U.S. Launch Coming February 2010
Ad supported music has become a mindfield for digital music startups. We7, Spotify, MySpace and YouTube have their own take on the model and level of success, but SpiralFrog, imeem and iLike are gone or going and new investments in the sector have dried up.
Into that landscape, comes Australian based Guvera with a take on ad supported downloads that this week gained the support of EMI and indie distributor IODA endorsed yesterday. Universal signed on last week setting the stage for a U.S. launch in February 2010.
On Guvera, after a fan logs in, they can search for a specific song, artist or genre. From the list of results, Guvera displays a list of brands that will pay for it for them. The consumer clicks on a brand and are are taken to a branded channel where they can download or stream the music or other digital media file free without DRM.
Despite the tough economy, Guvera is hoping that advertisers will see the benefit of creating their own custom branded channels, housing relevant music and showcasing their brand's personality. Guvera offers the brands live data about consumer profiles and behavior.
"Brands increasingly recognize how powerful our artists' music can be in creating strong, emotional connections with consumers. We believe Guvera's approach can offer a compelling experience for fans and new revenue opportunities for our artists," said Mark Piibe, Global Head of Digital Business Development for EMI Music.
"We are impressed by Guvera's unique approach to the concept of brand channels. By tailoring music to brands instead of just placing ads around music, Guvera creates a new way to meet the goals of all parties involved," commented Kevin Arnold, founder and CEO of IODA. "Guvera's experience provides an alternative for consumers looking to legally download music. We look forward to bringing this opportunity to our clients as Guvera's first digital distributors."
A Guvera promo video:
