• 'SMART formats' blend physical products with bonus digital content, giving artists the chance to release exclusive material to fans carried on physical items

• Key Production is the first agency to bring a combination of SMART formats together in one place for the industry - presenting new commercial opportunities

• SMART format sales will be Official Chart Company recognised, counting towards overall sales

Key Production, the UK's leading bespoke physical music and packaging manufacturing broker, is launching a groundbreaking new way for musicians to release their music - via 'SMART formats', presenting a new commercial opportunity.

SMART formats blend physical products with bonus digital content and will be available for fans to buy alongside traditional formats as part of an artist's release plans. The technology utilises NFC (near field communication) capabilities, provided by pioneering digital platforms including Serenade, which has partnered with Key Production. Unique digital access codes are embedded into physical products which are then scanned by an NFC enabled smartphone. 

Once scanned, customers are taken to an exclusive digital platform where they can access bonus content uploaded by the artist - i.e., unheard music, videos, designs, messages to fans or announcements etc. SMART formats can be as rich and creative as the artists like, and the dedicated content can be uploaded directly to the platform and added regularly throughout an album campaign, including the album itself on release day. 

The possibilities for SMART product 'carriers' are limitless, from wristbands, badges and keyrings to more unique items like mugs, t-shirts, slipmats and much more. SMART links can also be embedded to vinyl and CDs - so you can buy a physical record and access the digital version instantly. Other providers offer scannable fixed format options that look similar to and can sit alongside LPs, CDs and cassettes. 

Some SMART formats can be sold from the moment a record is announced. In the case of an album release, when fans pre-order a CD or LP, they can select a 'SMART' version, where they can either receive an access code ahead of the album's physical release unlocking the exclusive creative digital content, or their chosen merch immediately. What's more - all sales are Official Charts Company certified - therefore if a customer purchases a SMART LP, CD or cassette, the sale is registered twice by the OCC when it follows standard bundling rules, once for the LP, CD or cassette and once for the digital SMART version - doubling a sale for the artist. SMART formats are also starting to gain international chart accreditation too, Germany has become the first European country to recognise them.

Karen Emanuel, Founder and CEO of Key Production Group said: "SMART formats truly have the potential to revolutionise the music industry. It's an opportunity for artists to share special content directly to fans who will value it the most, in accessible and creative ways. I see them becoming a core part of a release campaign alongside other physical formats.

"Recent sales figures are showing people are falling in love with physical music formats again. Just like everything else, physical music is evolving and SMART formats are the next generation.

"I was astonished by what the team at Serenade have built. We're particularly delighted to join forces with them, in a partnership that creates an unprecedented opportunity to seamlessly blend physical products with new digital experiences."

Max Shand, CEO of Serenade, said: "We've always been proud to provide a platform that hosts digital content for musicians and now alongside Key Production, we can take this to the next level and push the boundaries of blending physical and digital music formats."

Key Production is the first agency to bring a combination of SMART technology together under one 'SMART format' umbrella. Bonus digital content hosted on back-end sites has been available for the industry, but now, via NFC and Key Production's industry-leading physical product brokering, artists can benefit from a connected series of digital and physical technologies.

SMART releases, Key Production feels, are a comprehensive offer to the music industry. As the technology can be added to any physical product, it opens up endless commercial opportunities for creative brand marketing and storytelling around the release of new music, re-releases, box-sets and more. SMART formats can become part of a release timeline, offering fans unique and collectible memorabilia beyond traditional physical formats.

Key Production, a member of the Key Production Group, is the UK's largest bespoke physical music and packaging manufacturing broker. Since 1990 Key Production has worked with an array of award winning artists consulting on the physical album production and design. SMART formats are available via Key Production now, whose in-house design team can consult on all product elements and design. For more information, go to keyproduction.co.uk