Alibaba Group announced on Oct. 27 a partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group's merchandising and brand management division, to bring iconic artists' merchandise and exclusive collaborations to Chinese consumers.
The Bravado store will launch on Tmall Global, the largest cross-border business-to-consumer marketplace in China. It will showcase merchandise from top international recording artists including Tupac, Guns N' Roses, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Marley. Taylor Swift will be the store's first featured artist. Other artist collections and collaborations will be added each month.
The store launch will be the first time that merchandise from Taylor Swift's most recent album, "Folklore," will be available in China. In addition, Swift will debut her newest collection exclusively on Tmall Global during Alibaba's 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, giving Chinese shoppers access to it for two full weeks before anyone else in the world.
The collections will also be offered through Alibaba Group's Hey Box, one of the most powerful marketing channels for new products.
Swift, an international pop star, performed at last year's Alibaba 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
Besides offering a full range of premium merchandise and exclusive and bespoke designer collaborations from a growing list of global recording artists and entertainers, the store will showcase a different featured artist each month, offering a specially curated range of products inspired and influenced by each featured act. These will include new and exclusive products and seasonal ranges to coincide with album releases, tours, classic catalogues and other product innovations.
"We're extremely pleased to partner with Bravado to give fans in China the opportunity to connect with these remarkable musicians," said Emma Lee, head of fashion for Tmall Global and Kaola, Alibaba Group. "Through this partnership, Chinese consumers will be able to access exclusive merchandise from their favorite international recording artists that we know they will enjoy."
Universal Music China, together with Bravado, announced that they will work closely within Tmall Global and Alibaba's ecosystem to help expand fan reach and interactivity through its technology and entertainment channels.
In recent years, Bravado has successfully leveraged merchandise as a platform to elevate artists' individual brands and helped nurture new relationships with fans. Bravado's Tmall store will serve as a one-stop shopping destination for music and artist culture in China.
John Habbouch, general manager and CFO of Bravado, said, "This partnership with Tmall Global, in conjunction with our colleagues at Universal Music China, will provide both international and domestic artists with opportunities to engage more deeply with fans in China, and to continue to reach new consumers and audiences around the world."
Source: china.org by zhang rui