Seat is a hit at influential Music Week Awards

With the parade of award silverware marching into SEAT UK showing no signs of tailing off, the Spanish car brand is celebrating yet another win – this time for its successful marketing activity in the shape of ground-breaking entertainment show On Track with SEAT.
 
Along with Universal Music, SEAT UK scooped the Music and Brand Partnership of the Year title at the respected Music Week Awards for On Track with SEAT – the Spanish brand’s first major foray into a music-based marketing association.
 
Recognising the success of the On Track programmes the Music Week judges said: ‘In a very strong shortlist, Universal and SEAT emerged as the partnership that best demonstrated the potential for mutual interest between music and brand.’
 
The awards took place earlier this week at London’s fashionable Roundhouse performing arts venue in Camden, with Head of Marketing at SEAT UK Steve Robertson collecting the latest trophy.
 
On Track with SEAT saw 12 established or up-and-coming artists each visit the Metropolis Studios in London to record live sessions direct to vinyl in intimate yet compelling ‘one take’ performances.  The sessions were filmed and broadcast on Channel 4.
 
Among the Universal Music artists participating in the first series, which aired last autumn, were Ellie Goulding, Amy Macdonald, The Coral and Tinchy Stryder.  Each artist recorded a number of their own songs, plus a particular cover version that had inspired them.
 
All told, the twelve 15-minute episodes generated a live TV audience of more than three million, and resulted in tens of thousands of free music downloads from the enthusiast website Club SEAT – club-seat.co.uk
 
Commenting on the Music Week Awards win Steve Robertson said: ‘In SEAT we’re passionate not just about our cars but about the way that we bring our brand to life.  I think On Track with SEAT and our partnership with Universal Music really reflected that passion.
 
‘Music is one of the two main sponsorship pillars within SEAT – the other being our football associations with both the UEFA Europa League and, in the UK, Fulham FC and the popular SEAT FIVES amateur football tournament.
 
‘So when we were drawing up the On Track concept we knew we wanted to produce something that not only reflected our dynamic, design-driven and young-spirited brand values but also had the integrity to appeal to the audience and artists alike.’
 
He added: ‘I know that the challenge to the artists of laying down live tracks to vinyl was something they loved, and this really came across in the shows and recordings.
 
‘Plus, through Club SEAT, we were even able to get some of the biggest fans down to Metropolis Studios to watch the artists performing for the show!’
 
The Music Week Awards are unique in focusing on every sector in the music industry.  The categories cover everything from A&R, digital and live music to management and music production, marketing, media and music publishing.
 
Following the successful first series of On Track with SEAT, the company is again partnering with Universal Music to record a second series that will once again be broadcast on Channel 4 this autumn.
 
Away from its music marketing success, SEAT UK has this week also scooped further recognition in the shape of an impressive third place in the automotive section of the Marketing Week Engage Awards.

SEAT UK’s eye-catching ‘Expect More’ fleet and business sales campaign took bronze ahead of big budget marketing initiatives from the likes of Ford, Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz.

For more information, visit seat.co.uk.