industry titans like Coca-Cola, Chase, and T-Mobile, which have served as staple supporters for 29, 11, and 2 years, respectively. Other returning sponsors like Bacardi, Dunkin, and Hulu leveraged the festival’s massive reach to connect with its diverse fanbase through unique on-site activations and exclusive offerings.

Among the veteran sponsors, several standout partnerships have played pivotal roles in shaping the festival’s high-octane atmosphere in Chicago’s Grant Park. Bacardi and Jack Daniel's have become synonymous with Lollapalooza's vibrant energy, offering branded bars and unique drink experiences; this year, a Jack & Coke Trailer served the iconic brands’ lineup of canned cocktails, which launched in 2023. In addition, PayPal/Venmo and Chase upped the convenience factor, providing seamless payment options that cater to tech-savvy festival attendees, and Waterloo Sparkling Water ensured that fans stayed hydrated throughout the event.

This year’s festival also welcomed a host of noteworthy new sponsors, like Aguasol Tequila and Hennessy. The “Hennessy Highline” bar whipped up Hennessy Margaritas and other premium drinks for thirsty attendees. The cognac king is becoming a mainstay on the music festival circuit, having sponsored four other marquee events—including Governors Ball and Ultra Music Festival—in the past year.

Activations from the new brands:

Deadpool & Wolverine shattered box office records late last month as both the highest-grossing debut of 2024, and the biggest opening ever for an R-rated film. Besides making headlines worldwide, its phenomenal success provided a unique opportunity for a diverse array of Marvel Studio’s partners to capitalize on the high-wattage star power of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

Heineken's partnership with Marvel Studios paid off in a recent social collaboration with the hotly anticipated film. The Dutch beer giant garnered over 800K in branded engagement with its Instagram post featuring both Reynolds and Jackman—the second highest ever for the brand. 

Tim Hortons, which partners with both Reynolds and Marvel Studios Canada, also made waves on social media ahead of the movie’s Canadian premier. To celebrate the film’s upcoming launch, the brand released a video across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, featuring Reynolds’ Deadpool character relaxing with a Tim Horton’s coffee after wrapping up on set. Notably, Reynolds is the only actor to have a deal with the Canadian fast food chain. 

Adding to the pre-release buzz surrounding the blockbuster, HEINZ unveiled limited-edition collectibles that allow fans to accessorize their ketchup and mustard bottles to resemble Deadpool and Wolverine–a fun and wildly creative first for the iconic brand. Created in collaboration with the film, the collectibles include Deadpool’s signature mask, suit, and katanas (Deadpool’s weapon of choice). Designed especially for the HEINZ condiments, they elevate the heroes of barbecue season to the superhero status of their big-screen counterparts. American Express, Coca-Cola, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Hello Fresh also partner with Marvel Studios, which has eight total sponsorship deals that span various industries––demonstrating the broad appeal and marketability of their films.

Excitement for the film even infiltrated the high-octane world of Formula 1 racing. In a spectacular move, the Alpine F1 Team revealed a striking, one-off livery ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix on July 28, inspired by Deadpool & Wolverine. Instead of their usual design, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon drove cars adorned in red and black, complete with yellow claw marks, in a nod to the two Marvel superheroes depicted in the movie. Ryan Reynolds was one of a group of investors behind a €200M cash injection in Alpine last year, giving the group a 24% stake in the team.

The Governors Ball Music Festival took New York City by storm last week, as this year's lineup of more than 15 new sponsors turned up the volume for the 120K attendees who beelined to Queens to see Post Malone, the Killers, and Chappell Roan, among others. 

A fresh mix of buzzy brands from the fashion, food, and beauty worlds further amplified the electric atmosphere over the 3-day event. Aviator Nation, Forever 21, and Quay showcased their trendy apparel and accessories, offering festival-goers stylish options to keep their festival looks on point. Meanwhile, imPRESS Beauty glammed up fans with complimentary no-glue applications of imPRESS nails and lashes in a flash, as Supergoop shielded them from the sun as the Ball’s official SPF. 

Other partners kept the party rolling smoothly––like Liquid IV, which hydrated attendees with its innovative electrolyte drink mixes in the brand’s 6th festival appearance. Waterloo Sparkling Water, an 8-year partner of the event, pitched in on the hydration front as well, while Sunbelt Rentals provided essential infrastructure support for the 6th year running.

Some notable changes on the marquee sponsorship front included a pivot from MLB to the NBA: along with exclusive giveaways, the league presented a premium lounge space on-site for fans to watch the NBA Finals. Another big switch-up saw Hennessy and Jack Daniel's step in for former sponsor Bacardi in the high-profile alcohol arena. The Jack Daniel’s Chill Zone served up Jack & Cola and Jack & Lemonade all weekend long––marking the 24th partnership the whiskey giant has inked with music festivals in the past year. 

Full list of new sponsors in 2024:‍

• Aviator Nation 
• Cabot Creamery - 1st
• Forever 21
• Hard Rock Hotel NYC - 1st
• Hennessy 
• imPRESS Beauty - 1st
• Jack Daniel's 
• Liquid IV
• NBA - 1st
• Pirate Water 
• Quay 
• Rakuten 
• Sharpie - 1st
• SkullCandy - 1st
• Sunbelt Rentals 
• Supergoop 
• Waterloo Sparkling Water

For more insights on sponsorships within music, download our Brands & Top Music Artists 2023-24 Report.

‍

Superstar artists and influencers are increasingly embracing jersey patch sponsorships—an intriguing trend that transcends traditional marketing tactics by offering direct, high-profile exposure to a wide array of passionate pro sports fan bases. 

Case in point: FC Barcelona's partnership with Spotify, which launched in 2022 and has since seen artists like Drake, The Rolling Stones, and Rosalia emblazoned on the club’s jerseys. Most recently, the team announced a collaboration with Karol G, Spotify’s most-streamed female Latin music artist globally for four years running—debuting a special matchday shirt featuring the artist’s signature barbed wire heart logo in the women’s team’s faceoff against Villarreal Femenino on April 13th, and again in the men’s April 21st showdown with El Clásico. Fans can also purchase the limited-edition shirt at FC Barcelona’s online store, with just 1899 available—a nod to the team’s founding year. 

FC Barcelona's most engaging post—commemorating International Music Day on Instagram last November, and featuring a star-studded lineup of the artists with jersey partnerships—garnered a stunning 2.7M in total interactions, underscoring the collaborations’ resounding success. 

Similarly, Premier League team, Ipswich Town—promoted last week to the top-tier league following a 22-year absence—has proudly displayed Ed Sheeran's name on their front jersey patch since 2021, underscoring the lifelong connection between the artist and his local club, which he grew up rooting for. The sponsorship’s inaugural season saw the team sell the most home jerseys in 15 years, while a shirt collaboration last season featuring designs from Sheeran’s “Equals” album became the fastest-selling jersey in the club’s history. He was in frequent contact with the team in the run-up to the May 4th victory over Huddersfield that clinched Ipswich’s promotion, and video-called into the celebrations after the historic win. The record-setting artist has already spoken publicly of the tremendous positive impact of the promotion—which will undoubtedly multiply team revenue exponentially—on the town of Ipswich. Beyond the primary jersey patch asset, Sheeran’s sponsorship includes rotating billboards across the club’s Portman Road pitch, and his album logos’ appearance on pre- and post-match team press conference banners.

Meanwhile, American sports and comedy YouTube sensation, Dude Perfect, became Burnley FC’s junior & academy official shirt partner in July 2023—three months after the team’s return to the top flight after a one-year break. The deal reflects the partners’ shared goal to grow both their fan bases and their bottom lines: Dude Perfect’s prime audience, the 5-to-16-year-old demographic, is just starting to embrace the Premier League in the US—and efforts to grow Burnley’s relatively low profile in the league will no doubt boost the value of Dude Perfect’s investment. 

Speaking of YouTube giants, MrBeast (real name: Jimmy Donaldson)—who boasts the largest following of any individual on YouTube, at more than 250M—inked a groundbreaking deal with the Charlotte Hornets last October, making his Feastables snack brand the team’s official jersey patch partner. The sponsorship marked the first-ever link-up between a social media influencer and an NBA team—and will almost certainly not be the last. Watch this space for more blockbuster collaborations between content creators and pro sports franchises. 

Sponsorship deals with top music artists are experiencing significant growth, offering brands a vibrant platform to enhance their market presence and engage diverse audiences. As music artists continue to wield substantial influence and garner massive global followings, their ability to connect with fans makes them highly attractive partners for brands.

In this report, we explore endorsement deals and social followings for trending artists, brand endorsements by genre, brand opportunities, and so much more.

Some highlights include:

• Usher added more deals than any other music artist
• Taylor Swift added more social followers than any other music artist
• Coca-Cola, Tiffany & Co., and Walmart are the three most active brands in the space
• Louis Vuitton, TikTok, YouTube, Coca-Cola, and Walmart have the most deals added
• Apparel & Accessories is the most active category in the space
• Pop music is responsible for 45% of the growth in endorsement deals with music artists
• Environmental initiatives are the most prevalent causes promoted at festivals

In our evaluation of brand endorsements and social media collaborations across the 200 most followed music artists, we found that brands are leveraging partnerships in this space more than ever and in very unique ways, so we’re thrilled to unveil our Brands & Top Music Artists 2023–24 report. Authored by SponsorUnited’s Marketing Research and Analytics team, the report encompasses more than 650 brands, 870 sponsorship deals, and 4,580 social post by music artists from April 2, 2023 to April 2, 2024.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour 2023––the season’s biggest holiday music event, presented by Capital One––brings together a star-studded lineup of musical talent to ring in the festive season in grand fashion on an 11-city nationwide tour throughout December. At the Jingle Ball NYC 2023, held at Madison Square Garden on December 8th, fans enjoyed electrifying performances by Olivia Rodrigo, whose sponsors include Apple, Sony, and YSL Beauty; SZA, who partners with Tommy Hilfiger and Skims; Sabrina Carpenter, who has deals with Samsung and Pink; and an array of other artists.

For nine straight years, Jingle Ball and Capital One have partnered to bring holiday music to millions in a dynamic collaboration that sees the brand actively integrated into the event experience through interactive activities, online promotion, and prominent branding throughout the tour venues. The Jingle Capital One Ultimate Fan Sweepstakes also gave cardholders the chance to win a trip for two to the Jingle Ball in cities including New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Beyond this high-profile presenting sponsorship, Capital One’s partnership portfolio includes artists like Big Time Rush, Niall Horan, and Slash. 

But Capital One’s biggest marketing coup is its rarefied role as the one and only sponsor of Taylor Swift since 2019. The blockbuster collaboration offers millions of devoted Swifties exclusive opportunities including:

Presale Tickets: Capital One cardholders get first access to tickets for Taylor Swift  concerts, including her current, 151-show, sold-out “Eras Tour”–a major perk for fans eager to see the megastar live

Special Experiences: The brand partners with Swift to offer unique experiences to cardholders, including backstage passes and meet-and-greets.

Exclusive Merchandise: Capital One customers could purchase an exclusive “Midnights” box set with a commemorative album box.

Barbie, America’s most iconic doll, made her big-screen debut last weekend in a blockbuster film that has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide—and set the scene for a remarkable array of unique partnerships and immersive activations. If you have yet to find yourself lost in an activation or bedecked in pink, fear not–here’s our rundown of some of the best.

The movie’s reach extended far beyond the silver screen, enlivening the feminist icon in larger—than—life ways. In Dubai, a stories-high, 3-D projection dazzled passersby, as Margot Robbie's character, dressed in a sleek black-and-white dress, stepped out of a colossal Barbie box beside the Burj Khalifa—the world’s tallest skyscraper at more than 2,700 feet—and onto the city’s bustling streets, in arguably one the most stunning activations in recent memory.

Stateside, Barbie and Xbox teamed up to bring the ultimate Barbie dreamhouse experience to life for fans of the New York Liberty. During the team’s annual Camp Day on July 19th, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center was transformed into an immersive Barbie wonderland, complete with pink Barbie branding and signage throughout. By inserting Barbie into the sports arena—quite literally—the unique activation created indelible memories for young fans.

On the food front, Barbie and Pinkberry joined forces to whip up the "Barbie Land Berry Pink" frozen yogurt flavor. A blend of strawberry and dragon fruit yogurts in Barbie’s trademark pink shade—adorned with silver star-shaped “dream sprinkles”—the tasty treat serves as an edible reminder of the movie's sweetness, extending its magic into the gastronomic realm. Cold Stone Creamery also rolled out Pink Cotton Candy, a new Barbie-inspired treat available nationwide through August 8.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Dundrum Town Centre—a shopping center in Dublin–invited visitors into an elevator wrapped in a vibrant, Barbie box-themed design, adding a touch of her iconic style to the shopping experience.

Numerous other brands also embraced Barbie mania, inking licensing deals to feature the blonde bombshell and her friends in their products. Barbie-themed Snapchat filters and Burger King’s Barbie—branded meal box brought the movie's flair to everyday life, while Crocs unveiled a chic pink edition featuring detachable Barbie characters. Such varied collaborations spread the love for Barbie across a multitude of industries, inspiring fans everywhere to “think pink.”

Burger King

Crocs

Bloomingdale's

‍

Brands are flocking to music festivals like moths to a flame: in the last year, more than 7,000 brands have bought a sponsorship or media deal with these events, saturating the market as they vie to connect with attendees in the festivals’ prime consumer demographic.

Sponsors are embracing innovation in this quest, employing tactics like immersive experiential activations, head-turning installations, and interactive displays to create memorable experiences that make a lasting impression amidst festivals’ fierce competition. With half the festival season remaining, brands will likely look to previous winning activations for inspiration. Let’s take a look at a few.

Beatbox Beverages added 20 more music festivals to its partnership lineup this year, expanding these sponsorships to a whopping 75% of its endorsement portfolio. At Country Thunder Arizona in April, the brand orchestrated a Jenga game featuring its logo on the blocks for festival-goers, and provided branded swings where attendees could take a load off at the Hangout Music Fest in Alabama last month.

Meanwhile, Snapchat–which currently counts more than 75% of the 13-34 age group across 20 countries among its users–offers augmented reality (AR) experiences to festival-goers at 16 Live Nation festivals, including marquee events like Lollapalooza and The Governor’s Ball. These AR-enabled features help attendees locate their friends, uncover exclusive landmarks, and facilitate merchandise purchases. Leveraging its vast reach and massive user base, Snapchat plans to propel AR to the forefront of visual expression for artists and festivals, championing it as the next frontier in creative exploration.

Renowned tequila titan Jose Cuervo, long recognized for its distinctive activations, unveiled a unique “Cuervo Express” train car experience at select events this year, including the popular Firefly Festival and Hangout Music Fest. The immersive activation takes visitors on a captivating journey into the storied world of Jose Cuervo within an old-fashioned train car, with exclusive performances on its stage and the opportunity to buy the brand’s fabled spirits.

‍

Since opening its glittering doors in 2021, Resorts World Las Vegas–which celebrated its second anniversary on June 24, 2023–has quickly become one of the most popular destinations in America’s favorite desert playground.

Some of the property’s notable partners include Allergan Aesthetics, Coca-Cola, Community Coffee, Theta, and ZYN. The global soft drink titan’s branding spans a 100,000-sq.- ft. LED screen on the West Tower, while Community Coffee proudly serves as the Official and Exclusive Pod Partner of Resorts World Las Vegas. Community Coffee also enjoys digital branding throughout the property and its digital exterior walls.

Resorts World Las Vegas celebrated its second anniversary from June 21-25 with a star-studded lineup headlined by country music superstar Carrie Underwood, who counts BodyArmor and Target among her 4 endorsement deals. Other performers included electronic dance music DJs Tiësto, DJ Snake, and Kaskade, who spun sizzling sets at Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub. In addition to the entertainment a wide array of anniversary programming featured inspired culinary experiences at Famous Foods Street Eats–a 24,000-square-foot interactive dining destination with 16 diverse food stalls–activations at exquisite on-property eateries like Nori, Genting Palace and Crossroads and exclusive merchandise at the resort’s world-class retail outlets.

Hot on the heels of the anniversary extravaganza, Hartbeat Weekend–kicking off July 6–  will showcase a four-day music and comedy festival hosted by Kevin Hart, whose 13-brand sponsorship stable includes Audemars Piguet, Chase, DraftKings, and Old Spice. Jack Harlow, Ludacris, and J. Cole will also perform during the rollicking event, while the grand finale of Hart’s Reality Check Tour will take place July 7 & 8 at Resorts World Theatre.

Nestled on nearly 88 acres at the north end of the storied Las Vegas Strip, the show-stopping, urban contemporary resort–comprised of three luxurious Hilton properties–boasts a long list of unrivaled amenities, including a cutting-edge, 117,000-square-foot casino, a 5.5-acre elevated pool complex with seven unique pool experiences, and over 50 world-class food and beverage options.

‍

SponsorUnited released its 2022 Music Festivals & Artists Marketing Partnerships Report analyzing more than 8,300 brands, 850 artists and 600 music festivals.

Key findings from the report include:

Deals with Video Games Surge – As gaming’s popularity continues to soar, music artists are finding new and innovative ways to engage with audiences through partnerships with video game brands. In a growing trend, gamers are becoming fans of music artists after first hearing their songs in video games. This has led stars like Steve Aoki, Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Anitta, and Meghan Trainor to team up with nearly 70 brands – including Call of Duty, Roblox, and Fortnite – to promote their work. According to SponsorUnited data, seven of the top 15 endorsed artists have partnered with at least one video game brand, allowing them to reach new audiences and create multi-platform experiences.

“Since the inception of gaming, music has played a critical role in immersive experiences for players, and now more than ever, as artists explore novel methods to promote their music and interact with their fanbase beyond conventional channels,” said Bob Lynch, Founder and CEO of SponsorUnited. “As the intersection between music and gaming continues to evolve and blur, we anticipate even more imaginative and dynamic collaborations between the two industries in the future.”

Snapchat is Owning Music Festivals – By using AR to enrich the music festival experience, the buzzy messaging app is reaching new audiences, cultivating loyalty, and capturing key marketing insights. Snapchat has partnered with 16 Live Nation festivals, including Lollapalooza and The Governor's Ball, to provide augmented reality (AR) experiences for fans that can help attendees locate friends, discover exclusive landmarks, and purchase merchandise. In reviewing all of Snapchat’s sponsorship partners in the music category – artists, festivals, stadiums, etc. – nearly two-thirds (62%) were with music festivals.

Coca-Cola is the #1 Festival Brand – The top-five brands aligning with music festivals were Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Tito’s, Monster, and Pepsi. Music festivals have become prime targets for the beverage industry, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage brands exclusively comprising the top 12 by sponsorship volume. This underscores the value of music festivals as key platforms for these brands to engage their target audiences. The continued emergence of hard seltzer brands (White Claw and Bud Light Seltzer) and ready-to-drink cocktails (High Noon) – as marquee festival sponsors reflects the burgeoning shift in consumer preferences, as beverage companies strive to stay relevant in a highly competitive market.

The Top 5 Most Endorsed Artists  – Steve Aoki (25 deals), Snoop Dogg (24 deals), T-Pain (24 deals), Dolly Parton (19 deals), and DJ Khaled (18 deals).

Female Artists Dominate Social Media – Ninety percent of the most-engaging artists across all social media channels are female. Out of the top 10 most-engaging artists on social media, nine are female pop singers. K-Pop, specifically, generates the highest engagement (41% of the top 10) thanks to BlackPink singers, Rosé and Jisoo, and the girl band TWICE. Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Yves Saint Laurent, and Oreo are a handful of the brands leveraging the female-run space.

“While male artists receive more endorsements annually, female artists are wielding a significant influence on social media,” continued Lynch. “Brands are becoming increasingly aware of the impactful role female artists are playing within their communities, and we can expect to see a shift towards more balanced partnerships in the future, driven in part by their incredibly high engagement levels.”

The 2022 Music Festival & Artist Report highlights how technological advancements–including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and the metaverse–are enhancing and elevating live music festivals in unprecedented ways.

More than 30 different brands have activated within this new immersive realm, offering attendees an unforgettable journey beyond the traditional concert setting, and strengthening the relationship between brands and music. As music festivals continue to focus on innovation after a record-setting season–some 6.5M fans attended Live Nation festivals in July-September 2022, up nearly 40% over the same period in 2019–they’re exploring new ways to incorporate technology into their events to bolster the festival experience for both attendees and sponsors.

Case in point: Snapchat bet big on AR in 2022, partnering with 16 Live Nation festivals, including Lollapalooza and The Governor's Ball, to provide AR enhancements for fans that help attendees locate friends, discover exclusive landmarks, and purchase merchandise. By using AR to enrich the in-person experience–with branded filters, lenses, and interactive immersions that allow fans to participate in the performance in new and exciting ways–the buzzy messaging app is connecting with new audiences, cultivating loyalty, and capturing key marketing insights. Snapchat reaches over 75% of the 13-34 age demographic in 20 countries, and plans to leverage its massive user base to make AR the next frontier of visual expression for artists.

Why Does AR Matter?

       
• Reaches a highly-engaged, youthful audience infatuated with visual expressions
• Enhances the festival experience to generate buzz, content sharing, and word-of-mouth endorsements from satisfied festival-goers
• Measures marketing impact, which provides valuable insights into campaign effectivenes
               

Click here to download the report. https://sponsorunited.com/2022-music-festival-artists-report/

Dolly Parton, Eminem, and Lionel Richie are among the inductees at the 37th annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony sponsored by City National Bank, taking place November 5th at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Let’s take a look at their endorsement portfolios.

Dolly Parton

The iconic country star and 10-time Grammy winner has built an impressive stable of 19 brand partnerships, including these five notable deals:

• Duncan Hines: Dolly and Duncan Hines partnered on a line of baking mixes and frostings in January 2022, “Dolly’s Southern Favorites,” inspired by her favorite family recipes.

• Walmart: The retailer stocks Dolly’s beauty brand, Honest Beauty, which includes her fragrance “Dolly–Scent From Above”, and launched The Dolly Parton Greeting Card Collection in 2020, sold exclusively at the mega-retailer.

• Sonos: Dolly partnered with the sound experience company in 2020 to create her own radio station, Songteller Radio, including her hits, favorite artists, and commentary on songs and moments throughout her career, making her the only artist to have an endorsement deal with the company.

• Perfumania: Dolly joined forces with the fragrance retailer to donate $5 from every sale of her “Dolly–Scent from Above” perfume to her Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free books to kids from birth until they begin school in participating areas. She’s the only music artist to partner with the brand.

• T-Mobile: Dolly Parton teamed up with Miley Cyrus last February for the telecommunications giant’s #DoItForThePhones campaign, to boost the company’s 5G network customer base and benefit Cyrus’ Happy Hippie Foundation, which funds programs that support homeless and LGBTQ youth and other vulnerable populations.

The “Backwoods Barbie” was active on social media as well, totaling 72 sponsored posts with 18 brands over the last 12 months. Dolly also engaged 1,531,272 followers in the same period, fueled in large part by her deals with Scent Beauty and Duncan Hines. Her 21 posts for Scent Beauty chalked up 209,180 engagements, while her 15 Duncan Hines posts garnered 409,162 likes, shares, or comments.

Eminem

The 15-time Grammy winner became the latest artist to join Peloton’s Artist Series in January 2022, a month before the Detroit-born megastar took center stage at the final Halftime Super Bowl Halftime Show sponsored by Pepsi.

Eminem’s endorsement portfolio also includes Postmates, Mitchell & Ness, and Jordan Brand. His 13 sponsored posts across 6 brands brands racked up 3,247,989 engagements on social media, averaging 541,332 per brand and 216,533 per post. Emine’s sole Instagram post for Jordan Brand garnered engagement of a whopping 1.955 million.

To promote his Super Bowl performance, Eminem partnered with Postmates to create a pop-up of his Detroit-based restaurant, Mom’s Spaghetti, in LA during Super Bowl week. He also partnered with Mitchell & Ness, Bleacher Report, and the Detroit Pistons to release a special edition SlimShady Pistons jersey. Eminem and Jordan Brand have collaborated since 2005, when they first created the original “Air Shady” shoe.

Lionel Richie

With just 3 philanthropy-focused partnerships, the legendary artist and four-time Grammy winner maintains a low profile on the endorsement front compared to Dolly Parton and Eminem.

Through his deal with Devoted Health, announced early last month, he’ll support the company’s burgeoning efforts to offer high-quality healthcare to more Americans on Medicare across the country. In April 2022, Richie co-hosted the first Global Gala in New York for the Prince’s Trust, a global network of charities founded by King Charles the III, which focuses on helping disadvantaged young people find employment, educational training, and mentorship. He also has his own SMiZE Cream flavor, “All Night Love,” a nod to his 1984 hit song, “All Night Long.”

Last week, the NFL announced Apple Music as the new Super Bowl Halftime Show sponsor, replacing longtime sponsor Pepsi who leveraged the halftime show for 10 years. Superstar Rihanna was also named as the show’s headliner for the upcoming Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, on February 12, 2023.

With nearly 350M social media followers across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, Rihanna ranks 6th within music artists on social according to SponsorUnited’s recent Music Artist Report. Rihanna also ranks 6th in engagement, averaging 1.2M likes/comments/shares across her 30+ branded social posts over the last year. Her most engaged social post–with Savage x Fenty, a brand she founded with TechStyle Fashion Group–has over 5.5M engagements since January 17th. Notably, of the top 25 most engaging music artists ranked in the report, 20 are female.

Speaking of Rihanna and Savage x Fenty, music artists are increasingly betting big on their own brands–and winning. 4 of the top 5 brands with the highest social engagement during the last 12 months were Rare Beauty (Selena Gomez), JLO Beauty (Jennifer Lopez), r.e.m. beauty (Ariana Grande) and Savage x Fenty. Of the top 50 most engaging brands, those owned by artists garnered more attention.

And while music artists have long added value to Cosmetics, Clothing and Alcohol brands, artists like Timbaland, Kanye West, and Dua Lipa are already charting the future of artist ownership in new categories.

Timbaland’s Beatclub, a digital platform for music artists, aims to revolutionize the way music makers connect. Kanye West’s sports marketing agency, Donda Sports, now represents clients like NBA star Jaylen Brown and NFL star Aaron Donald. And superstar Dua Lipa released her first weekly lifestyle newsletter, Service95, in February 2022.

SponsorUnited’s inaugural Music Artist Report, released yesterday, delivers an in-depth analysis of over 2,100 brands and 1,100 deals from July 2021-July 2022, unlocking 10 major music genres and telling the stories of nearly 600 artists.

Here’s a peek at some of the report’s key insights:

Country music’s most popular performers have attracted the most eyeballs across the SponsorUnited platform.

In addition, Country stars average more deals per artist than any other genre, with the number of brands partnering with them rising 45% since 2020.

Their seemingly unstoppable momentum continues: Over 35% of SponsorUnited searches among music artists were Country, with Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, and George Strait ranking among the top five most searched artists.

Music artists are betting big on their own brands—and winning.

Of the top 50 most engaging brands, those owned by artists garnered the most attention.Four of the top five brands with the highest social engagement were beauty brands owned by superstars:

• Rare Beauty (Selena Gomez)

• JLO Beauty (Jennifer Lopez)

• r.e.m. beauty (Ariana Grande)

• Savage x Fenty (Rihanna)

Music moves fans like no other league, team or property can.

Not surprisingly, artists' success on social media plays a key role in driving performance of their brands. When comparing per-post engagement among a variety of property types, musicians top the leaderboard with an average engagement per post of 137K, versus 100K for general celebrities in the second-place spot.

Artist-owned companies are expanding into new categories.

While music artists have long added value to Cosmetics, Clothing and Alcohol brands, artists like Timbaland, Kanye West and Dua Lipa are already charting the future of artist ownership in new categories:

• Timbaland x Beatclub: The innovative digital platform aims to revolutionize the way music makers connect.

• Kanye West x Donda Sports: Kanye's sports marketing agency now includes clients like NBA star Jaylen Brown and NFL standout Aaron Donald.

• Dua Lipa x Service95: Dua Lipa released her first weekly lifestyle newsletter in February 2022.

Latin artists see massive growth from global music fans.

Among the top 40 fastest growing social accounts, 12 were owned by Latin artists. Combined, these artists gained over 250M followers–2.5x more than Rap/Hip-Hop and 3.5x more than Country, and second only to Pop. With Latin music's total revenue projected at over $1B this year, expect to see US brands continue to team up with these red-hot performers.

Case in point: Bad Bunny, Spotify's most streamed artist globally in 2020 and 2021. During his El Último Tour Del Mundo this year, he partnered with Airbnb to open the doors to his truck for three one-night stays for two guests at just $91 per night—a nod to his record-breaking 9.1B Spotify streams in 2021. Guests had the exclusive opportunity to explore Bad Bunny’s past, present and future, both on and off the stage.

SponsorUnited Unveils Inaugural Music Artist Report

Social media drives new and innovative partnerships in an industry forecast to more than double in value to over $53 billion by 2030.

Just released, the first Music Artist Marketing Partnerships Report. This inaugural report delivers an in-depth analysis of over 2,100 brands and 1,100 deals from July 2021-July 2022, the report unlocks 10 major music genres and tells the stories of nearly 600 artists.

Key findings include:

• Bon Iver, Steve Aoki, Saweetie, Snoop Dogg and J. Balvin top the ranks for most brand partnerships by music artists.Among these top 5, Organizations & Groups dominated the category list with a third of all deals–2x more than Technology and 3x more than Apparel.

• T-Mobile is one of the few brands hitting all the right notes.The only company on the SU platform with sponsorships across six different music genres, the wireless giant was most active in Country, with deals including Dolly Parton, Chris Young, Old Dominion and more.

• Social media engagement emerges as a driving force for attracting brand partnerships.Pop music artists generated the highest average engagement and partnered with the most brands, followed by Rap/Hip-Hop in second place and Country in third.

• Country artists surged as the most popular searched by sponsorship executives.Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs were the top 3 most searched artists on the SponsorUnited platform.

• Music artists gained over 3.2B new followers.1.5B followers on Instagram, nearly 1B on TikTok, more than 682M on Facebook, and just 122M on Twitter.

• Latin artists saw massive social growth from fans around the globe.Among the top 40 fastest growing social accounts, 12 were owned by Latin artists. Combined, the Latin genre gained 250M followers–2.5x more than Rap/Hip-Hop and 3.5x more than Country.

Lollapalooza kicks off its 4-day festival in Chicago with Metallica headlining tonight.

Notable brands Metallica works with include ESP Guitars, Blackened American Whiskey, The Coda Collection and Yousician.

Social media’s power as a brand-building tool is indisputable–especially in the music industry. According to SponsorUnited’s latest data, 29 recording artists have at least 100 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook–accounting for a whopping 6.2 billion cumulative follows.

Selena Gomez tops the list with nearly 525 million followers. Despite her staggering fan base, her 6 endorsement deals pale in comparison to Snoop Dogg (160+ million followers), whose singular charisma has helped him ink 17 partnerships. He starred in Super Bowl commercials for BIC and Pepsi last February, while his February 23rd Instagram post with another partner, Crooks & Castles Clothing, engaged 1.2 million followers–topping his long list of branded social posts.

Katy Perry cracks the top-five in both social followers and endorsement deals. Sixteen brands have leveraged Perry’s social media following over the last 12 months, totaling more than 100 posts, while her total engagement is an impressive 17.8 million, with an average 1.1 million followers per brand. Her January 2nd Instagram post with Resorts World Las Vegas netted 890K engagements, her highest-ever tally on the channel.

Latin music artist J Balvin takes the third spot on the endorsement list behind Perry, with 15 deals and a social following of 110 million. His customized-shoe partnership with Jordan Brand spurred a huge pop on his social media page with an engagement of over 1.5 million–more than 10% of his total engagement across 46 posts. Fortnite is Balvin’s most-promoted brand on social media by number of posts: his 10 with the online game have a total engagement of 3.5 million.

Billed as the largest hip-hop festival in the world, Rolling Loud rolls into Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium Friday with 35 sponsors onboard for the three-day event.

Booze leads the list of industries banking on the buzzy event, with big names like Ciroc, Smirnoff, Dussé, and Modelo among the 8 Alcohol category sponsors. Meanwhile, Cannabis/CBD & Accessories takes the second spot, with 5 brands–KaliBloom, Backwoods, Diet Smoke, The Flowery, and Tree O’five–taking advantage of the festival’s location and audience opportunities.

The Media & Entertainment companies bringing the festival to life–like Snapchat, Twitch, Spotify, Verizon, and HBO Max–rank third on the industry list, followed by Cryptocurrency & NFT in fourth, with Zelus and Gutter Cat Gang leading the way. Sponsors in the Financial Services category–a leading endorser of music-related events–include Venmo and Dave.

Rolling Loud Miami’s three headliners–Kid Cudi, Kendrick Lamar, and Future–count some heavy hitters among their own endorsement deals. While their portfolios might appear small, their partners prove otherwise.

Kid Cudi’s partnerships, McDonald’s and Cadillac, activate heavily across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. He also headlines “Camp McDonald’s,” a first-of-its-kind, in-app virtual summer camp that launched July 5th, offering food deals and exclusive virtual concerts every Sunday through the month. While Kid Cudi trails Kendrick Lamar and Future by number of social media followers (16.1 million), he leads across all engagement metrics–total (607,224), per brand (303,612), and per post (101,204)--with an engagement rate of 2.7%.

With 38.1 million followers on social media (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter), Future has built an impressive sponsorship stable, including Hugo Boss and Samsung (a joint #BeYourOwnBoss partnership with both brands in early 2022), Porsche, and Bethesda Softworks. Future remixed the theme song for Bethesda Softworks’ PS5 game “Deathloop” (released last September), which was promoted on Twitter.

Hot on Future’s heels with 37.4 million followers is Kendrick Lamar, who featured in Pepsi’s SuperBowl halftime show commercial, “The Call,” along with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre, among other artists. Notably, despite his 11.5 million Instagram followers, Lamar has only 5 posts on the channel, none of which include brands.

The week before the 2022 Oscars, we dive into the sponsorship and media deals of studios in the Motion Pictures & Studios category.

Universal Pictures leads this category with over 50% more sponsorship deals than any other studio, including deals with the New York Mets and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Billboard and Samsung Galaxy will host three nights of concerts during SXSW 2022.

We highlight the endorsement deals from 4 of the biggest performers at the event: KYGO, Shawn Mendes, Young Thug, and Sebastian Yatra.