In the fast-paced business of entertainment, commercial experience is king. South Africa's premier concert promoter, Big Concerts, has signed MEGAPRO Marketing in an exclusive three-year deal.
With Big Concerts' over eighteen years experience in the South African live entertainment market and MEGAPRO's two decades of unmatched experience in the commercialisation of sponsorship properties, the signing represents a new direction for MEGAPRO. Ranked South Africa's leading sports marketing agency, MEGAPRO will now offer premium entertainment opportunities in addition to the array of top sports sponsorship and advertising properties in which the company has traditionally specialised.
“Expanding beyond sport to cover new entertainment channels is in line with the company's vision for growth. Passion is the common denominator,” stated David Jenkins, MEGAPRO Chief Executive Officer. The move is aligned to market trends too, with the growing appeal of brand communications activities anchored in music and entertainment properties. Jenkins confirms that, “Music properties can provide highly effective communications platforms through which corporate clients can connect with audiences, leveraging an emotional charged environment. This new deal will enable us to provide exciting new opportunities for potential sponsors.”
As the official commercial agent for BIG Concerts, MEGAPRO will offer sponsorships to all Adult Contemporary (AC) concerts in South Africa. Adult contemporary music represents a broad style of popular music that ranges from vocal-based music to predominately ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence; examples of which include artists such as The Eagles, Elton John and Niel Diamond. MEGAPRO will also carry additional non-exclusive rights to sell other upcoming entertainment events and concerts, allowing sponsors to associate their brand with a high calibre of talent, spanning a wide spectrum of consumers, as well as providing unique relationship marketing opportunities.
“In 2010, global music sponsorship spending is set to total US$1.09 billion with the live entertainment industry expected to grow at an astounding pace, both locally and globally,” says Justin Van Wyk, Big Concerts' Chief Financial Officer, the exclusive local partner of Live Nation, the largest promoter and venue operator in the World. “The power of music has long been underestimated, and our partnership with MEGAPRO is the key turning point for the industry."
About MEGAPRO Marketing
Independently rated the leading sports marketing agency in South Africa, MEGAPRO has unmatched access to the hottest sponsorship properties in the country. MEGAPRO aligns brands with sport and entertainment properties to meet the marketing objectives of top corporations. MEGAPRO's specialist expertise covers Sports Rights Management, Stadium Naming Rights, Sport & Entertainment Sponsorship Sales, Digital & Static In-Stadium Advertising and In-Stadium Video Replay Board Advertising.
About Big Concerts
Big Concerts is the pioneer of live music in South Africa and has promoted more than 300 international artists and entertained more than 6 million people since South Africa's inception to the international community in January 1992. Big Concerts has on numerous occasions been voted the top live entertainment company in South Africa and is the only African promoter to feature on the Pollstar list of The World's Top 100 promoters.
Big Concerts conducts business in the promotion of live entertainment events, merchandising, sponsorships, touring, corporate and private events, consultancy, concessions, venue management, hospitality and all associated activities.
