BIGSOUND 2012: Beth Appleton

Business/Position:
Marketing Director.

How did you first become involved in the music business?
My first job was as marketing assistant at EMI Records way back in 1995.  I started with the photocopying, creating powerpoint presentations and filing! The buzz of working at the famous EMI HQ in Manchester Square and being part of the music industry totally made it worth it!

What do you perceive to be your area of expertise, and how did you gain experience in this field?
Team work, digital and marketing. I started getting involved in digital in 1999 – my first task then was to create our Sales Extranet where retail could go and get sales notes 24/7! How things have evolved since then. I have learnt and built experience by meeting with start-ups, new platforms and working on how new technologies can be integrated into every marketing initiative in cool and creative ways.

What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference?
I'm on a panel with fellow digital peeps! I am sure we will be discussing digital services, online and digital marketing opportunities…and answering any burning questions that the audience have.

What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview?
That everything in marketing now is about digital – we need to embrace all aspects – social media, digital advertising, new music platforms ….and keep building great consumer experiences for fans to discover and consume music legitimately.

What are you expecting to take away yourself from your visit to BIGSOUND?
A great memory.