Universal Music Asia-Pacific is making itself heard throughout Asia
with the recording company's songs being featured in TV commercials all
over the region and its roster of artists - everyone from Hong Kong's
Cecilia Cheung and Kelly Chen, to Stevie Wonder, Shania Twain and Sting
- endorsing a variety of products.
In Thailand, for example, Brian McKnight's recent number one hit, Back
At One, is currently being used in the latest television commercial for
Toyota Corolla.
"The song basically complements Toyota Corolla's positioning of being
the world's best selling car," said Mr Nadda Burunasari, managing
director of Universal Music Thailand, who, prior to this role, was group
account director for JWT in that market.
"The product was number one, much like Back At One, which happened to be
at the top of the charts at the time. It was, I guess, the right song
for Toyota at the right time and they and their ad agency in Thailand,
Dentsu, took advantage of that."
Last year, the same client used another of Universal Music's acts,
Lighthouse Family and its hit High, in the television campaign for
Toyota Camry.
"The campaign was a huge success," said Mr Nadda.
"The client was inundated with orders. It would be nice to think that
the song High played a part in the success of this campaign."
Another of Universal's artists, Sting, was seen in an ad campaign for
Compaq, where his single, Brand New Day, was featured in all TV
advertising for the product.
Now, Sting is back and both seen and heard singing his latest single,
Desert Rose, in the new commercial for the Jaguar S-Type.
Other Universal artists being seen and heard in commercials include
Shania Twain for Revlon in the US and Stevie Wonder in Japan for a brand
of coffee called Fire.
Exposure in this commercial meant Universal bringing out a special CD
exclusively for Japan, featuring ballads by Stevie Wonder which has, to
date, sold more than 600,000 units.
But perhaps it is Universal Korea that has best demonstrated the full
potential of its artist roster.
For example, Universal act Aqua has been on commercials for Lotte Cannon
Xerox Machines and e-shop, an Internet shopping mall; The Cranberries
for Samsung Stock; the song Desafinado by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd for
Daysis Whitening, a skincare product; Laura Fygi's version of I Love You
For Sentimental Reasons for Sik-Mul-na-Ra cosmetics; blues artist Etta
James for Coca-Cola; Secret Garden for Korea Life Insurance; and for two
campaigns for Hansol M.com, a mobile phone service, the operatic tones
of Andrea Bocelli.
"What's good to know is that through the exposure received in this ad
campaign, Andrea Bocelli was well and truly introduced and established
in Korea," said Mr Hans Ebert, VP creative services and corporate
communications.
"The artist has a strong fan base in this market and again, the campaign
had a very strong impact on the sales of Bocelli's new album at the
time."
Mr Ebert said that coming up next is new song written and performed by
US-based singer-songwriter David Pomeranz, who is signed to
MCA/Universal in the Philippines.
"It's called Singapore Girl and we're pretty confident that will have a
certain commercial interest to any company doing business in that
market," Mr Ebert said.
