Sheinkop's Return of the Hustle Connects Band to Brand

Spring rains poured down on Chicago but the crowd at SOHO House didn't appear to notice.  People stood shoulder to shoulder in the meeting room where the book release was being held with another dozen people who couldn't squeeze in gathered in the adjacent bar area.  Clearly, tonight's official release party for Eric Sheinkop's latest book, Return of the Hustle - The Art of Marketing with Music, is one of the hottest tickets in town.  In addition to the traditional meet and greet/book signing with the author, tonight's event included a panel discussion with Sheinkop and four advertising professionals discussing their experiences using music to establish an emotional connection with their clients' target audience.  The results are advertisements that are talked about around social media water coolers throughout the world.

Has a commercial ever brought you to tears?   Has a movie ever inspired you so much you change your way of life?  Has video game ever altered your perception of reality?  If so, whether you remember it or not, the music used in that ad, film, or game probably played a big role in influencing your response.  The chances are also pretty good that Sheinkop was involved in soliciting that emotional response.

Sheinkop (with microphone) makes a point with moderator Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan, and fellow panelists Scott Fitz, Saam Hagshenas, and Daniel Kypers at SOHO House (photography by Maypole Studios)

Sheinkop has long been at the forefront of using music to establish that emotional connection between brands and their customers.  After spending years advising Fortune 100 companies on sourcing the perfect music and artists for their advertising campaigns, at 25 Sheinkop an opportunity to revolutionize the way brands and advertisers license and use music to drive broader marketing objectives.   In 2008, he created Music Dealers, a global music tech company that bridged the gap between bands and brands, enabling brands to create meaningful and authentic touch points with their target audiences and opening up a new route for emerging artists to gain the exposure, funding, and distribution necessary to take their careers to the next level.  Boasting the world's largest licensing database of indie musicians (over 20,000), Music Dealers helps leading global brands find credible ways to integrate music into their marketing.  Sheinkop has brokered "industry first" partnerships with brands and agencies designed to deliver network efficiencies and a more authentic connection between a brand and its consumers.  This innovative approach has earned Sheinkop multiple industry awards including Billboard magazine's "30 Under 30" and "Music Man of the 21st Century" by Crains Business.

In 2013, Sheinkop teamed up with fellow industry stalwarts, Daniel M. Jackson and Richard Jankovich, to write Hit Brands - How Music Builds Values for the World's Smartest Brands.  The book discusses how brands harness the power of music to drive business and create successful music strategies with lasting impact.  With Return of the Hustle, Sheinkop has done it again and then some.  He shares an insider's glimpse into the rapidly evolving world of how brands are using music to define themselves to their market.  Sheinkop discusses the diverse audio touchpoints for brands, games, film and television and the customer journey from passive consumers to brand advocates. With detailed case studies, exhaustive interviews, and thorough research, Return of the Hustle provides a playbook to using the marketing power of music to drive business results.

At the SOHO House event, Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan (Deputy Editor, Fast Company's Co Design) led a panel of industry experts, consisting of Sheinkop, Scott Fitz (Co-Founder/Composer, Spacecamp), Saam Hagshenas (artist/writer/producer), and Daniel Kypers (Director of Music, Energy BBDO) through a discussion on how brands incorporate music into their marketing.  The panelists discussed their personal experiences on various campaigns and the role music played within them.  Brands are increasingly recognizing the importance of music in connecting with their customers. Music Supervisors and creative agencies, such as Music Dealers, are being brought into the creative process much earlier and with a more influential role.  Sheinkop illustrated this fact with the story behind McDonald's "Celebrate With A Bite" commercial, created for the 2014 Olympic Games.  The commercial contained a montage of historic photographic and video footage, with an emphasis on Olympic athletes receiving their medals on the podium.  McDonald's sought a song that worked with the video to invoke a genuine emotional response from the viewers and generate enthusiasm for the games.  Working with Music Dealers, initially they selected a delicate, sentimental piano piece for the spot.  Before the deal was finalized, however, Music Dealers Creative Director Jesse LaBelle suggested "Odyssey" by No Wyld, a song with deep timbre and a driving dynamic beat, instead.  The ad ran for two weeks during the Olympics and quickly became the most viral track on Spotify, catapulting No Wyld into the next stage of their career and a record deal.  In addition, research showed the campaign drove Chicken McNuggget sale to 18% over a declining baseline.

Sign in Music Dealers Lobby

Despite his success, Sheinkop remains humble, openly sharing credit with his Music Dealers  staff. "It's an honor to be among the young, though and action provoking individuals leading our industry," says Sheinkop.  There is a reason why Sheinkop's new book, Return of the Hustle, debuted at #1 on Amazon.  To learn more about Sheinkop and Music Dealers, please visit www.musicdealers.com.