Brooklyn, NY., March 29, 2022 – Today, Ally Financial joins music creator platform UnitedMasters’ The Independent(s) Exchange, an initiative designed to foster multifaceted relationships between independent artists and major brands. Powered by 1.3 million independent UnitedMasters artists, the Independent(s) Exchange is an opportunity for brands to directly invest in the growing creator economy and support the next generation of artists shaping tomorrow's pop culture. Ally and UnitedMasters launched the relationship with a day of activations at this year’s SXSW in Austin, Texas.
“Ally is a brand that shares a core piece of the UnitedMaster’s mission -- creating pathways to financial success for underrepresented communities,” said Steve Stoute, Founder, and CEO of UnitedMasters. “We're able to lock arms with a company that has the ability to educate artists on building and maintaining wealth from their cultural influence. The Independent(s) Exchange gives room for a collaborative space for both Ally and UnitedMasters to innovate within a new direct media investment model with equity and inclusion at its core."
This relationship with UnitedMasters will enable Ally to help elevate a new audience of independent artists, creators, music fans, and cultural tastemakers, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to empowering multicultural communities with the tools needed for financial success. The Exchange acts as a solution for brands to carve out a unique space within the creator economy that’s both true to their brand values and keeps pace with how creators are forming direct relationships with consumers.
“We believe everyone is better off with an Ally, which is why we couldn’t be more excited to deepen our support of United Masters and empower more creators to take control of their financial journey. We see the innovation and creativity that comes from independent artists, and it’s important for us to be there with them every step of the way,” said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally. “Ally is committed to creating access and serving diverse communities with the financial tools and education that drive long-term success. Our agreement with UnitedMasters enables us to provide visibility and awareness that can drive opportunity, influence acceptance, and create access within the creator economy.”
Ally began working with UnitedMasters in December of 2021 at Earn Your Masters (EYM), a three-day content house and pop-up event in Miami Beach during Art Basel. EYM focused on art, finance, and the opportunities they create for young musicians and creators– in collaboration with the hosts behind the hit podcast, Earn Your Leisure. Celebrities in attendance included Maverick Carter, Dj Khaled, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Shyne, FazeClan, Elliot Wilson, Tamika Mallory, and more.
As a member of The Independent(s) Exchange, Ally will be prominently featured with UnitedMasters across a series of activations including recently at another Earn Your Master's pop-up experience at this year’s SXSW conference. EYM at SXSW celebrated Texas’ independent music scene and brought together some of the best independent musicians and entrepreneurs. Legendary independent artist Tobe Nwigwe headlined the event, recording an episode of the Earn Your Leisure podcast live and ended the night with a showcase performance.
In 2022, the EYM experience will integrate with some of the most prominent cultural moments, including New York Fashion Week, and back again at Art Basel in December. EYM, along with other activations, allows Ally to continue supporting diverse creators, building community around the intersection of money and music. Ally will also be part of SelectCon, a UnitedMasters conference that has been attended virtually by 1.6M people, providing education and tools for independent creators to maximize the value of their careers on their own terms. SelectCon will take place in person in May in New York.
Lastly, Ally will continue to sponsor the SelectConversations podcast in its second season. This UnitedMasters podcast delivers in-depth conversations with prominent figures in music, sports, and entertainment, dissecting how they achieve their ambitions, overcome obstacles and stay up-to-date on trends that shape culture.
The Independent(s) Exchange will continue to add complementary members. Ally joins Diageo in giving up-and-coming artists access to top brands looking to enable artists to maximize their creative and economic potential while maintaining full ownership over their master recording rights.
About UnitedMasters
Launched in 2017 by Translation founder and music industry veteran Steve Stoute, UnitedMasters provides a new industry alternative for independent artists. UnitedMasters gives artists access to premium music distribution services, a suite of tools to help them directly connect with fans, and opportunities for unique partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands. The UnitedMasters platform enables artists to operationalize their independence and maximize their creative and economic potential while allowing them to maintain full ownership over their master recording rights.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a digital financial services company committed to its promise to "Do It Right" for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally is composed of an industry-leading independent auto finance and insurance operation, an award-winning digital direct bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender, which offers mortgage lending, point-of-sale personal lending, and a variety of deposit and other banking products), a consumer credit card business, a corporate finance business for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. Our brand conviction is that we are all better off with an ally, and our focus is on helping our customers achieve their strongest financial well-being, a notion personalized to what is important to them. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.
For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
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UnitedMasters Media Contact:
Shanice Graves
shanice.graves@translationllc.com
Ally Public Relations:
media@ally.com
