Toyota Scion Looks To Sponsor Music More 'Systematically'
Since launching in 2003, Toyota Scion's marketing campaigns have lied at the fringe of the music world, in large part due to limited budgets and enticed by the growing popularity of indie bands with younger audiences.
Over the past eight years, the industry's acceptance of corporate involvement has evolved significantly, which according to the New York Times is both a blessing, because it has created greater consumer tolerance of sponsorship, and a drawback due to increased competition in the music space.
"A decade ago, a band working with a major corporation faced accusations of selling out, and some of the acts that have worked with Scion have been criticized online, often harshly,' the New York Times writes. 'But the prevalence of corporate branding has erased much of the stigma once associated with it."
With the changing times, Scion's marketing brass are looking to change their ways, too, creating a more structured process for developing music relationships.
"Now, after years of sporadically releasing music, the company wants to act more systematically, almost like a record label, by sponsoring a full campaign of record releases, videos and tour support for about 20 acts."
