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Industry News News

Pandora to test AI-powered interactive voice ads later this year

A world where you can communicate with advertiser in real time is right around the corner.

Have you ever wanted to respond to an ad while streaming content? Maybe you want more information, or perhaps you just want to explain why it’s not a good ad to you. Whatever the case, Pandora users may soon be able to talk back to the platform’s audio advertisements in real time, thanks to the power of AI.

That’s the idea behind Pandora’s new partnership with San Francisco-based, voice-enabled ad platform Instreamatic. With the agreement, Pandora will begin testing interactive voice ads later this year.

Traditional audio ads are not clickable. As a result, advertisers have never really know how consumers react to the ads they buy on platforms such as Pandora, Spotify, etc. Do they ignore the ads? Do they mute them? Do they make purchases?

Instreamatic’s software may be a solution. Once implemented, Pandora users will be able to react to ads as they play by asking for more information, requesting to not hear the ad again, or skipping the advertisement altogether. The insight provided will strengthen Pandora’s advertising algorithm, as well as provide advertisers with useful feedback about their campaigns.  Plus, the new audio ads could help Pandora reach listeners who may be unable to engage with visual ads while cooking, working out or doing other activities. 

“The age of voice has arrived, yet there’s remained a stark need for meaningful consumer engagement — and measurable metrics — in the audio ad space,” said Stas Tushinski, Instreamatic.ai CEO, in a release. “We believe provides the ideal ad platform to serve this marketplace.”

The technology goes further than recognizing “yes” and “no” responses to prompts in advertising. Instreamatic’s AI functionality can study, interpret and understand user intent, and the platform will continue to learn and increase its vocabulary and predictive power with every interaction.

“Voice interactivity has already changed the way consumers interact with brands on smart speakers, and we believe voice will change the very nature of the way consumers interact with brands on Pandora,” added Pandora’s VP of Product Engagement, Eric Picard. “We intend to foster an ecosystem of demand-side technology parties to scale voice ads and working with to support this capability has been a true joy.”

If the trials are successful, it is likely other streaming services will implement similar technology in the near future. After all, data is king, and the more consumer feedback available to advertisers will inevitably produce better, more specific ad campaigns. Better ads lead to increased sales, and increased sales lead to more ad buys. Everyone (involved) wins!

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Job Board News

New openings (3/20/17)

Public Relations Assistant (Carnegie Hall – NYC)

Assistant to provide administrative support to our Public Relations office. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Serve as frontline liaison with public and media, providing departmental phone coverage, fielding questions, and responding to requests as needed. Serve as Cision system administrator, coordinating and building media contact lists, collecting coverage, preparing daily press clip reports, and maintaining electronic clip files. Coordinate frequent electronic press release mailings, including HTML coding of materials. Manage day-to-day operations of media web site. Coordinate Public Relations office systems, including processing of departmental invoices and budget tracking. Assist department directors, managers, and associates as needed. Assist with press ticketing for concerts and events. Proofread materials as assigned, and participate in preparations for major announcements and special events. Some press duty, including escorting photographers and staffing special events as needed.

Creative Director (Red Bull Sound Select – Santa Monica, CA) 

Red Bull Sound Select is an accelerator for music artists. We support them by collaborating on ambitious projects and ideas; using the strength of our global network together with a collective of artists, creatives and events to accelerate their growth. The network consists of 18 city residencies, 200+ events each year, 250+ artists, 50 partners and a growing list of our own festivals like 30 Days and 3 Days in Miami. Our mission is to accelerate artist growth on a global scale, helping to support music communities. As Creative Director, Red Bull Sound Select will play a key role in the program’s success. They will lead and manage the program’s look and feel online, offline and across owned channels. This role is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about music, has a strong background in design and creative production, enjoys managing people and brands, and has a track record of delivering cutting-edge creative on a global scale.

Fan Engagement Manager (WMG – Burbank, CA) 

The newly-formed Warner Bros. Records Fan Engagement & Channel Management department is responsible for shaping and executing all aspects of the label’s social media and direct to consumer channel management strategies and online presence.  Key social media and direct to consumer platforms include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, Spotify artist/label channels, and artist/label web and email platforms.

Digital Marketing Coordinator (Ticketfly – San Francisco, CA) 

Ticketfly is seeking a highly organized, analytical and technically savvy Digital Marketing Coordinator to support the tracking, execution and analysis of event marketing campaigns on Ticketfly and Pandora. This position will play a critical role in helping venues and promoters like The Independent, Brooklyn Bowl and Pitchfork Music Festival reach a massive and engaged music audience on both platforms.

Strong candidates for this role will have a passion for managing multiple projects simultaneously and coordinating impactful marketing solutions for our key clients. From strategy conception to tactic execution and measurement, this role will ensure we’re surfacing the best events to fans and empowering our clients to drive more ticket sales via their marketing efforts. 

Director of Marketing (McNally Smith College of Music – St. Paul, MN) 

McNally Smith College of Music is seeking an experienced marketing leader to manage and execute ongoing marketing strategies to drive student recruitment and expand our brand presence. Understanding of the competitive marketplace, public relations, crisis communications, social media, digital and print marketing and communications is essential to succeed in this role. The Marketing Director must have experience writing, editing and proofreading, and the ability to create compelling copy that drives action and conversion throughout the recruitment funnel. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who can think and plan strategically as well as take a hands-on role in execution and work collaboratively within a diverse organization with many stakeholders.

Marketing Prod Producer, Apple Music (Apple – Santa Clara Valley, CA) 

We’re looking for an experienced marketing producer to provide exceptional leadership across marketing-driven projects for Apple Music, iTunes Store, and Apple News.

Personal Assistant to Confidential Entertainment Client (Sinolife, LLC – Atlanta, GA) 

Confidential Client in the Entertainment Business seeks Personal Assistant on a Part Time Basis (20-30 hrs per week) with potential to grow into a full time opportunity (50 + hrs per week)

Duties include:

-All scheduling and calendar coordination on behalf of the client

-Administrative function, to include phone calls, facilitate meetings, travel coordination, calendar coordination, planning

-General Errands on behalf of the client from picks up, and drop offs, meetings

-Responsible for ensuring ALL facets of the day to day operation of the client

-Responsible for helping client to execute client brand goals, quotas, scheduled event/product production deadlines

-Acting as liaison between client and other staff and team members and client vendors

-Social Media and Website Management

-Project Management

Sponsorship Coordinator (Live Nation – Washington D.C.) 

This position will provide support and sales assistance to Local Sponsorship Sales, overseeing the fulfillment of local, regional, and national accounts by ensuring the delivery of contractual elements and providing excellent customer service.  Coordinators will also be responsible for managing all sponsorship inventories.

Account Coordinator (Vevo – NYC) 

As one of Vevo’s Account Coordinators, you’ll be instrumental in the daily success of Vevo’s Sales organization. As a member of the Account Management team, you’ll be an active contributor during the complete sales cycle, from pre-sale to post-sale. Partnering with Account Managers, and collaborating with our Account Executive, Brand Solutions, Research & Operations teams, you’ll work cohesively and proactively with each of these teams to complete client proposal materials, compile and analyze research data, manage campaign performance and delivery plus other various team projects. Within your first quarter, you’ll meet with all Vevo’s amazing Sales Support teams, become fully up-to-speed on your accounts and their priorities, work with either your Director or Account Manager regarding the ins and outs of your role, and begin to take on full ownership of your accounts. By the end of your first sixth months, you will be fully up to speed on all your accounts’ needs and will become a trusting resource for both your accounts and all internal departments.

International Marketing Coordinator (UMG – NYC) 

Universal Music Group is currently seeking an International Marketing Coordinator. This position is ideal for an up and coming Assistant/Coordinator with an interest/experience in the international arena.   Candidates must be comfortable and capable of working with senior management, both inside and outside of Universal Music Group, as well as artists.

The ideal candidate will possess strong administrative, organizational and creative skills. Prior marketing and administrative experience in the music/entertainment field preferred. Candidate must have an innate passion for the music/entertainment industries and a strong interest in International Marketing. The International Marketing Coordinator reports directly to the International Marketing SVP and interacts on a daily basis with the Marketing Team.


Older posts (3/12/17)

Tour Department Administrative Support (Live Nation – San Francisco, CA)

We are seeking an administrative assistant to work in our San Francisco office. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to maintaining  Itinerary database for East and West Coast touring offices. Previous experience in this field preferred, but not required.

Coordinator, A&R (Sony – Culver City, CA)

The A&R Coordinator will provide support to the General Manager for Syco Music and help to ensure the efficient day-to-day operation by successfully accomplishing a wide range of responsibilities.

Music Artist Assistant (NYFA – NYC)

Upcoming film scoring composer, songwriter and singer is seeking a dynamic, motivated, persistent, passionate and engaging assistant with a natural salesmanship talent. While knowledge of music is not required, the Candidate must have a real interest and certain understanding of the contemporary music business and trends or be a fast learner.

A&R Coordinator, Sire Records (WMG – NYC)

The Sire Records Label Coordinator supports the President and Director of Sire Records in fulfilling any and all his A&R and administrative duties. Specific responsibilities of this position include office duties, helping to scout new bands, artists, and music, as well as attending shows and acting as a liaison between the A&R rep and the parent entity, Warner Music Group. This position must often maintain and develop relationships directly with artists, scout and research new artists, songwriters, and producers, review demo submissions, cover shows, coordinate detailed bi-weekly A&R research reports and carry out other marketing and label duties as needed. The label coordinator is also responsible for helping to come up with new marketing concepts, working with the creative department on images and advertisements, developing marketing strategies and plans, and present findings to company executives.

Coordinator, Content Management (The Orchard – NYC)

As a Content Management Coordinator, you’re impeccably accurate and detail-oriented while still able to manage multiple deadlines and prioritize appropriately. You’re able to proactively pinpoint and report on issues that arise pertaining to your daily tasks, and would love to become familiar with YouTube’s CMS and other streaming platforms. You’re numbers-focused, with a keen eye for data and an appreciation for the spreadsheet. You’re driven and enthusiastic about joining a team where collaboration is key, and want to be part of a company at the forefront of the music and digital space.

Client Relations Coordinator (Ticketmaster – Hollywood, CA)

The Client Relations Coordinator position will play a crucial role for Ticketmaster’s OnTour team, in the company’s continued evolution in the live entertainment industry. Ticketmaster’s OnTour team is the company’s artist facing department, tasked with building Ticketmaster’s relationships with the artist community, along with informing artists’ teams and acting as a resource to those teams to help them maximize ticket sales, marketing and drive incremental revenue throughout their tour cycle. The Client Relations coordinator will play a critical role in maintaining a solid foundation for the expanding OnTour team, and identifying potential areas of growth with both new and existing clients. The qualified candidate will have demonstrated an understanding of the live music industry.

Talent Agent/Manager (My Basic LLC – Atlanta)

MY Basic LLC is looking to build a team who has the smarts and creative drive to play an important role in helping an artist/producer with booking, marketing, and setting up events.

Tasks will include but not be limited to:

  • Music placement
  • Finding paying gigs
  • Assisting with press releases
  • Coordinating photoshoots
  • Making sure tools are in place to assist with selling of music

We’ll talk further on this part if you’re an ideal fit. You must be savvy, a go getter, and hard working.

Arts Education Program Manager (U of M – Ann Arbor, MI)

UMS is seeking a dynamic and outgoing arts professional to develop and implement its community-based education and engagement activities.  Duties include: building community relationships and programs through the arts (focusing on specific cultural communities as identified in the ECE strategic plan); developing arts education programs for adult learners and general audiences (artist Q&As, pre-show talks, interactive lobby experiences, etc.); supporting UMS’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals across the entire ECE program (including K-12 and University programs); designing and implementing artist residencies with a range of UMS’s visiting artists; and serving as lead producer for approximately 1-2 of UMS’s main stage live performances annually. The ideal candidate will have a passion for community building through the arts; be an expert at sensitively and respectfully developing relationships across diverse communities; possess superb administrative and project management skills; and be an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts.

Music Development Manager (Augsburg – Minneapolis, MN)

Within the Publishing House of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (1517 Media), Augsburg Fortress (AF) creates substantive and innovative materials to support the ministries of faith communities in communicating the good news of God’s liberating grace, with a particular focus on Lutheran congregations. Augsburg Fortress publishes approximately 60 titles a year in the Augsburg Music portfolio, with a focus on traditional and liturgical choral and keyboard music as well as congregational song. The purpose of the Music Development Manager position is to carry out program development, editorial, and project management roles in order to ensure that the Augsburg Music publication program meets customer needs for usefulness, accessibility, appropriateness, and high quality of both content and presentation.

Music Instructor (Fontbonne – St. Louis, MO)

Fontbonne University is seeking a dynamic and experienced teacher and music director to lead university choral groups (sacred and secular), collaborate on musicals (with students and Mustard Seed Theatre, a professional theatre in residence at Fontbonne), teach music appreciation classes and offer voice/piano individual lessons. As part of the Performing Arts program, the instructor will participate in recruiting and educational outreach events and will develop curriculum to benefit Fontbonne’s teacher education and fine arts students.

Youth Orchestra Music Director (Symphony of the Mountains – Kingsport, TN)

Symphony of the Mountains’ Youth Orchestra is an auditioned, regional orchestra affiliated with the Symphony of the Mountains based in Kingsport, TN. The mission of the SOTM is to provide the highest quality of music to audiences of all ages throughout our region. The Symphony of the Mountains is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Youth Orchestra Music Director.

Creative Assistant (The Dreamatorium – Boulder, CO)

We are a company that’s on the forefront of a new industry and we are expanding. There are long term possibilities for the right fit, its fun and a different adventure all the time. We are constantly working on different projects and need someone quick on their feet with attention to detail and common sense. I am all about highest quality & productivity while having fun.

Responsibilities include:

  • Assume administrative tasks as needed, including typing, quickbooks
  • Accurate and efficient with research web or otherwise
  • Creative help based on capabilities in multiple areas like textiles, soap-making, candle-making, sewing, dying, tie-dying, jewelry making, photography, event production, music production screen printing, letter press, digital illustration.
  • Production Assistance

Sound Designer (iZotope – Cambridge, MA)

iZotope is looking for a talented, inspired Sound Designer to help us create innovative and compelling product content that inspires and enables our customers to be creative.  Reporting directly to the Chief Product Officer, the Sound Designer will work closely with the product development team to craft the vision and sound design goals for all of our products, including planning, budgeting, management and execution of all sound work.

Assistant Librarian (STL Symphony – St. Louis, MO)

Under general direction, perform duties to assist Librarian and Associate Librarian in providing each orchestra musician with correct parts for each orchestra service. Responsible for accurately marking parts with bowings for strings, editing parts as requested by conductor, and preventing any foreseeable problems as they relate to music to maximize musician use of resources and rehearsal time. Assist in maintaining administrative requirements of the library including cataloging, shipment of materials, and OPAS database management. Position requires irregular work hours, including some evenings and weekends. This position is currently a staff position.

Categories
News

Journalism Tips: 5 Ways To Generate Income With Your Music Blog

Before we begin, let me just say that if you’re getting into music writing to make money you have undertaken a fool’s errand. There are far easier, much less aggravating ways to earn a few dollars, and most don’t even require you to formulate original ideas on a regular basis. Music writing is a passion project through and through, with the return rarely matching the work put in, but for those who manage to cultivate a community of dedicated readers there are ways to profit from your endeavors. You might not make it rich. In fact, I can almost promise you that will never happen, but if you work hard and prove yourself to be an upstanding industry professional there is money to be earned.

What follows are a series of tips and tricks for generating income with your music writing efforts that I have learned over the better part of the last decade. Some are obvious, others require a willingness to be honest with your readers in a way some might not be comfortable with, and still others will require a good relationship with the labels and publicists you interact with on a regular basis. I cannot tell you which will work best for you, but there is no reason you cannot try them all. Experimentation is great way to learn what does and doesn’t work for your site. Keep an open mind, be patient, and in time at least one of the following methods will help cover the numerous costs associated with being a music writer in 2015.

GOOGLE ADSENSE

Remember when I said some of these suggestions would be a bit obvious? Google Adsense has been the most reliable source of traffic based income for as long as I can remember. Anyone with a site can signup, and approval of your site usually happens within 24-hours. The return for clicks and views is incredibly low, but that is simply the state of the digital advertising market today. For those looking to dip their toes in the monetization game, this is the perfect place to start. Just don’t be surprised if it takes a long, long time to see any substantial return. Click here to learn more.

DISQUS

Disqus is a commenting system used by most music blogs operating today. The company behind the platform has developed a special program that rewards site owners with cash in exchange for comments and little a bit of ad space. This feature involves the use of a discovery box, which is a native place where your visitors finds related post on your blog or website, as well as the internet as a whole. You can set how much exposure these related posts get within your Disqus admin control, but know that you make more with increased exposure. Click here to learn more.  

SPONSORED POSTS

For those who believe they are the best dealers of ad space on their site, Sponsored Posts may be the way to go. A sponsored blog post is a blog post which you are paid publish on your blog. It may be written by you or by the advertisers. It could be about anything, from a list of reason why one brand of headphones is better than another, to a preview of the most anticipated acts at a particular festival. The person buying the sponsored post will usually dictate the type of content they want to receive, but it may be on you to create the post. Every situation is different, as is the rate people are willing to pay for such placement.

In accordance with FTC regulations you should always mention that it’s a sponsored blog post, usually at the end of the post with a byline such as: “This blog post was sponsored by (sponsor name here)”

The biggest issue with sponsored posts is usually that bloggers do not know what to charge sponsors, and as a result they end up doing a lot of work for very little money. If you choose to pursue this path of monetization, know what you want going in, and make sure you have the analytics and facts needed to back up such a request.

AD NETWORKS

Ad Networks are one of the more reliable ways to generate money for your site without running the risk of having ads from companies/products you don’t know appearing on your front page. Sites enter into revenue sharing agreements with ad networks, typically allowing the network to take a sizable cut in exchange for curating and placing relevant ads on the site. Some networks deal with genres, while others deal with industries as a whole. Some of our favorite ad networks include Blast Beat and The Laugh Network.

PATREON

This may be our favorite form of monetization in existence today, if only because it does not require third party ads or content to appear on your site. Patreon is essentially a digital tip jar where readers can pledge to contribute monthly to your site’s continued existence. For as little as $2 a month anyone can become a supporter of your organization. Signup only takes a few minutes and, unlike most services Patreon does not take a single cent from your contributions. You do, however, have to pay taxes once the funds received surpasses $600 in a single year. Click here for some tips and tricks to help maximize your Patreon experience.


James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

Categories
News

Apple released two new advertisements for Apple Music earlier today, and we’ve chosen to highlight the better of the two for you above. The clip, which is titled ‘Worldwide,’ showcases the numerous ways people enjoy and celebrate music around the globe. There is no mention of the new platform, or the need to pay for complete access, but there is a message of how music brings us all together that is downright beautiful. Some might even call it moving.

The second ad, which showcases the history of people enjoying music and the various products used to do so, can be viewed using this link. It’s nothing all that special, but the editing and cinematography are just as good as the clip above. 

Which of these ads work for you? Why?

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