1. How does UMG use subsidiaries to maximise the success of artists from different genres? By Amy Dinsey

2. What are the advantages of using smaller labels to focus on specific artists? It means that the artists are kept individual and unique, and are not felt as being generalised by a big label like UMG. This occurs in Island Records, where even though there are many big names signed, this record label still makes the artists feel and seem like the distinctive artist that they are, and are still being treated like they’re brand new. More attention can be given to them as an artist, to try and work out the best way of marketing themselves for their specific audience. Can be put into a label that specialises in their genre of music, so have more useful experts to help them get the most out of their music. For example Fascination Records would work best with a pop artist, as this is the genre they specialise in, and know the best way of marketing pop artists music and image. It helps UMG to manage its artists by grouping them by genre and audience to make sure each section is getting what they need, and their expertise can be spread out correctly.

3. How do UMG use genre specialisms to develop and promote artists of such a wide range? Within UMG, smaller record labels such as Fascination and Island records are dedicated to specialising in specific genres of artists signed to UMG. The different labels represent the different genre’s that the labels work in, each having expertise in each genre, at a huge advantage of the artist. These labels will also have a range of contacts that would be useful for these specific artists, as they’re more direct than contacts UMG may have given them. All of this help really pushes the artist into the world of music, and helps them to develop and promote themselves through many different forms of media.

4. How can artists relate to brand image and target audience of each subsidiary label? By looking at the record labels websites, artists can see the general attitude of the label, and this could influence them into relating to this label, and choosing them over an other. The attitudes portrayed may also seem more suitable to one artist than another. For example N-Dubz are quite a relaxed group, and so being signed to Island Records is a good match as they have the reggae and calm representation. It could also influence by what genre the label is portrayed as specialising and supporting a certain genre. Fascination records, for example, does this, as they specialise in pop, and so pop artists may be more attracted to this label as they know that they have expertise in this genre. These smaller labels are also more easy to relate to by the artist, as they are much smaller than UMG as a whole, so feel like they will get treated like the individual artist like they are, instead of being generalised by a large record label like UMG.

5. How do the geographical and distribution location of smaller record labels benefit a large conglomerate? A record label like Fascination, under UMG, benefits them by having a smaller geographical area to distribute to, as this enables the label to focus on marketing their artists in this specific area. They also have more knowledge about the area, and therefore can target them specifically and successfully. This is more successful than a large conglomerate tying to market their artists, as they could try and market them at a much larger market, not benefiting the artist as much, by not targeting the right areas, and instead wasting time and money.

6. How do labels take advantage of audiences for existing artists to promote new artists? If the labels already have artists signed up to their label, that have a similar audience to a new artist, then they can use these connections to promote the new artist. They can do this by setting up tours, and putting new artists as their supporting acts, in the hope that the audience for the main artist may take a liking to this new artist that have performed. They could also use the links to set up collaborations to start up the new artist, by having them feature in tracks that are popular, and therefore the audience researching more into the new artist featuring in this track/s. They could also help by allowing adverts on their website, or even blogging about them, so that this good vibe is given off to the audience that are already fans of the existing artists, and therefore may be more willing to look at the new artist.