LAS VEGAS — Time was, artists rejected the overtures of marketers. In a little-known example,\u00a0R.E.M. once rejected Microsoft’s lucrative request to use “It’s The End Of The World as We\u00a0Know It (And I Feel Fine)” in its Windows 95 TV commercial, leaving that honour to The Rolling Stones<\/a>.<\/p>\n In these days of cashflow uncertainty, however, many bands and singers are only too happy to work with brands – and marketers are falling over themselves to\u00a0buy in some music cool.<\/p>\n Havas Media Group and Universal Music Group consummated their affection 12 months ago, when they formed the Global Music Data Alliance<\/a>, an initiative to “create\u00a0powerful marketing and advertising opportunities for brands”.\u00a0One year\u00a0on, how\u00a0does the program sound?<\/p>\n “All these examples\u00a0have now been scaled in more than 30 countries, with dozens of implementations,” says\u00a0Hamas Media Group global MD Dominique Delport<\/a>, in this video interview with Beet.TV.<\/p>\n “It has been incredible – the pace, enthusiasm and motivation of everyone, even the artists.”<\/p>\n Delport says a banner example was this campaign for UK clothing etailer Very<\/a>, which paid London duo Rizzle Kicks to re-record\u00a0DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime<\/a>“.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n