Musicnotes Appoints Planet Propaganda as First Creative and Strategic Agency of Record

Musicnotes, the digital sheet music retailer that gives musicians instant, legal access to a vast library of quality digital sheet music via the Musicnotes website and app, has appointed Planet Propaganda as its first brand strategy and creative AOR. The full-service agency, which is also headquartered in Madison, will help Musicnotes enhance its brand and better communicate Musicnotes’ unique benefits to musicians who are passionate about their creative journey.

The agency was awarded the business following a review and represents the first time Musicnotes has entered into an AOR relationship. The partnership spans strategy, identity, brand building and creative duties. 

Founded in 1998, Musicnotes has spent two decades transforming the way people purchase and play sheet music. Today, it is the world's leading digital sheet music retailer, providing an unparalleled catalog of content for every instrument and skill level. Unlike some rival services, Musicnotes works in partnership with publishers, arrangers, and artists to provide the highest quality sheet music and to fairly compensate creators.

Musicnotes has plans to enhance its service offering with a number of features and membership perks for users over the coming year. New developments will create a more intuitive, personalized and holistic experience.

On partnering with Planet Propaganda, Duncan Hearn, senior director of marketing and CX for Musicnotes, said: "Planet Propaganda was our first and only call once we decided to partner with an agency to elevate our brand. In 2023 Musicnotes entered our 25th year of doing business; as a company made up of music lovers and technologists that serve the world's musicians the best in digital sheet music experiences, we felt Planet was the perfect partner to help us continue our legacy and tell our story to even more musicians. Planet's collaborative approach and proven methodology gave us confidence. We genuinely value having a local partner here in Madison, WI, that understands our goals and can deliver on a global scale.”

Under the new partnership, Planet will help take Musicnotes’ brand to the next level by showing musicians how those values and features can aid their personal development and individual expression. A new brand platform and identity, including an integrated advertising campaign and new logo, are expected to debut in Q3 2023.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Musicnotes to help them articulate their brand and vision in a way that serves a unique and meaningful purpose in each musician’s life. We were immediately drawn to the quality of their product and soon realized that we also shared the same values as people, which makes this partnership even more exciting,” says Emily Steele, managing director at Planet Propaganda.