“ Gets You Playing .”
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
EMD Music
By Andrew King
“ Gets You Playing .”
That ’ s the longtime tagline for Stagg Music , the flagship distributed brand from EMD Music , and it may very well be cause for some celebration in Canada .
Across the board , the MI industry – from manufacturers and suppliers to retailers and educators – has presented a unified voice in recent years on the importance of getting more people engaged in music and , ultimately , creating more music makers . Considering Stagg Music targets the education and entry-level markets across its many different product categories – from electric and acoustic guitars and amplifiers to brass , woodwind , and orchestral instruments to drums and percussion and even PA and lighting equipment – it may be a good sign that the company ’ s Canadian business grew by over 50 per cent last year .
“ We differentiate from our competition in that we offer a one-stop shop under a single brand name ,” explains Tony Graham , EMD Music ’ s North American sales manager . “ No other company offers the range of product we do across all categories under a single brand , and it gives dealers a real sense of house brand presence within their store .” He also tacks on other Stagg benefits like higher-than-average margins and fast shipping thanks to a “ direct container program ” from the company ’ s Chinese warehouse .
EMD MUSIC ’ S NORTH AMERICAN HQ IN LA VERGNE , TN
But while EMD Music began with and was built on the Stagg line , in subsequent years , the company has added several “ step-up ” product lines to its catalog , including JN Guitars , Angel Lopez , and Levante brass and woodwind instruments . Additionally , Stagg has upped its game to the professional level in some categories , like its hand-hammered cymbals . The plan , says Graham , is to continue that push and thus cover most product categories at every level .
The intended result is an even stronger appeal to virtually every type of MI retailer , as according to Graham , EMD Music already runs the gamut in terms of its dealer partners . “ Of course independent music stores have a huge selection of product to choose from , but we also sell to a lot of specialty retail stores – piano shops , drum shops , electronics retailers …” he begins . “ If you ’ re a high-end acoustic guitar shop , we have quality straps , cases , and so on . For big box , there is always a few unique SKUs that stand out , and for specialty online stores , we have probably the most user-friendly dealer website in the industry . We really do cater to all .”
The company also takes great pride in offering its retailers the resources they need to promote products and generate customer interest . From EMD Music ’ s global headquarters in Brussels , Belgium , the company creates a wealth of multimedia content , with a priority on short product videos for social media sharing and dealer websites .
Despite its global reach , EMD Music has made a point to tailor its operations to the individual markets it serves , including Canada . “ It ’ s been important since we started that our Canadian operation functions seamlessly for the dealer base ,” Graham offers . “ We set up a sales office in Ontario , do business in CAD , and handle all import costs and taxes internally .” Those efforts , coupled with the success of the company ’ s four Canadian field reps , are what Graham credits for EMD Music ’ s recent market growth .
On a recent trip to Canada to meet with the sales team , Graham noticed that the ukulele trend is still going strong , which has partly informed the company ’ s plans to
EMD MUSIC ’ S TONY GRAHAM ON A BRITISH DRUM COMPANY KIT
improve its ukulele and related accessory line in 2018 . Another trend on which they ’ ll continue to capitalize is going small and compact – mini amps , travel guitars , cocktail drum kits , and so on .
“ It ’ s exciting times ahead for EMD ,” Graham enthuses . “ We ’ re adding British Drum Company to the mix as its exclusive North American distributor – definitely one to watch as it is already taking Europe by storm .” There are a few other brand additions in the works , too , though he has to be tight-lipped for the time being , saying only that they ’ re targeting brands that will complement their current offerings and maximize their growth potential .
As for the existing catalog , there ’ s plenty from Stagg ready to roll out at The 2018 NAMM Show while JN Guitars is set to launch its CASK cigar box guitars and a new acoustic guitar series designed in collaboration with Kamloops , BC ’ s Riversong Guitars . The series features Riversong ’ s patented “ Necknology ” system , offering simple adjustment of the neck angle under full string tension .
It ’ s clear that , with Stagg , EMD Music is indeed getting people playing . And now , with their expansion into higher-end offerings through Stagg and their other currently- and soon-to-be-distributed brands , they hope to keep people playing , too .
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Music Trade .
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CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE