BIC partners with Universal Music Group

This Spring, BICsters in the Corporate Capstone Practicum will dedicate an entire semester partnering with Universal Music Group (UMG) on the assignment of a lifetime: Design a long-term campaign model to effectively establish a new act that appeals to a youthful market segment without the appearance of over-commercialization.

Universal Music Group is the world's number one music producer with more than 30% of the global market. Through a group of record labels including Republic, Capitol, Def Jam, Interscope, Island, Decca, and Polydor, it produces diverse artists ranging from Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Eminem to Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Ennio Morricone. Headquartered in the United States with major offices in London, it is a subsidiary of Vivendi, a French multinational mass media conglomerate.

 UMG’s Advanced Media division seeks to leverage the group’s position as the global leader in music across a variety of partners and platforms to help it become -- and be seen as -- a trans media content and experience producer rather than simply a music publisher.

Ray Mia (CCNY '01), Iain Bruce, and the core UMG team from Advanced Media flew in from London to brief all 31 BIC "Corp Campers" on Thursday night, February 11th. Ray spoke for two hours before giving students a sneak peek at UMG's Grammy Showcase of nine new artists. The three student teams were asked to each select a single artist that they must use in their integrated marketing communications campaign. Teams quickly conferred and then scrambled to get their first choice artist (below). 

It was an amazing evening to kick off an amazing semester. All BIC faculty and MCA Chair Jerry Carlson came to witness the presentation. Many students commented that they would've stayed past midnight to hear Ray share his vision -- peppered with backstage stories and industry expertise. As BIC Program Director and Professor Nancy Tag stated to Ray as he concluded his briefing, “I’d pay to hear that again.”