The Challenge
British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the British record industry’s trade association that represents thousands of British record companies, engaged APCO Worldwide’s (APCO) UK office to convince policy makers and key stakeholders of the true value of music and the need to maintain the incentive to create music through the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
The Solution
APCO recognised that a traditional event would not by itself guarantee a sustained commitment by attendees to enable complex lobbying on long-term copyright issues. APCO developed the following recommendations:
- Identify real musicians within the House of Commons who could pick up their instruments again and perform as an all party rock group. This performance would be complemented by formal parliamentary debates and questions about musical and copyright issues.
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- Host a lively event in an interesting venue that would offer more appeal than a House of Commons function room. An all-night celebration, complete with live entertainment, aboard a luxury cruiser on the Thames would offer the draw and glamour befitting the music industry standard.
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The Result
Billed as the end of Parliamentary Session party, the House of Commons’ first rock ‘n’ roll band, MP4, played to an audience of 150 ministers, MPs and music industry executives aboard a boat sailing the River Thames just yards from the Palace of Westminster. BPI Chairman Peter Jamieson welcomed an unprecedented turnout of ministers and MPs. The chair of the All Party Music Group, John Robertson MP, then introduced UK Government Minister Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP, who paid tribute to MP4 and thanked the BPI for its work as a “potent and powerful force on behalf of the recording industry.”
Rock the Boat is now an annual event, a firm favourite in the Parliamentary calendar, and a setting where music industry issues can be pushed to the forefront with policy makers.
Services Provided
- Government relations
- Issue management
- Positioning
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With this one event, the BPI managed to impact a whole range of key policy makers with our concerns about a current important issue for our members, whilst raising the profile of the BPI to a new level.
