What did attending Reeperbahn 2013 do for these companies in the international market?
Did you know that Germany is the world’s third largest music market? With a rich cultural heritage and a variety of globally connected urban centres, success in Germany can mean success across Europe for music companies in a variety of genres.
That’s why CIMA’s Canadian Blast initiative places a strategic focus on Reeperbahn, which is Germany’s largest festival and media conference. In September 2013, CIMA mounted a trade mission with twenty-six Canadian companies. Here’s what they achieve:
1. 398 Meetings
Building relationships is the first step of exporting music internationally. At international trade conferences, it’s highly important for delegates to be meeting with as many international contacts as possible. Reeperbahn was highly successful in this regard; over the course of three days, 30 Canadian delegates had 398 meetings. These results were facilitated by Canadian Blast, which hosted two B2B “matchmaking” sessions and three networking receptions designed to match Canadians up with international business partners. In total, Canadians connected with over 700 contacts, 439 of which were new.
Canadians meet with international delegates at a B2B "Speed Dating" Sessoin.
2. 89 Deals
After networks were built, our companies got to work turning those relationships into business deals that will get Canadian music into international markets. Over 89 deals were started or finalized at this year’s Reeperbahn, mostly in the areas of festival booking, signing with booking agencies, touring and distribution. All of these deals will help Canadian companies enter new markets, creating new fans and customers worldwide.
3. 106 Media Opportunities
Publicity is everything in the music business, and conferences like Reeperbahn can provide opportunities to make key media contacts. Oftentimes, these contacts can mean the difference between 10 or 100 people at the next show. Canada’s success cannot be overstated in this regard; our acts and companies achieved a total of 106 interviews, articles and social media mentions over the course of the conference and festival. This sort of coverage will be critical to launching Canadian artists in the critical German market.
Canadian rockers "The Motorleague" showcase at Reeperbahn 2013.
4. 27 Acts at 5 Showcases
At the end of the day, the success of the Canadian music industry in any market comes down to the quality of the music. Canadian Blast ensured that Canada put it’s best foot forward, bringing 27 acts to showcase at Reeperbahn. Performances by Grand Analog, The Balconies, Hannah Georgas, Aidan Knight, The Sheepdogs, and many more helped ensure that Canada was well-represented our incredible talent. In many cases, showcasing and performances helped both initiate and finalize business deals, proving that a combination of the right talent and opportunity can send a music company's product around the world. Canadian blast provides this opportunity.
Your company can be part of this success. CIMA’s Canadian Blast initiative is all about launching music companies into international markets. Make sure to register with any of our relevant Canadian Blast missions for an opportunity to take part in our trade missions.