Music merchandise company Bravado has revealed it is now exploring more unusual and unique avenues.

Speaking to Music Week, Bravado managing director David Boyne declared: “It’s not just about t-shirts anymore, or mugs and key rings. We will explore opportunities with anything that has a merchandisable value – whether that’s in pop-up stores, which are really on our radar this year, or exhibitions, galleries etc.

“We’re now doing wine, fruit machines, Monopoly sets, health and beauty, cosmetics and hair products.”

The 40-year-old firm has direct deals with more than 150 artists, including the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, Guns N’ Roses, Justin Bieber, Queen, Bob Marley, Take That and The Stone Roses.

But why are t-shirts not enough anymore?

At one time, you’d have to go to a gig to actually get a band t-shirt. In the past decade, as bands have continued to use the internet as a powerful marketing tool, you could order what you wanted from an online store. But in today’s marketplace, numerous fashion outlets stock a wide variety of popular band tees.

Bravado has managed to take advantage of this. “To rewind, 15 years ago we were just in a field, or at a gig, and all of a sudden retail opened up lots of opportunities,” Boyne told Music Week

“Our growth strategy over the last four to five years has been through retail, originally through HMV, Play.com and the like, and now through fashion retail. We sell to shops such as ASOS, Primark, Top Man and River Island.”

For MI retailers out there who sell merch or are planning to stock more musical gift items, how can they compete?

While popular fashion stores might have a few Ramones t-shirts on the rails, this merch boom only works on the high street with well-established bands or current chart successes.

Local MI retailers have much more freedom to stock merch from local bands, up-and-coming acts, and niche genres.

For example, the high street may not quite be ready for J-pop/metal phenomenon Babymetal, but the band’s biggest hit Gimmie Chocolate!! Has notched up over 56,000,000 views on YouTube. It’s niche, but there is still a dedicated fanbase out there.

This ties in with what Flashback Records’ Mark Burgess described at the recent MI Expo about becoming a hub for local musicians and music fans. Having more freedom and being able to offering alternative merchandise to the fashion stores gives MI retailers a step up.

Article taken from – mi-pro.com

Read Music Week’s full interview with Bravado’s David Boyne here – http://www.musicweek.com/interviews/read/bravado-how-merch-became-big-business/065401