Songs from Scion AV: A Look at Scion’s Music Label Company
Here’s something to think about: you might not drive a Scion vehicle, but you might listen to the songs of an artist signed to Scion’s record label. Did you know the automaker has its own record label? It’s part of the brand’s lifestyle division, dedicated to attracting young customers to the brand.
Currently, over 1,500 artists are signed to the label, including The Black Lips, Chromeo, A-Trak, and A$AP Rocky. Most of the edgy genres featured include hip hop, metal, and dance.
Scion AV Artists Make Music, Enjoy Success
Toyota founded the Scion AV record label in 2003, a year after the auto brand was created.
Since then, over 1,500 artists have signed on, 17 internet radio stations have been compiled into a streaming radio collection, and an annual heavy metal event called Scion Rock Fest has been established. Even a yearly conference in Los Angeles called the Scion Music(less) Music Conference meets to discuss the industry.
Scion AV has also made its mark on film, producing both a documentary (New Garage Explosion: In Love With These Times) and a web series (Young Americans).
“Most corporations will have a one-off lifestyle execution,” Jeri Yoshizu, manager of marketing strategy for Scion, told Adweek. “Our approach was different. We wanted a consistent voice, and combining lifestyle and audiovisual content kind of carries everything. It was something to capture the lifestyle branding, and not have mixed messages about product and brand awareness.”
Overall, artist experiences with the record label have been reported to be positive. Scion pays the cost of production, licensing, distribution, and promotion, but the artists still maintain creative ownership and profits.
We have to admit it’s a great way for music artists to get backing while Scion gets its brand promoted.
News Sources: Adweek, Wikipedia
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