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Warner Music relaunches its services division as WMX

By | Published on Thursday 18 November 2021

Warner Music

Warner Music has launched a brand new artist and label services division called WMX. It will incorporate WEA, which was – well – Warner Music’s artist and label services division. But, see, WMX will have a wider remit than WEA, so it all makes sense. Promise.

The all new WMX division will include things like the major’s branded content, direct-to-fan and merchandise operations, lots of audience strategy gubbins, and Warner’s own media and digital platforms, including Songkick, HipHopDX and Uproxx.

“The rebrand brings into focus important aspects of Warner Music’s value proposition to artists”, says an official announcement. “These include a centralised in-house creative agency – bringing continuity and unity of vision across all aspects of an artist’s career. This encompasses special emphasis on merch and D2C, alongside long-standing expertise in streaming, vinyl, ticketing, fashion collabs, gaming, social, experiential, and other fan experiences”.

“With an ‘always on’ marketing approach, WMX will help grow global fan communities through creative cross-channel campaigns”, it adds. So that’s all super clear, right? Yeah? Good. If not, you’ll have to take it up with Maria Weaver, who joined Warner from Comcast Advertising to head up WEA last year, and who is now officially President of all things WMX.

“The role of a record label is growing, artists are pushing creative boundaries, and consumer behaviour is ever-changing”, says Weaver. “WEA was the first to put a global backbone behind distribution and really expand what a music company can offer. With that same pioneering spirit, we’re evolving our company to position Warner Music and its artists for huge opportunities today and in the future. WMX is creating immersive, innovative, and impactful experiences, while empowering artists to grow their careers and deepen their vital connections with their fans. We’re excited to bring artists, audiences, and advertisers together in powerful ways”.

Warners CEO for Recorded Music, Max Lousada, adds: “The music business is no longer linear, transactional, and based around one format. It’s complex, multi-faceted, and interactive. There’s an ever-expanding universe of opportunities for talent to build devoted fanbases and extend their brands. In this rapidly evolving attention economy, WMX is designed to provide our artists and labels with a deep, dynamic range of services – covering everything from streaming to merch to branded content and beyond. Under Maria’s outstanding leadership, WMX will help differentiate Warner Music, as we attract and amplify original artists”.

The WMX executive team will be completed by EVP Global Commercial Services, Elsa Vivero; President of Media & Creative Content, Benjamin Blank; President of Warner Music Artist And Fan Experiences, Danielle Lee; President of Global E-Commerce & Retail Ernst Trapp; and SVP Audience Engagement, Scott Cherkin.

The one department you might think would be joining this new conglomeration of Warner departments, but isn’t, is WMX – the Warner Music UK brand partnerships unit headed up by Bob Workman. Relaunched under that brand last year, that unit will continue to be its own thing, with Workman still reporting into Warner Music UK chief Tony Harlow. Don’t start contacting him about WMX though, because he’s not working on WMX, only WMX. WMX is something separate to WMX, and don’t you forget that.



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