http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/conte...bb5a27e11d834e
Hostess Strikes Digital Deal with Avex
May 14, 2009 -
Global |
Digital and Mobile
By Rob Schwartz, Tokyo
Japan's Hostess Entertainment has signed an agreement on a digital support-based strategic partnership with Avex Marketing Inc.
The deal means that the division of the Avex Group will provide back end support services and, together with the in-house digital marketing staff at Hostess, co-market the indie's catalog and new releases exclusively across all Mobile and download services in Japan.
The exclusive support and distribution partnership will see Avex enhance their international repertoire presence in the digital space, while Hostess stands to gain from tapping into Avex's domestic-led digital marketing strategies, which are considered to lead the field among industry-leading players in Japan.
The deal means that Hostess now has agreements in place with both Sony Music (Billboard.biz, April 2, 2009) and Avex - two of the top three market share holders in Japan - despite the country's highly competitive, allegiance-driven industry.
Artist releases through Hostess expected to benefit from this new digital partnership during 2009 and beyond include new albums from the Cribs, Arctic Monkeys, Enter Shikari, the Temper Trap, Sonic Youth, Moby, Andrew Bird, the Soft Pack, You Me At Six, Delphic, Dirty Projectors, Dananananaykroyd, Marmaduke Duke, Phoenix, Four Tet, Lissy Trullie, Vitalic, Mos Def, the Maccabees, Patrick Wolf, Dinosaur Jr, Alberta Cross, Simian Mobile Disco and the debut album from Major Lazer.