icrossing is a digital marketing agency owned by hearst corporation .

the agency has 900 employees across 17 offices worldwide , with u.s. offices in new york , chicago , san francisco , los angeles , scottsdale , dallas and reston .

icrossing provides a variety of digital marketing services including strategy , research and analytics as well as web design and development , social media , search engine marketing , and media planning and buying .

icrossing

glassdoor has 167 icrossing reviews submitted anonymously by icrossing employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if icrossing is right for you .
these are all the companies that icrossing has acquired . icrossing ' s latest acquisition was in jul 2007 .
parker joined icrossing in 2015 as president of icrossing ' s west coast operations new york , ny - june . . .
icrossing ' s president , mike parker , currently has an approval rating of 61 % . icrossing ' s primary competitors are
owler has collected 16 screenshots of icrossing ' s website since apr 2012 . the latest icrossing website design screenshot was captured in sep 2017 .
since icrossing was founded in 1998 , it has participated in 5 rounds of funding . in total icrossing has raised $ 123 . 0m . icrossing ' s last funding round was on may 2008 for a total of $ 15 . 0m
icrossing is a digital marketing agency that creates brand stories and designs for consumer acquisition and retention . icrossing is a private company . mike parker is the president of icrossing and has an approval rating of 61 from owler members . goldman sachs , oak investment partners , and rre ventures llc . are some of icrossing ' s investors . icrossing ' s top competitor is elite sem , led by ben kirshner , who is their founder & ceo . icrossing has 2 , 929 followers on owler .
icrossing is a digital marketing agency that creates brand stories and designs for consumer acquisition and retention . icrossing is a private company . mike parker is the president of icrossing and has an approval rating of 61 from owler members . goldman sachs , oak investment partners , and rre ventures llc . are some of icrossing ' s investors . icrossing ' s top competitor is elite sem , led by ben kirshner , who is their founder & ceo . icrossing has 2 , 928 followers on owler .
icrossing currently has 7 , 916 followers on twitter . as of july 2013 icrossing had 6 , 036 followers . that ' s a 31 percent increase in 4 years
icrossing currently has 4 , 510 fans on facebook . as of july 2013 icrossing had 2 , 301 fans . that ' s a 96 percent increase in 5 years
nick brien has been named president of hearst magazines marketing services and ceo of icrossing .
icrossing is a digital marketing agency that creates brand stories and designs for consumer acquisition and retention . icrossing was founded in 1998 . icrossing ' s headquarters is located in new york , new york , usa 10019 . it has raised 123 . 0m in 5 round . . .
as the global president of icrossing , mike is responsible for the strategic , creative and commercial success of the icrossing offices around the world . mike is also responsible for leading icrossing’s global mobile practice and its large - scale digital media and platform partnerships . parker joined icrossing in 2015 as president of icrossing’s west coast operations . he was appointed president , u . s . , in 2016 , managing the growth and success of the agency’s 7 offices across the country .
as icrossing’s chief global growth officer , mitchell yoo is responsible for ensuring the continuity and expansion of client relationships across the icrossing network worldwide . his focus is to provide icrossing clients with the power of a full - service global network while maintaining the highest level of performance and partnership .
as chief media officer of icrossing , jeff is tasked with overseeing icrossing’s media efforts across the u . s . he brings deep expertise , demonstrated leadership , and comprehensive knowledge to the agency .
global marketing agency icrossing will relocate its london headquarters to lsq in leicester square . t . . .
i am really excited to announce that the icrossing web analytics team has received recognition of our . . .
hearst magazines announced that mike parker will become president of icrossing , the company ' s global . . .
marketing engagement agency icrossing , a division of hearst magazines , today announced new appointments to its leadership team . the announcement marks a strategic step forward for nick brien , icrossing’s newly minted ceo , who was appointed in march .
icrossing , the digital agency owned by hearst magazines , announced today that mike parker has been pr . . .
the drum network spoke to sarah myles , account manager for visit wales at london agency icrossing , ab . . .
icrossing ' s revenue is the fourth highest among it ' s top 10 competitors . the top 10 competitors average $ .
icrossing has employees and is the first highest among it ' s top 10 competitors . the top 10 competitors average 151 .
hearst - owned digital agency icrossing has named jeff ratner as chief media officer . in the role , ratn . . .
with over 16 years of experience in marketing and sales of digital software and services , dirk thum sets his focus as the managing director of icrossing germany on the strong positioning of icrossing as a data - driven digital marketing agency . icrossing enables marketers in identifying consumers and their needs in order to provide them with tailored content at the right place and at the right time .
thatsmine media group is icrossing ' s # 2 competitor . thatsmine media group is a private company that was founded in , in null . thatsmine media group is in the marketing services industry . thatsmine media group has nan less employees vs . icrossing .
our operations team is the heartbeat that enables icrossing to succeed . the finance and human resources departments help us help brands thrive .
elite sem is the biggest rival of icrossing . elite sem is headquartered in new york , new york , and was founded in 2004 . elite sem is in the business support services field . elite sem generates 6 . 87 % the revenue of icrossing .
icrossing ' s user interface engineering team is responsible for creating highly extensible interfaces for web , mobile and rich internet applications . . .
new york , july 15 , 2015 / prnewswire / - - marketing engagement agency icrossing , a division of hearst m . . .
after serving eight years at icrossing , most recently as global president , brian powley is leaving the company to pursue other business interests .
new york , aug . 18 , 2015 / prnewswire / - - marketing engagement agency icrossing , a division of hearst , . . .
innovative solutions are born from an inclusive environment . that’s why thesocial fosters a diverse culture and encourages icrossing employees to be conscious change - agents .
church & dwight has split digital creative and social media responsibilities for nine of its brands between icrossing and razorfish following a competitive review .
bigin it services has been one of icrossing ' s top competitors . bigin it services ' s headquarters is in hyderabad , andhra pradesh , and was founded in null . bigin it services competes in the internet software field . bigin it services generates 0 . 11 % of icrossing ' s revenue .
icrossing is the largest independent digital media agency in the world . we work across channels to develop media strategies that drive powerful business results for our clients .
in her role as chief engagement officer , anne harnesses the talent , ideas and technology of both icrossing and hearst to help brands reach their full potential .
icrossing ( urltoken ) is the marketing engagement agency that lives at the junction of creativity , technology and data . a unit of hearst magazines , with access to the vast content and data from one of the world’s largest independent media , information and entertainment companies , icrossing offers a competitive advantage for its global client base .
icrossing on twitter :
excited for mike and the next era of our agency ' s history under his leadership as president of global network . urltoken urltoken
prior to joining the icrossing team , jacob held leadership positions at hilton hotels , havas media’s performance arm ecselis , and ogilvy and mather’s performance arm neo @ ogilvy .
in a world where publishers are increasingly stepping into advertising and branded content , icrossing , which is owned by hearst , may be well - poised for the future .
icrossing has been unleashing brand potential for 18 years . as an agency owned by hearst , we have access to the most valuable ingredients for effective marketing : insights , talent and audiences .
before joining icrossing in 2011 , he managed business relationships with ibm , motorola , microsoft , hewlett - packard and dell with teams at ogilvy , draftfcb and y & r / wunderman .
don scales , icrossing ceo , is leaving the company effective immediately and will be replaced by brian powley , who currently serves as north american president of the new york - based digital agency .
thesocial works to keep icrossing in tune with the community it serves . our goal is to make our agency a smarter , more welcoming place for people to bring their whole self to work .
clifford is a key part of building up icrossing’s core growth , providing thought leadership around technology , commerce and partnering with creative and performance to drive big world - class , creatively driven solutions .
if you’re looking for an agency partner to transform your business , interested in advancing your career , or would like to learn more about what makes icrossing special , you’ve come to the right place .
he became icrossing ' s chief exec five years ago when he replaced icrossing founder jeff herzog , while previously serving the firm as coo . under his stewardship , the digital agency has ballooned from a few hundred staffers to 900 employees while expanding its services repertoire from being primarily search - engine - marketing - focused to increasingly picking up business for its display advertising , social media marketing and in - store digital practices .
icrossing women’s mission is to empower the company’s women to achieve their professional goals . in creating a supportive community , we hope to foster the attributes women bring to their teams , elevate the discourse around women and their accomplishments , and facilitate the path to leadership . this group aims to give women not just one seat at the table , but many — and to celebrate all the ways icrossing benefits from their contributions .
additionally , icrossing is unique in that we’re owned by hearst , a global diversified media , entertainment and content company . hearst’s privately - held status enables long - term planning and independence of action . there is tremendous value that we can unlock for clients within hearst . where relevant and applicable , icrossing adds the power of hearst to our solutions - including our rich data , quality content , editorial expertise and category experience .
it’s why coca - cola , pepsi , american express and visa , to name a few , send delegations to sxsw year after year , and why icrossing hired former startup investor ben kosinski last november to advise its clients .
a year in the life of an icrossing employee includes hard work , fun outings and lending a helping hand . oh , and there’s also the occasional dance break . take a peek at what we’ve been up to lately .
in every level of our organization , giving back is in our dna . we created icrossing cares , an annual week - long global philanthropy initiative , to give back to our local communities . recent projects include hosting a field day for students in chicago , landscaping golden gate park in san francisco , and volunteering at a food bank in dallas . in addition to icrossing cares , we also encourage every employee to take at least one day off per year to give back in a way that’s meaningful to them .
as vp , head of content & hearst activation michelle’s role is to identify innovative ways to integrate icrossing’s powerful performance marketing capabilities , with the breadth of expertise and insights from hearst , to create content marketing programs that deliver real business results . icrossing’s position as the only digitally native agency owned by a media , content and entertainment company is unrivaled in the marketplace , and our experience in publishing and access to audience insights allow us to create compelling content marketing strategies and programs that help brands find their voice and build audiences .
the diversity of our people is what make working here such an amazing experience . at icrossing we say
bring your whole self to work” meaning : everything about you – your intellect , your life experiences , your hidden talents , your culture – this makes us better .
in a statement , david carey , president of hearst , said ,
everyone at hearst would like to thank don for leading the creation of icrossing , which hearst acquired in 2010 , and since then has been a key element of the company ' s digital strategy .
prior to joining icrossing , amanda spent five years at universal mccann as the u . s . programmatic lead , digital innovation lead on clients such as kohl’s , usps and the u . s . army and partnership lead for key ipg partnerships including google , hulu and cbs .
“i have long been impressed with nick’s vision about the future of agency services and his leadership experience in every area , from marketing services and brand advertising to content creation and media strategy , ” carey said . “he prioritizes and promotes creativity , speed and service with a global perspective , and when married to the tremendous data , editorial resources and expertise of hearst magazines around the world , icrossing will play an increasingly important role for its clients . as we welcome nick , we also thank brian powley for his leadership and dedication to advancing icrossing’s growth and innovation . ”
meanwhile , powley joined icrossing ' s san francisco office in 2007 after 25 years of working in the ad industry , with previous stops at ogilvyone worldwide , mrm worldwide and modem media . in terms of pure digital experience , the united kingdom native ' s resume goes back to 1998 .
as svp , executive creative director of the central region , lori leads creative teams in both chicago and dallas . she is an industry veteran who has been instrumental in growing icrossing’s creative reputation over the past 8 years . her energy and passion for our clients and the experiences we create is contagious .
the top 10 competitors in icrossing ' s competitive set are elite sem , thatsmine media group , bigin it services , iprospect , internet gorilla , 360i , pm digital , blueapple , spicy digital marketing and yourprofitweb . together they have raised over 31 . 6m between their estimated 5 . 1k employees .
jacob davis is the head of audience for icrossing , responsible for leading all search engagements and driving results for clients via search products and partnerships . his background includes more than 11 years of client and agency side experience ; building teams , leading optimization efforts and running clients from onboarding to full operational capacity .
prior to icrossing , she was vp , strategy at tripadvisor and managing director at mdc partners , an agency holding company . she spent much of her 25 years in the ad business at fallon worldwide , eventually becoming president of their new york office . most notably , she was a founding partner and ceo of independent agency toy .
frederic bonn , executive creative director of icrossing new york is tasked with leading the development of transformative ideas for our clients and fostering a unified creative culture . he is led by the belief that technology enables endless expressions of creativity and can help brands create seamless and engaging experiences that deliver value to users , regardless of channel or platform .
frederic joined icrossing from mirum & j . walter thompson company . he also previously served as the executive creative director at razorfish new york , managing the creative department across all agency clients . his leadership and dedication to creative excellence helped razorfish land a top spot on the ad age a - list for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013 .
scales will take a buyout , per a source close to the situation , from parent hearst magazines , which purchased icrossing a little more than three years ago for $ 325 million . the 57 - year - old scales ' health is not a contributing reason for his departure , said the source , who also characterized the development as a surprise .
“nick brien is one of the industry’s most respected advertising executives , and his arrival at hearst magazines underscores our ambition to offer a full range of media products and marketing services for our partners , ” swartz said . “our print platform is strong , our digital audiences are growing rapidly , and nick will oversee the expansion of icrossing and its capabilities . ”
a seven - year publicis media veteran , jeff joins icrossing from blue 449 , where he led digital strategy and investment as executive vice president , managing director , digital . while with publicis he also served in senior digital leadership positions with zenith and groupm . prior to joining publicis he spent over five years as vice president , marketing for sony corporation of america .
the company took me in as an apprentice and kick - started my career . everyone in the paid media team was friendly , hard working and ran great socials . the training was incredible , i went from clueless to an expert in the three years i worked here . as well as great training , i gained a lot of hands on experience with some high profile clients . regular performance reviews and monthly catch up withs my line manager made me fully aware of where i needed to improve in my performance and where i can expect my career to be developing . i left the company with a strong cv full of experience , working at icrossing gave me a good boost to my career . i fully enjoyed working at icrossing .
anne bologna , chief strategy officer . bologna has spent much of her 25 - year advertising career at fallon worldwide , becoming president of its new york offices . most notably , she was a founding partner and ceo of independent agency toy . prior to joining icrossing , bologna was head of brand strategy at tripadvisor and previously served as managing director at mdc partners , an agency holding company .
as cto , shiva is responsible for technical strategy , architecture , design and implementation of all application development at icrossing . he has proven his technology chops on an impressive list of global brands , including lg , toyota motor sales , mitsubishi , hyundai , mazda , aaa , vail resorts , bermuda department of tourism , blue cross blue shield , jim beam , chase , merrill lynch and mellon bank .
amanda is the head of programmatic for icrossing , working with brands to build custom solutions that drive media results through programmatic applications . she works with clients from start to finish making platform recommendations , building segmentation , targeting and messaging strategies , and finding the right balance of data , technology and human touch to drive business results . she is passionate about transparency : in pricing , delivery , verification and client relationships .
lori has traveled the globe designing offline and online experiences for world - class hotels and resorts and , prior to joining icrossing , was vp of creative for urltoken for 7 + years . her highly - awarded client work spans nearly all industries . some of her past and current clients include lg electronics , bluecross blueshield , hilton , marriott , grand hyatt , nokia , alliancebernstein , disney development corporation and universal studios .
new york , march 2 , 2015 – hearst corporation today announced that nick brien has been named president of hearst magazines marketing services and ceo of icrossing , the company’s full - service digital marketing agency . the announcement was made by steven r . swartz , president and ceo , hearst corporation , and david carey , president , hearst magazines , to whom brien will report . brien will be based in new york .
“as a unit of hearst magazines , icrossing is uniquely positioned to deliver innovative marketing campaigns that creatively engage consumers and build equity for brands , ” brien said . “we are fueled by the vast content , audience and data assets of hearst corporation . going forward , we will strengthen our reputation as premier digital marketing experts by unleashing the full potential of our combined creative and strategic resources to execute powerful digital solutions for global marketers . ”
icrossing is committed to our people’s personal and professional development . this includes many kinds of learning , ranging from live - facilitated and self - guided internal courses to third - party partnership offerings , conferences , seminars and informal learning situated in practice . we provide our employees continuous learning opportunities from our technology partners including facebook , google , bing etc . we have amazing opportunities to hear directly from industry and political leaders through hearst’s speakers series , master class .
icrossing has been unleashing brand potential for 19 years and counting . since then , we’ve expanded to nearly 1 , 000 employees in 10 countries – with offices throughout the united states , europe , latin america and asia . and it’s all thanks to the power of potential . our clients include amazon , bayer , bridgestone , blue cross blue shield , bmw group , church & dwight , directv , lego , lg , l’oréal , microsoft , nba , pepsico , sap , siriusxm radio , starwood and toyota .
icrossing is very behind many other agencies and lacking growth . i don’t feel like i learned much in my time at icrossing and the company does not train you on anything new or upcoming . the workload day in and day out is the same and boring . turnover in the company is becoming greater and clients are slowly dwindling away . there is a complete lack of transparency in the company which makes you worry about the overall stability . there is also little to no room for growth and upward movement within the company . the office is also very boring and completely lacks the modern agency vibe . very outdated with low cubicles and a dull atmosphere . management is also terrible and inappropriate in regards to handling workplace situations and there is zero communication between the different departments ( seo , sem , creative ) . don’t expect to learn more than the bare minimum here because there really isn’t an opportunity to . the hiring process is extremely long and there have been times paychecks , referral bonuses , and pto have been inaccurate .
with over a decade in the media industry , michelle has joined us from sydney australia where she has worked for major brands such as unilever , microsoft , hyundai , coca - cola , kfc and the australian defense force . prior to icrossing , michelle held head of brand partnership roles in both ensemble australia and mediacom australia , where she oversaw the significant growth in partnerships and branded content strategies for her clients , leading a team of partnership and content experts to deliver strategic content engagement programs for brands across media , sport , and event platforms .
as many know , icrossing was born as a standalone search marketing agency in 1998 , the first of its kind in the u . s . we have grown alongside our clients and added solutions and expertise to help brands win in the ever - changing marketing , technology and digital landscape . we embrace our performance roots and expertise , harmonizing creative storytelling and compelling content with the gritty , accountable aspects of digital and performance marketing - ultimately focused on delivering business outcomes for our clients . we’re an agency that sits at the crossroads of pretty and gritty .
before joining icrossing joe was the managing director of vml in chicago , leading their pepsico accounts ; including gatorade , propel and tropicana . prior to that he lead vml’s emerging media group , developing mobile and social strategies for clients such as hershey’s , jägermeister , sap , colgate - palmolive and tom’s of maine . joe also served as the director of advertising innovation at handmark , a leading mobile startup acquired by sprint . during his time there , joe worked with north american and european carriers and device manufactures to deploy mobile campaigns for clients such as 1 - 800 - flowers , zagat guide and hotels . com .
with the charisma of brazilians and the sensitivity of being part of the millennial generation , raquel has sought to implement innovation in companies with the aim of making them more competitive . taking advantage of their experience to understand how new technological factors influence organizations , collaborators and clients : big data , cloud , social networks , internet , etc . his relationship with icrossing began in 2013 , when he joined the seo team to take charge of lg brazil . with strong technical knowledge in social media , content strategy , e - commerce and seo , he has worked with brands such as : sap , médicos sem fronteiras , águia branca , clinique , novatec editora , lomadee ( buscapé ) among others .
icrossing was my first job out of university . they trained me up from a junior and gave me the chance to work on campaigns for big clients like barclays , coca cola , lg , l ' oreal and m & s . the office was mostly a fun and interesting place with lots of social activities and we got some fairly good benefits ( free coffee , healthcare , pension scheme ) . plus the job had plenty of variety with lots of opportunities to visit clients , work offsite , attend conferences and so on . the work could be humdrum , but when we got the chance to work on something big it was exciting as it seemed everyone was very switched - on and eager to get stuck in .
new york , the big apple , home to madison ave , the best pizza in the world and the icrossing global headquarters here inside hearst ' s mothership . being housed of the hearst tower not only provides the cache that comes with one of the most iconic buildings in the city , but it also allows our teams daily access to our editorial , creative and business partners from all of hearst ' s titles and companies . here in gotham , our office includes representation from all of our various disciplines including media , creative and technology . we are guided by the principle of
bring your self to work
- the idea that every part of our employees contributes to the success of our business and our culture . we ' re foodies , fashionistas , parents , actors , sailor and much more . . . and we celebrate each accordingly .
from the outside looking in , all signs point to scales heading for potentially greener pastures .
latest insights , case studies and news from agencies , tech vendors , freelancers and other organisations .
big brands , from unilever to coca - cola and diageo to mastercard , are increasingly setting up accelerator schemes as they come under greater pressure to innovate at speed . but as corporate venture capitalists become commonplace , how can startups make sure they choose the right partners ?
any marketer can put a few thousand into an accelerator , however it’s those with the talent and the boardroom’s blessing that are able to think like venture capitalists and make smart bets .
these companies accept it’s not an easy environment to create but one that’s fundamental to success . and while that’s a realisation more readily acknowledged by technology firms like google – the largest corporate investor in the world with more than 300 deals with startups – consumer - facing firms have found it harder to accept they may need to back those businesses out to displace them instead of trying to outmuscle them outright .
unilever was one of the first to make that concession 15 years ago , setting up its venture capital arm to help shake up products and processes that hadn’t innovated in decades . investments made by the division are always with an eye on long - term trends , though what’s been interesting is how some of those learnings translated over to the foundry , launched in 2014 to find startups that can help it tackle more immediate challenges .
connected print company novalia was part of the unilever foundry 50 , where the comsumer goods giant invites 50 of the world ' s top startups to cannes lions to showcase their technology .
“one thing that defines a venture capitalist approach to fostering innovation is the fact that they will look at thousands of companies and select a very small number , ” says jeremy basset , head of unilever foundry . “we’ve learnt a lot about selecting the right companies since we first started [ the foundry ] . we say we work with any startup but the reality is you have to find one that is compatible with you as an organisation ; we realised quite quickly that two guys in a garage was a distraction to us and a disruption to them . ”
that approach , whereby a venture capitalist attitude disciplines an accelerator scheme , seems to be the way many brands are now attempting to spark quicker , cheaper and richer innovations . coca - cola , diageo and mastercard are among the few companies to follow unilever’s two - pronged approach , while visa’s global head of digital and marketing transformation shiv singh describes its own accelerator scheme as “not a venture capitalist [ division ] ” but one that does “have vc blood coursing through it” .
like the foundry , visa’s ‘everywhere’ initiative works separately to its ventures arm and is currently looking for startups to tackle three challenges ; develop a payment system for the company’s recently opened api , create a product for cardless commerce and develop a platform for its sponsorships .
it’s the second year the company has run the challenge , with last year’s winner able to raise $ 24m in funding since , claims singh . “we didn’t have anything to do with that [ funding ] because our official obligation is to give the startups the reward money and run a pilot with them , but without a doubt we were a vote of confidence that helped to raise the money to fund their growth… there’s no long - term financial benefit to [ working with the startups ] to visa . it’s not our core business . ”
the fact that venture capital isn’t viewed as a critical revenue earner by many big businesses is something that in turn is forcing more and more entrepreneurs to think twice before accepting those lucrative cheques .
corporate investment in startups developing consumer products and services in the us rose 57 per cent in 2015 , trailing the183 per cent and 133 per cent increases registered by financial services and healthcare services respectively , according to the national venture capital association . it’s a disparity that suggests a gulf in the importance consumer - facing companies ascribe to startups compared to their b2b counterparts .
sofar ( short for ‘songs for a room’ ) , a network of artists , hosts and guests bringing big name musicians into people’ s living rooms , has work ed with unilever foundry to take its offering global .
brands have been betting on startups since the mid - 1960s when the venture capital industry first emerged and yet what has tended to happen is this – brand meets startup at an accelerator ; both agree to work on a project ; before it can happen the startup gets batted around between marketing and media departments ; and eventually it ends up with the brand’s agency , which , in many instances , isn’t incentivised to handle it responsibly .
however , change is happening and some companies are employing experts – like les matthews , senior vice - president of business development and account management at mastercard or global director of marketing ventures bachir zeroual at coca - cola – to show entrepreneurs they are willing to take on responsibility for the relationship .
“a big part of what i do is interact with the startup community and the venture capitalist community because myself and my team are on the front lines of these innovations , which we bring back to the company and advise as to whether we should look to partner , invest or buy , ” matthews said on a panel at sxsw .
coke has also had some success , with one of its portfolio companies – wonolo – going on to raising $ 2 . 2m at a valuation of $ 7 . 5m last year . founded in 2013 by two former coke employees , the business matches short - term corporate jobs to those people who have the flexibility to do the required tasks at a moment’s notice .
yet for every wonolo or mobile messaging app kiip , there are countless untold stories of innovative businesses being chewed up by the big conglomerates because they were scared of missing out on the latest innovations and didn’t have the structure or focus to make the right calls .
wonolo ( short for ‘work now locally’ ) , a sof tware that matches short - term corporate jobs with people who have the fle xibility to do those jobs , is backed by coca - cola founders , a program launched in 2014 to work with startups .
“flooding emails with decks without context or sharing repetitive information startups can probably find on the brand’s website isn’t helpful , ” said emily hodges , marketing and pr lead for kiip , which has worked with brands including nestle , marriott and mondelez . “in addition , brands should also trust what the startup can offer them , even if it’s a slightly different process from what they’re used to in past collaborations . ”
organisations like founders factory and collider have formed to help match companies with the appropriate startups , all the while mindful that in setting up the right arm’s length approach to innovation , both parties can undertake the same growth journey together . indeed , collider hosted a demo day last month where unilever and exterion were among the brands in attendance alongside several startups .
“disruptive ideas that drive big change and deliver real returns are not originated by group thinking and execution by committee , ” says jim meyerle , managing director and co - founder of founders factory .
“they’re driven forward by the drive and unwavering commitment of a few visionary leaders . big brands can do this by working with startups , but that requires a meeting of minds , a shared vision and a relentless commitment to success on the part of people with real power and influence . ”
corporate venture capitalists will undoubtedly become more commonplace as marketers come under greater pressure to be innovative at a time when it’s easier now to spend £2m with google than £200 , 000 on a startup . that pressure means innovation can no longer be restricted to one person tasked to make fundamental organisational change , it needs to be developed in tandem with those at the cutting edge of business .
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the greatest compliment we can hear from a client is that we treat their business like it ' s our own . we ' re your partner in creating experiences that achieve real business results .
our tech team is on the cutting edge of progressive marketing and creative tech . they excel at developing personalized and unified experiences , multi - channel commerce platforms , and more .
having a strong brand is as important as ever in such a competitive market . just as we do for clients , our marketing fuels the growth and culture of our agency .
our motto is simple : bring your whole self to work . our employees are comfortable being themselves , embracing each other’s differences and supporting their teams . when you bring your whole self , you’re saying “yes” to being who you are . to being authentic . to trusting that your coworkers will accept your unique contributions . it’s what makes our company culture — and our work — stand out .
we think of ourselves as a motley crew of culturally aware marketers . thesocial steers the agency toward this vision by actively seeking out the support and celebration of an ever - changing culture . it’s a counterbalance to homogenous thinking .
people today expect more from brands . we’re an agency that sits at the crossroads of pretty and gritty . we relish the chance to outthink and out - hustle everyone else . we celebrate individuals and diverse points of view . we embrace our performance roots and expertise , harmonizing creative storytelling and compelling content with the precision of digital performance marketing . and we do it to deliver the best possible outcomes for our clients . ( oh , and we like to have fun along the way . )
we ' ve been turning heads and making headlines . here’s what people are saying .
agencies that started out in search marketing are looking to evolve with the market and become full - service marketing shops .
parker joined the agency in 2015 as president of west coast operations based in san francisco , and he moved up to the role of u . s . president last year .
our clients include amazon , bayer , bridgestone , blue cross blue shield , the bmw group , church & dwight , directv , lego , lg , l’oréal , microsoft , nba , pepsico , sap , starwood and toyota . headquartered in new york , our business has nearly 1 , 000 employees in 10 countries – with offices throughout the united states , europe , latin america and asia .
we’re looking for people to help us unleash our clients’ potential . join us .
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audiences and content are the currencies we use to drive connections for our clients .
a eighteen - year veteran of the industry , mike has helped brands like nestlé , microsoft , intel and clorox build deep engagements with their customers . in his most recent role as chief digital officer at mccann worldgroup , mike infused digital into mccann’s core , developing capabilities in social media and mobile marketing . prior to mccann , he served as co - president for tribal ddb’s u . s . network , where he oversaw significant growth in the agency’s client base . mike is a three - time winner of digital agency of the year honors and was a member of the inaugural cannes innovation lions jury .
ads have given way to experiences , and the world’s a better place for it .
she ' s been featured in fast company , was named a “woman to watch” by advertising age , and has lectured at columbia university . she’s also one of the industry leaders who wrote the book “the 22 immutable laws of advertising and how to break them . ” anne was recently honored with the “changing the game award” – an elusive award given to women who’ve reinvented their businesses to meet today’s challenges .
i’m a firm believer that learning never stops . and continued growth is how excellence is achieved .
mitchell has spent over 20 years in the marketing and advertising industry , crafting his experiences in brand and client management and applying them to solving business challenges of all sizes , all around the globe . his perpetual mission is to get the best out of individuals and teams and ensure they are being applied to the most mission - critical aspects of our clients’ successes .
we have evolved from buying channels and measuring impressions to curating audiences and quantifying responses . the rise of biddable media has made buying scale irrelevant . an agency’s ability to trade strategically through its access and intelligent application of data is paramount to achieving business performance .
with a bachelor ' s degree in mechanical engineering and a master ' s degree in computer science , shiva is an expert in creating technical architecture that integrates multiple technology platforms to create highly scalable systems using industry - proven technology stacks . he is proficient in a variety of programming languages , content management systems , ecommerce platforms , data management systems , and cloud - based apis / platforms . with over 16 years of experience , he ' s also well versed in project management , user experience , usability and search engine optimization .
david is a chief talent officer with experience leading global hr and talent organizations across the americas , emea and apac . david has worked at a digital start - up and at global consumer product , management consulting and branding firms including philips , accenture and interbrand .
we put consumers at the heart of our work . we utilize data and insights to identify consumers’ needs before they arise . this is what makes data driven marketing so powerful .
after completing his degree in business administration , dirk thum started his career as a business development manager and consultant for oracle applications . later roles included key account manager and head of consulting at ecircle ( known today as mapp ) , director of sales and business development at the performance agency adamicus , and client partner at bazaarvoice , a us based social commerce solutions provider .
between 2013 and 2016 , dirk held the responsibility of dach country manager for selligent , a global provider of crm marketing technologies .
as the managing director of our chicago office , joe is focused on leading the strategy and planning for key clients in the our central region ; including beam brands , quaker , bridgestone , belk and blue cross blue shields . in this role joe leads the chicago office as to how our clients can leverage digital as a key platform to inform , amplify and engage in ways that provide consumers with meaningful value while driving to the clients’ business objectives .
celia has more than 12 years of experience leading digital marketing projects for global brands , but focused in latin american markets . she has played a key role in the developement of innovative initiatives for several brands , for example , the first digital crm focused in brand engagement and purchase redemption ; the launch of the first big portal of news in mexico , as well as the first local online tv channel , long before youtube even existed .
in the last 10 years , she has focused in digital initiatives for global brands , such as coca - cola , nike , sap , avon , kelloggs , canon , hp , american express , among others she has participated in digital initiatives for latin america including different solutions of digital marketing , from research , analytics , planning , development , media strategies , search marketing ( seo - sem ) , social media , social listening , content management , crm , always being result - oriented and very focused on a deeper audience understanding , which is needed for developing strategies for such different cultures in all the countries , from brasil to mexico , and also inside each country , where audiences have so different mores and traditions .
a good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week . - george s . patton
you can talk to clifford about strategy , commerce , technology , analytics , and social media innovations anytime—sometimes all in one conversation . he loves it when art meets science—and that’s where the digital tech space finds itself right now .
clifford has over 25 years of experience integrating business strategies with technology and information infrastructures , as well as marketing communication programs that promote customer retention , acquisition and growth . that experience has helped him deliver for brands as diverse as pepsi , nestle , p & g , general mills , abinbev , verizon fios , coach , sap , general motors , home depot , american honda , exxonmobil and the u . s . army . clifford has been hands - on with new online brand and marketing program initiatives for nestlé dolce gusto , travelocity ( for sabre interactive ) , pepsi one , mountain dew , and hershey’s milkshakes .
clifford loves curiosity as a trait in the people around him and his own curiosity drives his passion for the new - for driving innovation and application of cutting - edge media in all its forms — specifically exploring technology and analytics that deliver brand communication to consumers .
to stand out from the competition , the search for innovation and optimization , must be continuous . to create effective marketing strategies , we need to understand the changes that exist in society ' s behavior in relation to technology
brands that want to be successful will not only need to deliver value through entertainment , information , tools , services , and conversations , but will need to deliver that value consistently regardless of the location , moment or point of interaction .
throughout his career , frederic has worked alongside high - profile brands to create innovative projects such as the louis vuitton journeys global campaign and the mercedes - benz tweet race . his work has been recognized many times over with awards from the one show , the clios , the webby awards , effie awards , art directors club , eurobest , and the london international awards .
he has served as a judge at leading creative award shows like the cannes lions international festival of creativity ( twice ) , the one show , the art directors club and the london international awards . he also sits on the board of the global art directors club . he also is a frequent speaker at industry events and collaborated with the wharton school on the future of advertising program .
frederic lives in carroll gardens , brooklyn with his wife and two sons , and enjoys collecting vintage photographs of strangers for his tumblr ( urltoken ) .
no two consumers are the same , its our passions that unite us . effective marketing engages consumers via their interests , not their life stage .
amanda has fourteen years of digital marketing experience on big name clients including google , verizon , disney , a + e networks , cadbury , and geico . she is a trusted industry leader with experience sitting on aol and microsoft’s advisory boards , teaching digital media at the university of virginia’s mcintire school of commerce , and speaking at events on programmatic , viewability , publisher / agency relations and emerging media .


sofar sounds ( an acronym for songs from a room ) is a music events startup company , based in shoreditch , founded in 2009 .

the company calls itself a global community where guests and artists come together to experience music in an intimate and respectful setting at a secret concert .

sofar sounds

benin city , fronted by joshua idehen play at a sofar sounds gig . photograph : sofar sounds
leah siegel of firehorse performs at a sofar sounds concert in new york city in 2013 . ( photo courtesy of sofar sounds )
you can subscribe to the sofar sounds channel here , and you can stream citr favourites no for their sofar sounds session below .
separate terms apply to your use of the sofar sounds website . see urltoken .
you’ve likely never heard of her , and that’s exactly how sofar sounds planned it .
# sofarsupports planned parenthood ! join . . . - sofar sounds new york | facebook
sofar sounds - we ' re live from the # voting live ! session . . .
sofar sounds - a few weeks ago , bbc world service newshour . . . | facebook
sofar sounds - earlier today , bbc world business report ' s . . . | facebook
by investing in sofar sounds , a company which organises secret music events in 260 cities around the world .
sofar sounds is reimagining the live event experience through curated , intimate performances in 412 cities around the world .
new york band city of the sun performs in a sofar sounds dc concert . photo by henry gallagher .
sofar sounds features mostly unknown bands in secret locations — so how did it get so popular ? | l . a . weekly
it’s not quite accurate to say that the first rule of sofar sounds is that you don’t talk about sofar sounds . it is almost like a secret society — shrouded in mystery , highly selective , and fueled by a revolutionary mentality — but for music lovers .
sofar is currently active in more than 350 cities around the world . if you don’t see a page for your city , you can apply to bring sofar sounds to your city .
sofar sounds has a shaky history in washington . three years ago , the community of pop - up concerts hosted a few shows here before shutting down . in january , dc native fitz holladay brought the concerts back . but after a handful of gigs , sofar sounds went on hiatus again .
rafe offer launched sofar sounds in london in 2009 with rocky start , a former london dj , and dave alexander , a singer - songwriter from belfast who played the first sofar concert , a solo acoustic performance for an audience of eight at his home . a house show is nothing new , but the guidelines people followed were what made sofar sounds different .
the intimate gig was organised by sofar sounds and took place in stoke newington , east london in support of young ' s sixth studio album 85 % proof .
details are slim for next week’s gig , but a spokesperson for sofar sounds promises one thing : it’ll feature an “exciting” lineup of well - known indie artists .
to win tickets to the event , people are being encouraged to share a sofar sounds post on their facebook page . “whoever generates the most sign - ups to the sofar sounds community will win two tickets to the show , ” the website states . “whether or not you enter this competition , please remember to vote ! ”
host and curate your own sofar night anywhere in the world with the help and support of the international sofar team .
the chicago sofar sounds team pulled together a playlist of some of their favorite music of the moment . check them out . learn about new bands . and go tell your friends .
sofar sounds , which pulls together intimate , secret shows with cutting - edge bands in about 180 cities around the world , knows what’s hot in music . founded in london in 2009 , sofar sounds describes their events as not “a party with live music , but an interactive listening experience for people who want to discover new music and meet like - minded people . ”
inspired by curating intimate shows in small venues and bringing people back into live the music scene , sofar sounds has been the jump off for many up and coming musicians from london , paris , new york and los angeles . expanding their reach to tons of major cities through word of mouth and social media , sofar sounds is cementing themselves as a top music event producer . whether it ' s artists like hozier , thylacine , or we were evergreen , sofar sounds sets these artists up in living rooms , galleries and warehouses for fans to enjoy and discover new acts .
any references to “us” , “we” and “our” shall be references to sofar sounds limited ( sofar ) ( company number 07561876 ) incorporated in england and wales with registered office at 2nd floor , 35 - 47 bethnal green road , london e1 6la , uk .
this unpermitted , homespun gig probably sounds familiar to participants in independent music . unusually , though , it was coordinated by a start - up underwritten by millions in venture capital , sofar sounds . and though each attendee paid $ 15 - $ 30 to attend , the artists will be compensated with some footage of their performance .
however before we get to that , for those of you who are unaware of sofar sounds , often referred to as ‘sofar’ online , it is an organisation based in bethnal green which curates secret gigs in volunteers’ living rooms in more than 30 cities across 6 continents .
sofar sounds organise intimate shows all around the world and they are an effective way for new artists to play to new faces . you are guaranteed an attentive audience and i love playing sofar shows so much that i ' ve now played 43 sofar shows worldwide . even though you ' re playing to less people in living rooms , you are playing to more attentive ears and the experience is more enjoyable for both artist and audience . that ' s what inspired me to dedicate my tours in fans ' homes and with sofar sounds .
organised by sofar sounds , who specialise in putting on “intimate gigs across the world” , the event will also see appearances from former footballer rio ferdinand , spoken word poet suli breaks and beatboxer reeps one .
today , sofar sounds is a community of thousands of artists , hosts , fans , travelers and more , putting on hundreds of secret , intimate events per month , across 412 cities around the world .
ed sheeran to perform for world refugee day ed sheeran has announced that he will play a show in support of amnesty international and sofar sounds ' give a home concert series for world refugee day in september .
sofar is not active where you live , so you must choose some dates that you are touring in another sofar city around the world .
every sofar city has to start with someone . why not make it you ? contact us to learn more about starting sofar in your neighborhood .
sofar sounds reimagines the live event experience through curated , secret performances in more than 350 cities around the world . sofar brings guests and artists together in unique locations , without the distractions that plague other live events . through the transformation of everyday spaces into captivating venues , sofar serves as a platform for artists to connect with engaged audiences in cities around the world .
i ' m feeling very thankful for all of the support and encouragement that the sofar teams have given me and my music over the past few years . whether it was giving me an opportunity to play my first show as birthday club at sofar sounds : houston or hosting me in a ridiculous wood art museum at sofar sounds : philadelphia , the teams have given me and many other artists around the world so many opportunities to push themselves in new ways . it ' s a really great thing .
— stephen wells
sofar sounds reimagines the live event experience through curated , secret performances in more than 350 cities around the world . discover artists in unique venues . join us for a show and sign up at www . sofarsounds . com . show less
arty local indie faves yeasayer explored a hodgepodge of bizarro sounds on their last three albums ranging from pastoral freak folk to darkly psychedelic electronica . the kaleidoscopic latest ,
it was only a matter of time before the movement went international . new york city was to be the city that made sofar sounds truly global – upcoming singer - songwriter ( and now sofar veteran ) marcus foster was friends with alexander and the two went about making “the big apple” the second city sofar had a presence in . the evening was a roaring success , thus confirming the sofar philosophy and concept could be translated across seas . the movement has not looked back since .
the majority of our sofar cities around the world , however , are run by amazing volunteers and ambassadors who put on one or two sofar shows per month .
many of our sofar cities consistently book standout alumni to play future shows . if you are interested in performing regularly with sofar , please contact your local city .
live album : digital album featuring exclusive recordings from 4 different sofar cities worldwide .
we don’t normally run features like this here at citr , however i’ve been a long term admirer of the sofar sounds crew and felt that they may work along the same ethos that we adhere to in our relationships with artists and new music .
please make sure to mark emails from sofar sounds so they do not go into your junk or spam folders . if it’s 24 hours before , or the day of the show , it is likely that your application was unsuccessful . please apply again !
lianne will be part of war child uk presents : passport to brits week . join her on stage at the sofar sounds living room stage on 23rd feb for a small gig to make the biggest difference . head over to urltoken and donate to enter .
designer , dj and tour guide , alexander morley is now in charge of the sofar parisian scene - which can only mean incredible things for the music scene in paris . we asked him about the history of sofar sounds , how they select venues and artists , and their impact on the music scene . here ' s what he told us :
even as an international curatorial brand , sofar still maintains its tight - knit identity , as local community members organize , film , photograph , and record the performances by homegrown bands on a volunteer basis . since music fans themselves created this concert targeting the most passionate music performers and audiences , sofar sounds is ultimately changing the way we consume live music .
although sofar sounds started as a way to experience live music in diverse and pristine settings , it has grown into a true community asset . those attending sofar shows share a common interest in the music , and as davis says , “they’ve become almost networking events where there are people meeting new people . there are relationships being built inside of our shows . ”
component is a section of aux . out . for one - off pieces , special editorials , and lost orphans of the music discussion . today , hilary saunders takes us into the world of sofar sounds , where a small space provides the setting for unforgettable music experiences .
runson willis iii & the night owl players - st . james infirmary | sofar los angeles
help us grow the international sofar movement with pledge music and earn exclusive rewards . . .
he’s planning to book some shows with established artists who might be performing at venues like 9 : 30 club and can squeeze in a casual concert with sofar sounds . “there’s no pre - show promotion , so they’re not violating their contract with the venue , ” holladay says .
guaranteed entry ( + 1 ) to a sofar show of your choice . dates are announced monthly so sign up to the sofar mailing list for regular updates for shows in your area .
where did the idea to tour stranger’s living rooms come from ? what ' s frustrating about gigs these days is that people don ' t seem to be there for music anymore . they text , get drunk or talk over the music so sofar sounds came up with a solution .
sofar sounds can only offer refunds if the show has been canceled , rescheduled or if the venue has changed on the day . we are unable to offer refunds under any other circumstances . please check the date , time and location before booking to make sure you can attend the event .
on september 20 , 1 , 000 musicians will perform from the intimate setting of people’s homes in over 60 cities around the world as part of the global event called give a home . hosted by both amnesty international and sofar sounds , the event aims to raise awareness of the ongoing refugee crisis .
sofar sounds is a mission - driven , for - profit business . currently , sofar does not make a profit , and we are backed by a group of wonderful and supportive investors who believe in our goal of connecting people through intimate , live events . we are working toward our goal of financial sustainability , which will allow us to continue to put on more sofars and support artists around the world .
passionate , dedicated and respectful . thousands of artists have performed to sofar guests , across the globe .
at berkelee college of music , helped start the sofar boston chapter in 2013 . since then , however , he moved to nashville to work in the music industry and began with sofar full - time .
this handpicked compilation includes exclusive tracks from a wide range of amazing sofar acts – including spring offensive , the miserable rich & seryn . and featurin exclusive artwork from friend of sofar : gary david roberts urltoken
“like all the best ideas , sofar sounds started life as the solution to a personal problem somebody was facing . co - founders rafe offer , dave alexander and rocky start were fed up of going to gigs and hearing people talk and play on their phones rather than engage with the artist , ” he wrote .
mwenso and the shakes performing “no regrets” at sofar nyc on april 17th 2018 . join sofar today and sign - up for tickets here : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists . . .
help us do amazing things , we ' re always looking for new people to get involved in sofar .
find the answers quickly ! learn more about sofar , how to buy tickets and ways to get involved .
four years on , sofar sounds , his company , is part of a new movement bringing big - name musicians into people ' s living rooms . the concept of
private gigs
turns out to be as popular with bands as it is with fans and business is booming in london , los angeles and new york .
we , sofar sounds limited , are giving away roughly 20 , 000 tickets for events all around the world as part of the give a home 2017 event series . events will take place across 250 + cities on sept 20th 2017 . you can enter for specific tickets to specific events in a specific city on that day .
promoter : sofar sounds limited , a company incorporated in england and wales with company number 07561876 and registered office address 2nd floor , 35 - 47 bethnal green road , london , e1 6la , uk . you can get in touch with us by : telephone on 0203 417 6539 , email at info @ sofarsounds . com .
sofar sounds , a startup underwritten by millions in venture capital , has been putting on a number of house shows , and although the company has a loyal user base , it has been facing some significant criticism for not paying artists enough , with some saying the type of gigs they put on could exist without corporate interference .
with networks in about 187 cities all over the globe , sofar sounds throws secret , invite - only concerts . those who want to attend can sign up for email updates or apply online . applicants are randomly selected ; once they’re in , they pay what they want for a ticket . ( a suggested donation accompanies each event . )
in its inaugural year , musicians like the national , oh wonder , the naked and famous , local natives , and many , many more will play concerts out of the homes of music fans , made possible by sofar sounds . each in - home show will include sets from two to three artists and talks given by local activists .
e added that he liked how sofar embraces a diverse range of artists and how the idea brings communities together .
andra day performs at sofar ' s women ' s day global festival at a house in studio city 2016 .
one of davis’ responsibilities includes connecting sofar leaders and communities , as well as touring bands between them . he mentions
we need all the help you can give us , so please support us in any way you can , earning more rewards as you do ; from vip guestlist places , to your own sofar trilby hat… . and all the way through to the chance to host and curate your very own sofar show with the help of the international sofar team .
sofar , or songs from a room , hosts unplugged gigs by emerging artists , reports cbs news correspondent jonathan vigliotti .
now sofar has five full - time contracted consultants on two continents . they have , on average , monthly shows in more than 80 cites with more demand than supply ( as noted by sofar los angeles’ 15 : 1 ratio of applications to invites ) . new chapters launch regularly , and with each new sofar community , more people discover the brand .
as sofar’s community manager , he works with all of the chapter leaders around the world to offer guidance and support .
sofar sounds now hosts shows from amsterdam to mumbai . even small domestic spaces fit the bill and anyone keen to host a show can nominate their own lounge . on friday night , the indie trio and island records signing we were evergreen played to 75 people in an arty flat in paris . another 350 people applied for a ticket but could not make it in .
after working my way through the huge range of fantastic gigs and sessions sofar have amassed , i spoke to rafe from sofar to shed a little bit more light in the history of his project and what is in store for the near future .
lightning rarely strikes in l . a . , but it does for the underground music movement sofar sounds . when musician avid dancer perches in front of the windows at the fashion district penthouse loft of astroetic studios , lightning flashes as he announces his new album , and this invite - only secret concert for a group of 100 randomly selected music lovers suddenly seems like something special .
miami’s relaunch took place in an arts district - based warehouse , while one of the team leaders opened up his downtown apartment for the chapter’s second show . true to the brand , the only way guests knew they were in the right places were the 8 . 5″ by 11” pieces of printer paper with the sofar sounds logo that were taped to the walls near the two locations .
american singer norma jean martine is the latest in a long line of now well - known performers to headline a sofar event .
sofar miami , which relaunched in june , encapsulates how this international brand can still hold such an impact in diverse cities around the world . vincent roazzi , miami’s city leader , discovered sofar through a friend while living in new york city . he began photographing sofar shows in new york and helped launch the miami chapter when he moved to the magic city . working with davis , roazzi and the rest of the miami volunteer team have been able to cultivate a small - but - growing community of sofar converts .
sofar sounds has eight cities that operate in a full - time capacity : chicago , london , los angeles , madrid , new york , oslo , san francisco and washington , d . c . these cities put on multiple shows every month — sometimes one every single night ! — and have a full - time , paid staff who work hard to bring more sofars to their audiences .
we’re halfway through 2018 ! relive some of our favorite moments from shows this year . apply at urltoken to see a sofar live .
offar gives the example of virtuoso cellist oliver coates as one of the favourite sofar gigs so far . “i was moved at how he wowed an audience who do not hear classical music often at a sofar gig . he showed us classical at its most dynamic . ”
sofar sounds : the artists featured on this playlist are all sofar alums — some have even played multiple shows with us and in other sofar cities as well . our team goes through a listening and voting process leading up to each show and looks for artists that make a certain impact . they also must understand our mission : that their performance is not for pay but for the love of music , that there are no openers or headliners , that they will play stripped down , etc . we have been fortunate to work with the best of the best within an incredible network of emerging , local artists , and you’ll hear it for yourself when you give this playlist a listen .
this last year demand for sofar events has grown exponentially , with many of our cities now massively oversubscribed by people hoping to experience these intimate and spellbinding little shows for themselves . we want to meet this demand whilst continuing to expand the sofar movement into 2013 and beyond .
“everyone’s talking about sofar . it’s like the pinnacle . like , if you’re in kind of the indie scene , you just moved to a city and you want to make it or you want people to hear your music , everyone wants to play sofar , ” martine said .
performance footage goes on sofar’s ad - supported youtube channel , which has more than 87 million views . sofar retains that revenue , which the company’s website calls “nominal . ” earnings are also slim for camera people — $ 50 per show , according to two videographers at a recent gig in san francisco . one of them dismissed concerns about the low rate because , she wrongly insisted , sofar is a “nonprofit . ”
so , you’ve played sxsw and sofar sounds shows…do you still get the same kind of buzz playing in people’s living rooms ? they are different and both enjoyable in their own way . living room shows are actually more terrifying than shows in live music venues because you are more exposed without the comfort of a stage or a microphone . however , it allows you to interact better and create a more meaningful connection with your audience .
when sofar first got its start , it was always hosted in people’s private homes or apartments . today , sofar happens in a wide range of venues — from homes and apartments to co - working spaces , rooftops , breweries and galleries . you never know where you’ll end up !
we love friends ! you can add a + 1 to your application at any time , up until confirming your space . if you’re in a ticketed city , you can reserve up to 6 spaces , depending on the maximum allowed for that sofar . see tickets at sofar for details .
if you’re an artist interested in playing a sofar , you can submit your music . your application will go directly to the listening team in the city you’ve requested to play . if it feels like a good fit , that team will get in touch to book your first sofar show .
artist compensation varies by city and country . in the majority of sofar cities , sofar offers two forms of compensation : a high - quality video of your performance or a flat fee ( which varies by city ) . your local booker will discuss these options with you prior to your performance .
sofar artists generally play a stripped - back set at sofar to an attentive audience , so the noise level is kept at a minimum , with shows ended around 10 : 30 p . m . we don’t expect your neighbors to complain , but better yet — invite them to enjoy the evening !
absolutely not ! we like to think outside the box . some of our favorite sofar performances have been spoken word poetry , comedy and even dance .
likewise , says davis , those at sofar hq “trust that [ city leaders ] have been able to keep the magic flowing in each city . ”
sofar promo codes are a way for guests to get into ticketed shows more easily . they offer either a guaranteed entry , priority access tickets or occasionally , free spaces . promo codes are usually given via our partners or through your sofar city . keep your eye out for competitions or promotions to land yours !
besides having an evening of amazing music in your space ? we offer various perks for hosting a sofar and will discuss these with you during your application .
sofar sounds : sofar was born out of frustration with what going to a concert has become . people who are too drunk , on their phones the whole time , talking the whole time … you name it . we provide an environment where artists can really get their music across to an audience of eager listeners . for artists , we fill a room full of 50 , 60 , 70 , up to 100 people who are all there to actively listen to and engage with music . we professionally film the sessions , create a video of a song performed for each artist , and spread it across our social media . which , right now , includes 60 , 000 + facebook followers and 90 , 000 + youtube subscribers . we try to help bands who have played for us before when they go on tour by trying to help them line up a sofar show in one of the over 160 cities around the world that sofar is in .
in 2017 with how advanced we are as a society , everyone deserves to have a home not just the memory of one ,
rapper ghetts , who is set to perform , said .
recent events in london ( grenfell tower ) demonstrate just how quickly a person’s circumstances can change . i hope that by my fellow artists , influencers and i shining a spotlight on this with sofar sounds and amnesty international we can finally find a solution to this global problem . ”
songs from a room , or sofar , is an east london - based start - up with a strong vision : to bring good music to eager fans .
san francisco songwriter carly bond , who fronts the band meernaa , played a sofar sounds house show in 2015 . it was an intimate setting , as promised , but the tech industry parlance of the introduction turned her off , and there was no pa system . “the payment was one video , which we didn’t receive for a year and a half , ” she recalls . “once we got it , the sound was so bad that we didn’t share it , but they put it on youtube . ”
th : sofar sounds paris operates with a team of loyal volunteers , correct ? morley : yeah , we ' re all volunteers doing other things to pay the bills . i work part time as a designer with a firm of london architects and i ' m also a dj and a bicycle tour guide here in paris . we have people working in social media , graphic design , television , some lawyers , students , all sorts . the different skill sets people bring help us run the different aspects of sofar . for some of us the networking and hands on experience in the music world offered by sofar is quite exciting . the idea that who knows , it might lead to some sort of career that does in fact pay the bills . on the other hand the fact that money isn ' t really involved allows us to enjoy it for what it is .
new here ? here is the very best of sofar from over 100 living rooms all around the world to get you started . want to come to a show ? visit urltoken
most sofar events are byob , and it is likely that alcohol be present . we take underage drinking very seriously , and anyone encouraging or partaking will be asked to leave .
yes , we have no problem with you announcing that you’re playing . just make sure you keep the details to a minimum , as secrecy is part of the sofar experience !
sofar is expanding to over one dozen new cities in 2017 . but with growth , offer said he will preserve the same atmosphere from that first performance that sparked it all .
sofar is managing to hold 50 gigs a week hosted in spaces such as basements , living rooms and residential warehouses in over 60 cities around the world . according to offar though , being based in east london does have its perks . “the music here is considered amongst the best in the world so it helps sofar have impact , ” he says .
the sofar community thrives because of a strong online presence and word of mouth . the website brings the elements together : musicians , venues and fans . sofar staffers and volunteers sort through thousands of music submissions from unknowns to famous artists , find event spaces as random as people’s bedrooms and forest patches , then invite hopeful music lovers to these secret shows .
sofar seriously enforces some rules , though . you actually have to listen to the music . you need to stop texting during performances . and you’ve gotta stay the whole night .
sofar curates unique and diverse lineups that vary in genre and sound . all music submitted to sofar is listened to by a diverse and knowledgeable team of reviewers , ensuring there is no bias . this allows us to discover the best new music possible for our audiences to enjoy . above all , we’re looking for quality acts that will engage with our guests .
to kill a king as a prime example . the british alternative rock group joined frank turner and bastille for its first tour through the united states . but because to kill a king had played sofar london shows before , davis was able to connect the band with us - based sofar communities . “we had it supplemental to their tour , ” he explains . “so , in nashville , they had a show at the mercy lounge . before that mercy lounge show , we had them play a sofar show so that they could sell tickets . ”
the promotion , prize draw , quiz or competition operated by us ( whether on behalf of sofar or on behalf of the relevant sponsors ) as set out in the competition rules .
although sofar boasts loyal users — upwards of twenty gigs sell out every month in the bay area — a growing number of artists are scrutinizing the huge chasm between company value and compensation .
liniker e os caramelows performing
tua
at sofar são paulo on september 20th , 2017 for give a home 2017 with amnesty international . give a home 2017 : urltoken click h . . .
sofar videos are a form of artist compensation offered by local cities . please note , the majority of sofars are unfilmed . if you are interested in receiving a youtube video of your performance , please discuss this with your local booker . sofar performance videos are hosted on our youtube channel and often promoted on our social media . we will always ask your permission before using it outside of these parameters .
superfood performing “natural supersoul” at sofar london on , 9th february 2018 . we put on shows almost every night in london - see upcoming dates and sign - up for tickets here : urltoken . . .
marcus alexander & nikos taramanidis performing
journey
at sofar gothenburg on march 14th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every d . . .
наадя performing
легион
at sofar moscow on september 20th , 2017 for give a home 2017 with amnesty international . give a home 2017 : urltoken click here to come to a s . . .
a typical sofar show might feature three or four performers — and they won ' t necessarily all be unknown or up - and - coming artists . “we have bad - ass a & r people on our team , ” boasts westlund . acts as well - known as leon bridges , karen o , bastille and silversun pickups have all played sofar events . the very first sofar l . a . concert featured popular local indie - pop band saint motel . “the main bread and butter is unknown acts ,
says offer ,
but hey — we [ booked ] hozier in a living room in manchester ! ”
cold weather company performing
gettysburg
at sofar philadelphia on july 12th , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along wi . . .
jouis performing
turtle
at sofar brighton on february 17th 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists , featur . . .
hayley reardon performing “everything else” at sofar london on june 15th , 2017 . we put on shows almost every night in london - see upcoming dates and sign - up for tickets here : urltoken . . .
following criticism in the media , sofar’s optional artist stipend recently increased . and artist community manager ed burgon , a musician based in london , says that the company is exploring more benefits : a social media component that would allow users to follow artists , for instance , plus coordinating tours through sofar . still , company representatives tend to sound sympathetic while they cry poor , emphasizing that the business runs at a loss .
we’ve teamed up with pledge music to help make this dream a reality are compiling the first ever sofar compilation album – exclusively available to download to the fans who offer their support to us in the next few months . the compilation will consist of 10 amazing artists who have performed at sofar in the past ( including spring offensive , seryn , the miserable rich etc… ) and is an exclusive reward for those who pledge .
candy says performing
whatever comes
at sofar oxford on march 26th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlist . . .
darity performing
wanderlust
at sofar lexington on march 10th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists , fe . . .
oh papa performing
magnetic
at sofar sheffield on january 30th 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists , fe . . .
jmsn performing “drinkin’” at sofar london on june 29th , 2017 . we put on shows almost every night in london - see upcoming dates and sign - up for tickets here : urltoken see the full . . .
in 2009 , marketing consultant rafe offer and singer - songwriter david j . alexander met whilst watching st . albans - based indie band friendly fires , soon establishing some common ground in that both were of the opinion that the state of music , in particular the live music scene , was not in a good way . as a result , offer and alexander organised a gig of their own – dave was to play some new songs in front of a select few of his and offer’s friends , the venue being his own living room , with only the music doing the talking . the night was a grand success , and thus sofar sounds was born .
joe hertler & the rainbow seekers performing
old love
at sofar chicago on january 5th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , . . .
all that glitters performing
crazy in love
at sofar bath on april 19th 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playl . . .
runson willis iii & the night owl players performing
st . james infirmary
at sofar los angeles on may 19th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a . . .
bia ferreira performing
diga não
at sofar são paulo on march 11th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists . . .
soular system performing
open arms
at sofar orange county on march 9th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with play . . .
carmody performing
before you knew me
at sofar san francisco on february 15th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along w . . .
girlhood performing “say it” at sofar london on march 17th 2018 . we put on shows almost every night in london - see upcoming dates and sign - up for tickets here : urltoken for a new g . . .
listen to leena performing
something new
at sofar vienna on april 1st , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playl . . .
andrea di cesare performing
his second word
at sofar verona on february 24th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along wit . . .
ala | zastary performing
nie otwieraj powiek
at sofar wroclaw on march 10th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with . . .
fiona harte performing
white picket fence
at sofar dublin on july 20th , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with play . . .
marion harper performing
if i saw you again
at sofar madrid on february 11th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along wit . . .
hounds performing
in over my head
at sofar atlanta on april 13th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlists , . . .
soulmate # 2 performing
stop the hourglass
at sofar sofia on january 27th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with pl . . .
the orchestra of syrian musicians performing “nassam alayna al hawa” at sofar london on september 20th , 2017 for give a home 2017 with amnesty international . give a home 2017 : http : / / www . sofarsoun . . .
cuco performing
amor de siempre
at sofar los angeles on april 21st , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with playlis . . .
yes , in the majority of cities . sofar offers two forms of payment - either a video or a flat fee , variable by city . you local artist liaison will discuss these options with you prior to your performance .
sofar – which is short for songs from a room – organises gigs in small locations , including people’s homes , around the world and has showcased more than 12 , 000 artists at more than 4 , 000 live events .
anna lotte performing
here i go again
at sofar the hague on january 27th , 2018 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with pl . . .
sid vashi performing
ghost don ' t follow me
at sofar bombay on december 3rd , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig every day , along with . . .
sofar london has hosted two larger , ticketed events thus far in which large warehouses were transformed into giant living rooms . amazingly enough , the audience remained quiet and respectful , as with the smaller gigs . hernandez hopes los angeles can emulate london’s larger gigs as she’s working on holding a similar festival here called “sofar plus , ” which would be “the same concept just on a bigger scale . ” offer said of the warehouse gigs : “the vibe was incredible . seven hundred people totally focused on the music - - people compared it to burning man . ” here’s hoping los angeles can pull off the same feat . to find sofar gigs in your city , check out their event listings here .
sofar and its audiences are respectful toward hosts and their spaces . our team will be on hand to run the show and clean up afterward . all you need to do is provide the space ! in the unlikely event of an incident , sofar provides a community host assurance promise to repair or replace your property ( exclusions and conditions outlined in the chap ) . more details will be shared and discussed with the local team once your host application has been processed .
fainschmitz performing
via da qui ( via con me ) - paolo conte cover
at sofar vienna on april 1st , 2017 click here to come to a show in your city : urltoken for a new gig e . . .
our artist community team is actively exploring ways that you can take sofar on the road with you . sofar is in over 350 cities around the globe , across 60 countries — a huge opportunity for you to share your talent ! if you are interested in playing additional cities , please get in touch with your local booker and they will help connect you to teams in other cities . please note , each individual city has discretion over their bookings and will take your submission into consideration .
of course ! we want to help promote you . we’ll help you set up and sell your merch at your sofar and the mc for the evening will draw attention to your merch during their introduction . you keep 100 percent of your sales .
sofar spread from london to paris , new york , and other cities , arriving in l . a . in january of 2011 with help from kroq ' s casey oliver . today , they host 300 shows a month in 268 cities worldwide .
sofar nyc is on a street near you . from manhattan to brooklyn , east village to west , we host intimate shows and concerts across new york city . experience curated shows of touring acts , exciting artists and local bands in intimate settings .
offer says there are no plans to expand the sofar format into larger venues . “we will never compete with stadiums . we really wanted to help young musicians , then it evolved into a sense of global community . we can empower people differently in l . a . by exposing them to different musicians . ” no matter how much the sofar concept expands globally , offer wants to stay true to that original vision . “somehow we set the rules , and our challenge now is to keep them . ”
a sofar gig is an intimate show held in an unique venue , like someone ' s living room or an antique shop . it typically features three artists , playing four songs each . every lineup is specially curated to give our audiences a diverse show .
“it came to the point where the economics of sofar made that feasible , ” burgon elaborates , adding that they cut back on video contractors in order to bump the artist rate . “but it’s absolutely not the final word on how we compensate artists . ”
i loved the idea , the premise and intimacy of the show ,
says two - time grammy nominee andra day , who has done two sofar performances — one in her hometown of san diego and another at sofar l . a . ' s woman’s day show last year . “it’s actually my favorite way to do a show now , but when i was younger small shows always made me the most nervous . i love to crack jokes or tell stories and be able to engage with the audience on such a personal level . ”
once you’ve created a profile on our website or mobile app , you can apply to attend a show in the city of your choice . if purchasing through our mobile app , you can buy your tickets directly . once you’ve applied to attend an upcoming sofar , your name will be entered into a draw , from which our local teams will select their guests . our team works hard to make sure everyone who applies has the chance to attend a sofar , so if you’re not chosen , please apply again ! visit how it works to learn more .
most frequently , though , davis helps establish new sofar chapters and assist volunteer leaders in organizing the shows and maintaining the brand’s identity . he cites the challenges of understanding cultural differences in international cities such as rio de janeiro , while also making sure that bands in the likes of
“basically what sofar does is take these positive values that allows diy to happen , like people being willing to volunteer or play for little money , and it exploits them , ” johnson reckons . “these shows sound like great ideas if you don’t know where the money goes . ”
potential winners will be notified via email . the return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable or the failure of any winner to comply with these rules or the prize draw terms will result in disqualification and prize will be forfeited . prizes will be delivered as unique confirmation links by email to the address provided by the winners and may be subject to further terms and conditions . you will need to either already have an account with sofar sounds , or register with us to claim a prize . once you have registered and confirmed your attendance , tickets will be delivered by email . any costs and expenses associated with ticket acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided , including , travel and accommodations , are the sole responsibility of the winners . tickets are subject to terms and conditions specified thereon . seat locations will be determined by promoter .
the guest lists became more competitive , and the celebrity of the performers grew . robert pattinson , best known for his acting role in the twilight series , performed in the early days , and more recently pop outfit bastille and electropop duo sylvan esso have jammed at london sofar gigs .