Product Manager, EMI Crysalis
Hi, I'm a Product Manager in the EMI:Chrysalis label marketing department. I look after a diverse roster of artists including Starsailor, Damage and Vengaboys. When people ask me what my job entails it's difficult to know how best to explain, but the most concise way I see it is that I co-ordinate and commission almost everything for each artist release that the public gets to see. This can be anything from commissioning the sleeve designs to the press, TV or radio adverts, poster campaigns and band websites. I also liase with our sales and International departments to maximise each band's profile and potential both in the UK and abroad. There's a whole load of weekly meetings to attend, a fair amount of admin to boot, not to mention the long working hours. But when it's a job working in an industry you love, you very rarely notice.
From a number of years ago I knew I wanted to work in a record company marketing department and I've been lucky enough to see that wish come to reality. I joined EMI in the summer of 1996 after having worked at an Artist Management company for 5 years and before that at a very dull life insurance company for 3 years straight from college. I'm often asked how I got into the music industry and in short - perseverance! I lived outside of London and had no real experience other than weekend work in my local Woolies record department. After writing hundreds of letters to all the record companies I could find, I decided to try something different. I placed an advert in Music Week saying 'Give Me a Break! - in the Music Industry' and I got a few replies - some mad, some dodgy and one from an Artist Manager. That gave me my initial break into the industry from which I could progress.
My first job at EMI was as a Music Operations Co-ordinator in the Release Planning department (or Production) where I processed label copy information and music audio masters for all of the EMI UK labels and International departments. This was a great position to see how a company like EMI worked and it meant I got to know a great many of the label people. So when an opportunity came up in the autumn of 1997 to join the Marketing Department of EMI UK as a Marketing Assistant, I jumped at the chance.
From then to my promotion as Product Manager it was a gradual process of learning about the marketing department. I learnt how to liase with sales, production, International etc and building experience through assisting the other Product Managers with their marketing campaigns and generally working very hard and showing a great deal of enthusiasm. I'm planning to go to college later this year to do the Diploma in Marketing, studying in the evenings. EMI will pay for this, so I do feel that my career at EMI is being supported and that there's a great future here for me.
In short of EMI I'd say it's an ambitious company with a wonderful history, full of great bands, fantastic people and a place I'm very proud to work in.
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