Music marketing strategies under the spotlight

Hong Kong - The debate over whether music can change consumer's attitude about brands and products went under the spotlight at this year's Music Matters forum.

Speakers including David McCaughan of McCann World Group, Alexis Kwong Alvarez of Star Group, David Howard of The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, Andrew Lazonby of Hostess Entertainment Unlimited, local artist Terence Yin and Scott Dinsdale of Sony BMG.

While most speakers agreed that music can evoke consumer emotion to get the messages across, Alvarez argued that there was a downside to using artists and musicians to endorse products (think Edison Chen) in marketing could have a bad influence on young consumers.

Yin argued that via indirect marketing platforms, such as online social networks, word-of-mouth and blogs, artists and musicians can tell fans about their favorite brands and products.

Through social networks Alvarez claimed marketers have have a one-to-one dialogue with consumers.