IP drives the creative economy
Robust and enforceable IP regulations are essential for a creative economy. Artists, labels, publishers and others in the ecosystem need to be paid, and need confidence that their rights are secure. Investors need to be sure that they will see a return.
Poor IP infrastructure impedes inward investment, market growth and exports. IP protections that are hard to understand, use or enforce reduce the incentive to create.
Increasing IP knowledge across the ecosystem, making it easier to secure rights and monetise creative assets, and simplifying the enforcement process grows market size and attracts inward investment.
For music artists, IP is much more than their music
Today’s music artists are learning that their IP extends beyond their music. Their image, lyrics, catchphrases and other brand elements can all be protected, licensed and monetised.
Artists with well-developed brands will increasingly be attracted to markets that give them the protections to monetise and enforce the full range of their rights.
New technologies are changing IP distribution, ownership and traceability
Platforms using blockchain technologies are making it simpler to trace ownership. NFTs changing distribution and increasing the availability of fractional IP ownership. Both are emergent technologies with limited understanding and regulation. There are great potential gains for creators, the public, investors and governments – but there are risks also.
IP regulations need to adapt continually
We live In an age of increasing collaboration across more media channels. There is more content, more uses and more licensing of that content than ever before. New technologies are changing how IP is used, licensed and owned. Alongside this, Contract forms are adapting, and new forms of agreements and asset ownership are emerging. IP regulators need to ensure they stay ahead of the trends.
Collaboration across borders is difficult in many jurisdictions, especially if they do not subscribe to the Berne Convention and similar agreements. Reciprocal agreements between countries are highly effective in simplifying the process and growing markets in participating territories.
Clearing and data remain major issues
Rights clearing remains fragmented and inefficient. Clearing the rights for a single song can be difficult enough, especially if there are multiple writers or rights-holders. Clearing image, style and other rights can be even more complex, requiring negotiation with many different parties.
The market is further limited by the lack of metadata standards for ownership, categorisation and other elements. This frequently leads to cataloguing errors or simply making it too difficult to find rights-holders and license a work. Better data and better clearing will create a more dynamic licensing market.
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Our IP experts
Andras Bozan Bodrogi
Andras is a globally recognised pioneer within digital marketing, monetisation, rights management and audio visual content creation for the music sector. He is expert in developing 360 strategies to build highly engaged fan bases, ... Find out more
Matt Errington
Matt is an award-winning global music industry consultant and investor. He is regularly engaged by major record labels, publishers, artists and policy makers to drive a wide variety of business and market growth goals. Matt recently ... Find out more
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