Best Way To Get Sponsored?

S

Soundpioneer

Junior Member
Hi All,

I've started this post because I did a couple of quick searches for how to get sponsored and didn't get many hits... so I hope this will get something good started :)
Some quick background info about my situation... I'm almost totally self-taught (which is a deceptive label anyway since that just means I've learned by listening and, more recently, watching videos for technique refinement and inspiration), I'm 22 years old, a senior in college, and I've been playing set since Christmas of '98. Recently I joined up with two other guys and started a funk/rock/jazz band that's going really well (although we're still feeling out what style of music we're most interested in ultimately pursuing).
I feel that I'm becoming developed enough to get a sponsorship pretty soon and so my question is this.... What's the best way to get a sponsorship?? I'm not ready to sign a record deal yet (and neither are the other guys), but I've heard that getting signed is one of the best and easiest ways to get sponsored. Is that true? Are some companies easier to sign with than others?
I'd love to hear from anyone with advice, especially personal experience, on the matter. Thank you all so much for your time and let's keep the music coming! :)
( haha oh yeah, this is my first post ever, so please be kind )
 
If your talking about drum or cymbal endorsements in a way of sponsorship most companies will like you to submit to them a professional level released CD that you are on representing your musical profile and your level of playing and in most cases if you are already involved in a touring act. One or the other or both is what most equipment companies are looking at in regards to endorsements and that's their basic requirements for endorsement deals with artist if that's the kind of sponsorship you were asking about. I'm endorsed by Istanbul Agop and Peace Drums just for reference in this discussion.

Welcome to the forum by the way and good luck!
 
Soundpioneer said:
Hi All,

I've started this post because I did a couple of quick searches for how to get sponsored and didn't get many hits... so I hope this will get something good started :)
Some quick background info about my situation... I'm almost totally self-taught (which is a deceptive label anyway since that just means I've learned by listening and, more recently, watching videos for technique refinement and inspiration), I'm 22 years old, a senior in college, and I've been playing set since Christmas of '98. Recently I joined up with two other guys and started a funk/rock/jazz band that's going really well (although we're still feeling out what style of music we're most interested in ultimately pursuing).
I feel that I'm becoming developed enough to get a sponsorship pretty soon and so my question is this.... What's the best way to get a sponsorship?? I'm not ready to sign a record deal yet (and neither are the other guys), but I've heard that getting signed is one of the best and easiest ways to get sponsored. Is that true? Are some companies easier to sign with than others?
I'd love to hear from anyone with advice, especially personal experience, on the matter. Thank you all so much for your time and let's keep the music coming! :)
( haha oh yeah, this is my first post ever, so please be kind )
Click to expand...

You feel that you're becoming developed enough to get a sponsorship pretty soon? From who? You got anything to offer them?
Do you honestly think that we all go around being "sponsored?"
It's a very nutty idea. I wonder where such an idea comes from.
Brother, you don't need a sponsorship. Wherever you got that idea from, drop it right now and just keep playing.
 
Companies want to sponsor players who:

A: Appear on recordings regularly, preferably nationally released recordings, not the kind that are sold out of trunks.

B: Play live regularly, either in a specific locale, on a touring basis, or both.

C: Hold a teaching position which gives them considerable notability, recognition and sway.

If none of these apply to you, like Jay Norem said, don't worry about it, just keep playing. You started playing drums because it's fun and you love it, not because maybe one day you could get some crap for free.

Companies are also wise to players who try to cast a wide net and hit up every company they can think of for an endorsement deal. They want to give endorsements to people who love and believe in their product and want to endorse it so they can get more people to love and believe in it too. That's why I pursued an endorsement with Bosphorus, and only Bosphorus, because I think they're the best cymbals in the history of the world...EVER...and I wanted my name and theirs to be associated. I still don't get cymbals for free, very few Bos endorsers do.
 
Yes I agree if you don't 100% love the product your endorsing you will have very little if any credibility in my book and the company or companies involved will pick up on that pretty quick if you have a very flakey public stance on their products. I Stand 100% behind both the cymbals and drums I endorse without question as the very BEST available currently to me as a professional working player. Can't be any other way for me in regards to endorsements.
 
I do wish they'd make it easier to get drumstick deals for little guys though. I'd happily wear every piece of clothing that had Vater scribbled across every minute of the day just to get a discount at the moment. The cost of sticks is crippling my future as a drummer :(
 
jonescrusher said:
I do wish they'd make it easier to get drumstick deals for little guys though. I'd happily wear every piece of clothing that had Vater scribbled across every minute of the day just to get a discount at the moment. The cost of sticks is crippling my future as a drummer :(
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So are drum heads... Yikes!
 
Exactly. You have to ask yourself "what do I have that they can profit from?" Do you gig regularly? How big is your draw? What equipment do you use? Do you have a full length professional album? Can we make any profit by having this drummer associated with our company? Do you tour? These are only a few questions that companies will look into when considering a new addition to their artist list.

Also, you really have to believe in the company that you want to be endorsed to. Going around to a whole bunch of companies and looking for an endorsment is going to make you look very bad and unprofessional. What drums, cymbals, sticks and drum heads do you use? As for me, if I was looking for an endorsment, which i'm not atm, I would choose Yamaha and Remo, but when it comes to cymbals and sticks, I always use different brands because i'm not ready to "commit" to a certain cymbal or stick brand haha.
 
First off, you don't get sponsored by a company... YOU are endorsing them.

Thank being said, you need to be in a position that the said company feels they will sell more product because you use it. Touring is almost a must, and not like a week here or there. LOTS of touring. You need to basically be making a living as a musician touring, recording and/or teaching a lot of students.

My first endorsement came with Peace Drums and at the time I was teaching 20+ students a week (who all bought Peace kits).
 
Soundpioneer said:
Hi All,

I've started this post because I did a couple of quick searches for how to get sponsored and didn't get many hits... so I hope this will get something good started :)
Some quick background info about my situation... I'm almost totally self-taught (which is a deceptive label anyway since that just means I've learned by listening and, more recently, watching videos for technique refinement and inspiration), I'm 22 years old, a senior in college, and I've been playing set since Christmas of '98. Recently I joined up with two other guys and started a funk/rock/jazz band that's going really well (although we're still feeling out what style of music we're most interested in ultimately pursuing).
I feel that I'm becoming developed enough to get a sponsorship pretty soon and so my question is this.... What's the best way to get a sponsorship?? I'm not ready to sign a record deal yet (and neither are the other guys), but I've heard that getting signed is one of the best and easiest ways to get sponsored. Is that true? Are some companies easier to sign with than others?
I'd love to hear from anyone with advice, especially personal experience, on the matter. Thank you all so much for your time and let's keep the music coming! :)
( haha oh yeah, this is my first post ever, so please be kind )
Click to expand...

sounds like your absolutely ready to me man...especially if you have a myspace and like 10 fans 8 of which are your sibling or your folks....
seriously though, unless youre in a national touring act and have a cd out either self-realeased thats selling a ton or a label noones going to waste their time.
Keep in mind there are two levels of sponsorships (and it is a sponorship, they sponsor you by giving you their product and you endorse their product honestly)...totally free, which is incredibly rare these days unless you're selling millions of records or doing clinics every day of your life or you get cost...which is pretty much wholesale, same as retailers pay. Granted you get perks and a bit of name recognition.
I would really just urge you to work on the band and they endorsements will come. Make sure you go try for the company you love not just one to tide you over until the one you really want comes along...good luck and remember "dont be that guy." douchebags are a dime a dozen in this business their reputation follows them wherever they go.
 
So I guess I should spend my $10k on a good DW kit instead of breast implants for my wife?
 
I think we've all dreamed of being sponsored by our favorite drum and cymbal companies :) It probably won't happen for me (I love and use premier and paiste), and you know what, I'm not bothered about the free/cheap products because - not being arrogant or anything.. I have all the equipment I need already LOL. I think its the principle of a company having faith in you and and the whole ego thing that does it perhaps :>

The truth is.. if another company came up to me instead... what would I do? GIVE UP PAISTE?!?! SELL MY GENISTA?!??! :( ! I don't think I could =] I will support them and have their logos regardless, because I want people to know that I like them. Unless of course they kill my family.

It would be cool to have my own cymbal though. The "CHALCEDONY SLAB OF METAL RIDE".... yeah... 1 inch thick, so heavy that it breaks your wrist, and it just goes TING TING and people's ears bleed and complain about the product and the company goes bust, which gets it in the news, and then everyone goes "wow no way, I have to buy this ride cymbal" and people die.

Good luck though bro! perhaps go for a smaller company? find some hand made cymbals made by one man and his wife who doesn't speak english, and just keep smiling, and maybe he'll let you design his whole cymbal range.
 
Soundpioneer said:
I'm not ready to sign a record deal yet (and neither are the other guys),
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If you're not ready for a record deal, what in the world makes you think any company will "sponsor" you over the thousands of drummers out there who playing on a regular basis but still have to buy all their own gear?
 
most endorsers don't get free gear anyways, just cost and you have to buy a bunch of stuff to get it. but if your buying sticks a dozen pair at a time and and going through heads every two weeks there are places you can buy stuff like that for at discounted rates.

You can practically get things at cost anyways at guitar center using their lowest price guarantee.

just play lots of shows, keep track of your appearances, definitely get video footage of any t.v. appearances you do. nothing will get you endorsed faster than being on the tonight show.. have a nationally distributed cd. or teach lessons to 25 something kids.

also for some reason christian band drummers all seem to be endorsed by everybody! but you can see why because they play to a ton of kids who are really impressionable and usually into music programs at their churches.

also I think it's easier to start off smaller. you don't have to try hard to get alcohol companies to endorse your band or gigs. also cigarette companies too. you don't even have to use their products they don't care as long as they can attach their name to your group. my band has done stuff for Guinness and dos xx before on one off occasions.

then I would think stick endorsements are easier than drum sets or cymbals just because they are cheaper.


I had a question for people who have endorsement contracts though... say your a yamaha endorser and you play alot of festivals and they provide the drumset and it's a DW. does this violate your contract? I've just been playing a lot of festivals lately and they are usually the higher profile gigs I do. Also when you go out of the country and a kit is rented for you you don't always get what you endorse how does that work out?
 
mcbike said:
I had a question for people who have endorsement contracts though... say your a yamaha endorser and you play alot of festivals and they provide the drumset and it's a DW. does this violate your contract? I've just been playing a lot of festivals lately and they are usually the higher profile gigs I do. Also when you go out of the country and a kit is rented for you you don't always get what you endorse how does that work out?
Click to expand...

It happens to enough drummers that most companies know that sometimes a drummer can't use their own gear on some festivals and such.

As for tours overseas or where you other wise can't be with your set, all the big names have gear stored all over the word or available via rental agencies, to be available for use when a name drummer is traveling somewhere, although granted, that still doesn't always work for every situation. I've seen many drummers using rental gear with the logo of the rental kick duct taped over.

I think the key point is to keep your rep at the company informed in as to why you can't use your gear for certain situations so as to avoid questions.
 
DanJacobs said:
There are also different types of endorsement but companies will only be interested if, as already said, you have lots of gigs so a large amount of people will see you play their product.
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This isn't completely true: some companies will and do give endorsements to high-profile educators, not only folks who do lots of gigs. If you teach a 'large amount of people', have a proven track-record as an educator, and have a well-established loyalty to your brand(s) of choice, many companies will talk to you.
 
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