Warner Music Australia’s ‘ground breaking’ partnership Born Bred Talent connects artists with influencers

Warner Music Australia has joined forces with Born Bred Talent, a leading local talent management and marketing agency, on a new video distribution network for YouTube “influencers — dubbed “Born Bred Distribution” — which should accelerate collaborations between Aussie artists and social media personalities.

Through the new global partnership, announced out of WMA’s Sydney offices late Thursday, Born Bred’s influencers will now have access to YouTube Multi-Channel Network (MCN) to put its talent “side by side” with the music major’s roster and to “monetise creator’s content.” Additionally, the alliance will explore the expanding space between musicians, influencers and their audiences to find “mutually beneficial outcomes,” a joint statement reads.

A full service agency, BBT boasts a roster of than 60 of Australia’s most influential social media personalities, with access to a database of more than 3,000 “micro-influencers.” With offices in Sydney with Brisbane, BBT’s blue-chip clients include Disney, Sony, IKEA and Nickelodeon.

Both parties are declaring the partnership “ground breaking,” one which sees Born Bred Distribution offer YouTubers audience development, content programming, collaborations, digital rights management, monetisation optimisation, and advice for Warner Music’s artists on how to improve their own content on the giant streaming platform, according to the statement.

Also, Warner Music Australia has chosen BBT to be its “preferred” influencer marketing agency, by managing campaigns for it artists, tours and domestic signings.

Simon Cahill

The aim of this JV is a lofty one: to “completely change the landscape of music and social media advertising through truly unique content collaborations,” the statement reads.

This partnership will “change how we work with our YouTubers,” comments Born Bred Talent and Born Bred Distribution founder Clare Winterbourn, “allowing them to profit immensely from their brilliant content, while giving them access to some of the biggest musicians around the globe and from here in Australia. We are thrilled to be part of this global partnership.”

Adds Simon Cahill, head of digital and business development at WMA: “We are so excited to see this initiative come to fruition and have the Australian team paving the way for global collaborations with our artists and content creators. Born Bred Talent and their influencers have been a huge part of our marketing strategy in Australia to date and we can’t wait to take this to the next level both here and abroad.”

Cahill, Winterbourn and BBT chairman Victor Gugger will be attending the 2018 Vidcon creator conference in Melbourne on Saturday, Sept. 1, where they will be discussing the development.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.