[PIAS] Launch Digital Marketing Agency

[PIAS] Entertainment Group have announced the launch of a new pan-European digital marketing agency: [PIAS] Digital Marketing.Led by Darren Hemmings, who has joined from the Virgin Group to head up the five-person team, the new agency will provide artists with a comprehensive range of premium services informed by a bespoke digital marketing strategy.The service includes: campaign strategy, creative marketing partnerships, mobile marketing and interaction, data management and international co-ordination, all informed by extensive performance metrics.[PIAS] have negotiated a number of business partnerships for clients including the commissioning of data capture tools linking into [PIAS]’s CRM platform and partnerships with Silence Media and SoundCloud.[PIAS] Digital Marketing is already working with a diverse range of artists including Tiesto, Placebo, The Temper Trap and Thomas Dybdahl. The service will be deployed with a view to exploiting all possibilities around an artist beyond the traditional peak/trough cycle of product releases.Fees will be charged on a monthly basis and the agency is poised to start work a range of select projects and artists across the [PIAS] label roster into 2010. [PIAS] distributes for over 200 leading labels including Big Brother, Dirtee Stank, Dreambrother, Fabric, Independiente, Ninja Tune, [PIAS] Recordings, Southern Fried, Union Square, and Wall of Sound.Said Darren Hemmings, Digital Marketing Manager, [PIAS] Entertainment Group:“[PIAS] Digital Marketing is a dedicated service that provides labels and clients with a comprehensive digital marketing solution. Rather than focussing purely on an album product cycle, we seek to work with all elements of an artist’s activities, such as live and merchandise. This maintains a more consistent approach to artist/fan interaction making this service as relevant to managers as it is to labels.“Until now the majority of digital campaigns have been PR-led with strategy coming as an afterthought. Our belief is that campaign strategy and architecture is the key, with PR following that lead as one constituent part of the process.” A number of staff appointments have been made to operate the new service:Caitlin Lock has now started full-time, focussing on Account Management and Communications across the department.Charlie Fitzgerald Account manager and mobile specialist. Overseeing all mobile marketing activity, but also focussing on wider aspects of campaigns including D2C opportunities and creative marketing initiatives.Yael Chiara manages International Digital Marketing and is based in the [PIAS] Brussels office, oversee campaigns across European territories, providing strategic input and coordination on a multi-territory basis across.Pouya Hosseinpour joins as Technical Executive, supporting the team with asset creation, social network implementations and more.Full services provided by [PIAS] Digital Marketing:Digital Strategy[PIAS] Digital Marketing can offer advice on campaign architecture and strategy, highlighting potential partners and advising on best practice.SNS CohesionWith an in-house technical provision, [PIAS] Digital Marketing can provide Social Network Services (SNS) setups as required, in addition to providing advice on which services to use, current best practices and more. The team can also manage key announcements and calls-to-action, co-ordinating fully with the broader considerations of the campaign.Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Provision of data protection compliant tools that enable better collection and aggregation of data. The service is also then able to manage and push email and SMS communications to fans on behalf of its clients.Creative Marketing & Partnerships[PIAS] Digital Marketing will develop creative initiatives that drive awareness, seeking out key partner relationships where applicable but always ensuring the creation of innovative, news worthy initiatives. The department can also provide advice on potential partnerships based on our ongoing relationships with brands.Mobile Marketing[PIAS] Digital Marketing can deliver the creative implementation of mobile marketing and revenue generating campaigns. From the creation of rich experience WAP sites, java and iPhone applications to complex MMS and SMS interaction campaigns [PIAS] connect a label's audience with its music.International Co-OrdinationAs a group-wide department, [PIAS] digital marketing liaises with its European Op companies to seek out local digital marketing opportunities and coordinate those into the broader context of the campaign.Online PRWith an in-house PR function, [PIAS] Digital Marketing can generate promotion online via sites and blogs, providing key data collation and feedback.Metrics[PIAS] Digital Marketing can closely monitor all metrics relating to both a campaign and the artist involved, reporting on the campaign's success but also providing extensive insight into the artist's presence online; the social buzz, the fan interaction and more.Asset CreationVia both in-house technical expertise and third parties as required, [PIAS] Digital Marketing can deliver Microsites, SNS builds, MPUs, Widgets and more. In addition, [PIAS] have means to provide website hosting and audio streaming.