Global giants are marching to our beat
Oct 8 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
WHAT do Danish politicians, the UN, Disney and the Red Cross have in common? They have all marched to the beat of a small online firm from Tyneside.
In fact you can also add CNN, Sega and Kodak to the list of overseas clients who have enlisted the help of a team in Newcastle to provide them with a soundtrack.
Where once letters destined for the far corners of the world were stored, the basement of the former post office on Pink Lane is now home to an online music firm which is also sending its stuff out across the globe.
However, franking machines and vast grey filing systems have long since been replaced by sound-proofed walls, acoustic tiles and the latest in beat-making boxes.
Despite a modest team of four, six-year-old Beatsuite lists some of the biggest brands on the planet among its clients, with 75% of its earnings coming from exports.
This year the company, which started life in the council house bedroom of Steve Bainbridge, has invested £120,000 in a move into its new premises and is gearing up for ongoing growth.
The latest heavyweight group to sign up to its online music library is the Danish Parliament, which needs backing music for its new TV station.
The UN recently called on the firm to provide music for a campaign for women’s rights in Asia, while global snack brand Doritos used music sourced by Beatsuite for its interactive advertising.
The business is now branching out with the launch of a voice-over service and a stepping up of its presence in overseas markets.
“A few years ago we had a few tracks and no clients, then we started getting big-calibre clients,” says Mr Bainbridge, who believes that a combination of the internet and overseas fact-finding visits are the key to going global.
The 34-year-old adds: “It’s nice to have an online business because it’s cheap in terms of distribution, but also I think it’s good to do a lot of face-to-face business so we are trying to grow that side.”
“I suppose the Scandinavian countries are attractive to us to do business with. We won two big Danish jobs recently after we decided to concentrate on the Scandinavian countries.
“We were trying to do more business on the ground, on the people-to-people business and going out and meeting agencies and big companies in Northern Europe.
“It’s a smart area. They’ve got a good standard of living, they’ve got smart technology, they are very clever and capable and willing to do business with the UK.
“For us it’s a great market, which is not too far away.”
