Features
Paradigm Expands UK Presence With Investment In Pitch & Sync
Caylee Hankins – Pitch & Sync’s Alex Lavery and Simon Robinson
Paradigm has made a strategic investment in London-based sync and sound branding agency Pitch & Sync, adding in-house sync capabilities to the company’s brand partnerships division. The boutique firm, which also operates in Berlin and Amsterdam, specializes in finding, creating and curating sound and music for consumer brands and other content creators.
Announced Feb. 10, the deal will see Pitch & Sync continue to operate under its name, while the company will integrate its business operations into Paradigm and work closely with Paradigm’s in-house brand partnerships team led by Commercial Director Debbie Ward.
Pitch & Sync’s clients include Nike, Intel and Heineken, among others. The company was founded in 2006 by Alex Lavery and Simon Robinson, who met while working at the record label Wall of Sound with artists including Propellerheads, Royksopp, The Bees and Les Rythmes Digitales/Stuart Price.
The agency’s first major deal brought brand client Motorola together with electronic artist Nathan Fake and was pioneering for a brand using adapted music. Pitch & Sync has helped transform the sync market into favoring adapted music from indie and established artists. The company is committed to supporting artists and their original work by building a business model based on commissioning work.
The Pitch & Sync investment was spearheaded by Paradigm’s UK leadership team and further expands Paradigm’s representation in the U.K. Last July Paradigm announced it had fully integrated London-based CODA agency after a five-year partnership, resulting in CODA Agency officially taking the name of Paradigm. In 2017, X-ray Touring entered into an equal partnership with Paradigm. Plus, Paradigm has a strategic relationship with European talent and literary agency Independent Talent Group.
Chloe Mallett – Paradigm UK’s James Whitting, Dave Hallybone, Alex Hardee and Tom Schroeder
Chloe Mallett – Paradigm UK’s James Whitting, Dave Hallybone, Alex Hardee and Tom Schroeder
“We’re thrilled to be in business with Alex, Simon and the whole Pitch & Sync team. We’ve been collaborating for many years now and this seemed like the next natural step,” Paradigm London Partner James Whitting said in a statement. “They’re leaders in their field and we’re excited about what Pitch & Sync can achieve in tandem with our wider Paradigm Brand Partnerships business.”
Pitch & Sync co-principal and co-founder Alex Lavery commented, “We are thrilled to have this new association with Paradigm, whose leadership in live music and powerful relationships with management will allow us to operate further upstream, grow our team and enhance our capabilities. This is a game changer for us and what we are able to do for our clients.”
“We realized at one point that 50% of our business involved Paradigm clients, which wasn’t by design, but certainly showed how aligned our sensibilities are,” added co-principal and co-founder Simon Robinson. “We now have the best of both worlds, closer access and insight into Paradigm’s incredible lineup of artists but also the independence to adapt and commission music from all sources on behalf of our clients.”
Paradigm won the award for Booking Agency of the Year at the Pollstar Awards Feb. 6. The agency’s Marty Diamond, Head of Global Music at Paradigm, took home the Bobby Brooks Award – Agent of the Year, while Sara Bollwinkel (whose clients include Billie Eilish, Public Enemy and The Original Wailers) won the Rising Star Award.
Executive Profile: Paradigm Talent Agency’s Marty Diamond