Sony Music UK gears up for 2020 expansion with new VP of Podcasting & Creative Strategy
- Adam Cardew appointed to newly-created role: VP of Podcasting & Creative Strategy, part of Sony’s 4th Floor Creative department
- Podcast expansion allows artists to amplify their stories in innovative formats
London, 12 December 2019: Cassandra Gracey, President of 4th Floor Creative for Sony Music UK, has promoted Digital Director, Adam Cardew, to the new position of Vice President, Podcasting & Creative Strategy.
Cardew’s role will be to manage the UK podcast division and launch aseries of innovative, artist-led projects that tap into the increasinglyimportant audio space. Cardew will also oversee the company’s Creator Network,the influencer and creator programme that services all Sony Music UK labels,and collaborate with the US on podcast initiatives.
The importance of podcasting strategy was signalled by Jason Iley,Chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK, when a joint venture was announced earlierthis year between Sony Music and Broccoli Content, led by RenayRichardson.
Cardew joined Sony Music UK in 2016 as Digital Director and has beenclosely involved in several innovative digital activations and partnerships withInstagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, while leading the in-houseDigital Learning & Development programme for all Sony employees. This year4th Floor Creative partnered on the award-winning George Ezra & Friendspodcast and are producers of the festive Robbie Williams series and thenewly-announced podcast with enigmatic British grime MC and rapper Wiley.
The hire marks the next phase for 4th Floor Creative, the departmentthat unites Sony Music UK’s creative disciplines, from Brand Partnerships, Syncand Creative to Digital and Audience Development, and which also enablesartists to record all of their podcasts in-house.
The team is reimagining how artists can connect with their fans and haspioneered several trailblazing projects for Sony Music labels, including twoLovie-winning projects with Columbia Records, such as the world-firstInteractive Instagram Video for Mark Ronson’s ‘Pieces of Us’, and, for RCA, thefirst streaming-influenced merchandise collection in collaboration with UK rockband Bring Me The Horizon.
Artist-led advertisements have also proved successful for 4th Floor’ssync department, with Mariah Carey heading the new Christmas campaign forWalkers Crisps and Little Mix partnering with Simple in an ad that claimed TheDrum’s 2019 Best Integrated Marketing Campaign award.
Commenting on his new position as VP of Podcasting & Creative, AdamCardew said: “The growth in the podcast space makes it a pivotal momentto support our artists by connecting them with an expanding audience of newlisteners. 4th Floor Creative is uniquely positioned to create first-classpodcasts and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve.”
Cassandra Gracey, President of 4th Floor Creative, said: “Adamis always leaning into all forms of digital innovation in the music business. Iam delighted to see him take on the next level of our podcast development.”
About 4th Floor Creative
4th Floor Creative launched in spring 2018 as a new department withinSony Music Entertainment UK, led by Cassandra Gracey. The division unites thecreative disciplines from across the company, comprising Brand Partnerships,Sync, Podcasting, Creative, Digital & Audience Development. 4th FloorCreative works with Sony Music’s iconic frontline labels and offers anall-encompassing perspective to bring an artist’s creative vision to life in avariety of contemporary formats.
About Adam Cardew
In addition to his Sony duties, Adam was a key member of the digitalteam for the BRIT Awards from 2016-2019. The team achieved record-breakingnumbers for international digital engagement. Cardew previously worked atAbsolute Label Services as Director Of Digital.