Record-Play's Kier Wiater Carnihan Launches New Book 'Unlocking the Sync'

MusicTank today publishes Unlocking the Sync, its 7th music industry publication. Written by Kier Wiater Carnihan of Record-Play, alongside two-time 'Music Business Writer Of The Year' Eamonn Forde, this guide is set to become the defining text on the subject of sync and artist/brand engagement.

Unique in its approach, Unlocking the Sync is a publication of two halves, written for two different audiences: independent music makers and corporate music users. With contributions from artists, publishers, record labels, music supervisors, brand managers and more, it offers those on both sides of licensing deals an insight into the worlds of music and brands, and what ‘the other half’ are thinking.

It reveals some of the best practices and worst horror stories of recent years, explaining what makes a successful, authentic brand-artist partnership, and recalling some cringeworthy ones. It details how sync can be approached in a mutually beneficial way and challenges the loose, policy-free use of music that often presides today.

This plain-speaking guide is presented in a clear, informal style and packed with interviews, case studies, anecdotes, and checklists. Extensively researched and packed with a wealth of information, its accessible style is intended to demystify and open up the world of synchronisation.

In the interests of reaching the independent musicians and labels who might best benefit from it, this eBook is available from musictank.co.uk as a free download, with users invited to voluntarily contribute by paying what they can afford.

Author Kier Wiater Carnihan said: “Over the last fifteen years or so Record-Play has worked on thousands of music syncs and artist endorsements, from huge global campaigns to hyper-localised activations. However, we've occasionally found ourselves frustrated by marketers and agencies who've been guilty of either ill-thought-out usage or, worse, looking to benefit off the backs of musicians by cutting corners and exploiting ignorance. Needless to say, this has negatively impacted campaigns that should've soared. With Unlocking The Sync, we hope to address this by educating both musicians and music users, suggesting best practice guidelines so that both parties can benefit from each other.”

MusicTank Programme Director, Jonathan Robinson said: “With traditional core revenue streams in continued sharp decline, musicians and rights holders are necessarily having to look to other sources of revenue to sustain their careers and businesses. Synchronisation and brand engagement are increasingly seen as an essential part of artist and label core strategy, and as such this guide fills a gap in the armory of the independent music maker whose focus is necessarily considerably wider than simply ‘putting some music out there’”.

Unlocking The Sync: A band’s guide to brands, and a brand’s guide to bands is available now here.

Separately, MusicTank’s related follow-up event – When Sound Meets Image – will take place Monday 22nd January 2018, at the Regent Street Cinema, London. This free half-day event will feature a stellar collection of experts from the world of music, cinema, advertising and science, in an exploration music’s enduring relationship with image. Focusing on sync and commissioned music, a variety of scenarios will be investigated from cinema and television through to advertising and interactive games.

When Sound Meets Image is aimed at those working at both ends of sync and brand deals; musicians, artists, labels, artists managers, music producers and labels, through to brand managers, digital agencies, games developers and filmmakers.