Bravado, the merchandising and brand management arm of Universal Music Group, has partnered with Alibaba Group today to launch a new means of bringing music artists’ merchandise and collaborations to Chinese consumers.
Under the new partnership, Bravado will launch its own store on Tmall Global, the largest cross-border business-to-consumer marketplace in China, where it will showcase merchandise from a portfolio of international recording artists, ranging from Tupac and Guns N’ Roses, to The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, and Taylor Swift.
Swift will be the store’s first featured artist, while other collections and collaborations will be added each month.
The store launch will be the first time that merchandise from Taylor Swift’s most recent album, folklore, will be available in China. In addition, Swift will debut her newest collection exclusively on Tmall Global during Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, giving Chinese shoppers access to it for two full weeks before anyone else in the world.
The collections will also be offered through Alibaba Group’s Hey Box, one of the most powerful marketing channels for new products.
In addition to this, the store will showcase a different featured artist each month, offering a specially curated range of products inspired and influenced by each featured act. These will include new and exclusive products and seasonal ranges, to coincide with album releases, tours, classic catalogues and other product innovations.
Universal Music China together with Bravado will work closely within Tmall Global and Alibaba’s ecosystem to help expand fan reach and interactivity through its technology and entertainment channels.
In recent years, Bravado has successfully leveraged merchandise as a platform to elevate artists’ individual brands and helped nurture new relationships with fans. The company’s partnership with Tmall Global will enable artists to share their full lifestyle experience, including collaborations into fashion, art and design alongside music projects.
“We’re extremely pleased to partner with Bravado to give fans in China the opportunity to connect with these remarkable musicians,” said Emma Lee, head of fashion for Tmall Global and Kaola, Alibaba Group.
“Through this partnership, Chinese consumers will be able to access exclusive merchandise from their favorite international recording artists that we know they will enjoy.”
John Habbouch, GM and CFO, Bravado, added: “At Bravado our mission is to amplify artist initiatives and create moments and experiences beyond music. This partnership with Tmall Global, in conjunction with our colleagues at Universal Music China, will provide both international and domestic artists with opportunities to engage more deeply with fans in China, and to continue to reach new consumers and audiences around the world.”