There are no restrictions or regulations in the U.S., other than that paid influencers must be disclosed per FTC rulings.

The biggest challenge for branded content lies in creating content that earns the trust and interest of the audience. In GE’s case, branded content provides an opportunity to reach fans of technology and move the brand from top-down messaging to a channel for the unique stories that drive one of the world’s top innovators.

We paired musician Matthew Dear and GE Acoustics Engineer Andrew Gorton to gather over 1000 acoustic samples at GE sites around the world. The result was an original electronic track featuring sounds from the world’s largest machines - culminating in a much-anticipated drop.

The track was released as a single on SoundCloud and Spotify, and then distributed across 15+ platforms and media. Related content included a video documenting the project on YouTube; a vinyl edition of the track, bundled assets available through a first-ever brand partnership with BitTorrent; and a SoundPack containing individual samples on the Djay 2 app.

Success has been measured by overall plays and views, and specifically penetration into music culture – notably the acceptance of the track as a legitimate piece of music, not just a branded asset. Additional metrics include press around the concept as a whole and the innovative distribution methods behind it.

After analyzing Matthew Dear’s previous musical releases on SoundCloud, we found that his tracks garner a 6.2% engagement rate. The Drop Science track peaked at 6.4% engagement, a top 5 track on his page, validating the quality of this branded content.

In addition, the track got mainstream radio play, was featured in music and cultural publications, and was well received not by both Matthew Dear fans as well as the broader community of electronic music fans.

Results:

259,303 listens across SoundCloud and BitTorrent streams

457,303 views across YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Twitter

1.7 million downloads of the BitTorrent Bundle

10.2 million downloads of the Djay 2 Sound Pack

164.2 million media impressions