The BPI is taking a group of 23 independent labels to the Billboard Film & TV Conference in LA next month in a bid to promote those labels' artists and music to the US film, TV and radio industries. Supported by the government's UK Trade & Investment body, the mission is part of the industry association's revamped international strategy that promotes British music abroad, in this case aiming to boost participating labels' ability to tap into the potentially lucrative revenue stream of film and TV 'synch rights'.
BPI International Manager Matt Glover told CMU how the trade mission fits into his organisation's wider aims: "Our international activity goes well beyond simply administering grants for trade fairs. This is about providing our members with the opportunity to meet decision makers who can derive real value for their business. This is our second synchronisation mission to Los Angeles following E3 in May, and not only represents our commitment to providing international market access to our members, but also in helping these companies to branch out and develop new and lucrative revenue streams for their catalogues"
David Wood of Faith & Hope Records, one of labels included in the mission, added: "The synch market for Faith & Hope is now equally as important as physical and download sales. This year we've licensed tracks to major film and advertising companies including Volkswagen (Gene Kelly, Golf GTi), SKY, Nokia (X factor) and we're just on the verge of completing our biggest synch to date for one of the world's leading luxury brand labels. We're hoping that the mission to the Billboard conference will raise our profile in the US and replicate the success we've achieved so far in Europe".