Music TV Network Box Plus Launches 'Box Upfront' to Support New Music in 2016

The UK’s number one music TV network, Box Plus, is launching a 12 month digital and social campaign that puts fresh music first. Box Upfront will launch in January, kicking off with 4Music: Box Upfront Launch Show.

Throughout the year, Box Upfront will provide viewers with exclusive interviews, profile pieces, and performances from the biggest new artists as well as all the latest news, cementing The Box’s position as the go-to channel for new music. Programming will include: Box Upfront 2016 Hot Tips featuring ten artists who the Box Plus’s inside experts have tipped to be the dark horses of 2016. Fans will be able to take a peek into these artists’ lives and their journeys to finding fame. Box Upfront 2016 Hot Tips will be broadcast on The Box and 4Music, as well as online at 4Music.com. The artist line-up so far includes the likes of Natalie La Rose, Nick Brewer and Anne Marie, offering a range of new talent from different genres.

Mark Adams, Music Director at The Box Plus Network, commented: “It has been an outstanding year for music and 2016 promises to be even bigger! Last year, we backed acts like Years & Years and Jess Glynne who are now hugely successful. With Box Upfront, we are continuing to champion new music by strongly backing ten new artists across our network. This makes us the destination for viewers that want an exclusive look into next year’s hottest and freshest talent.”

As part of the campaign, leading styling brand got2b has entered into a partnership with the network which will include sponsorship, competitions, and regular product placement.

The deal was negotiated by Alexis Darker, account manager at MEC Access, the partnership’s division of media agency MEC.

Central to the campaign will be a new format on 4Music and The Box called “What’s Upfront”, which focuses on 2016 emerging artists and includes regular got2b product placement.  There will be sponsorship around all new music programming and competition spots across the network. Content will also be amplified through social, managed by MEC Access’ digital engagement team.

Alexis Darker, Account Manager at MEC Access, who brokered the deal, said: “Music is a powerful space to connect brands with young passionate audiences, who are hungrier than ever for exclusive access to artists and content. Working in partnership with The Box Plus Network allows us to go one step further in attracting and engaging got2b’s core demographic, strengthening the brand’s association with music and opening up further social and marketing opportunities.”

Ben Haxworth, Head of Marketing at Henkel Beauty Care, commented: “got2b is a youth-oriented brand of hair styling products and the Box Plus Network is where our target market goes to hear the newest music and to be inspired by the artists’ latest looks.  This partnership places got2b in the perfect place to both embrace these trends and provide credible get-the-look advice, in an entertaining and relevant environment.”