U.K.-based music content specialist LoveLive has acquired the U.S. entertainment media business Show Cobra to bolster its ambitions to expand into America.
The acquisition will help LoveLive’s goal to become the leading independent player in the region.
Show Cobra’s bicoastal presence and “blue chip client base” will boost LoveLive’s access “to the world’s biggest talent in the world’s largest music market,” the British company said.
The acquisition also enables LoveLive to expand their U.K. partnership with Universal Music to the U.S., delivering among many other things, content to Interscope’s YouTube channel on behalf of Universal, from the YouTube Space in L.A.
Like LoveLive, Show Cobra specializes in numerous areas of music from live events and performances, original television and web series to branded entertainment, documentary films, curation and strategic planning.
Since its inception in 2006, it has specialized in producing original music programming featuring artists such as Beyonce, Eminem, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend and global brands including Nike, Heineken, Virgin Mobile and Converse, as well working with cable networks, digital platforms such as YouTube, VEVO, Spotify, Pandora and MySpace.
Show Cobra and LoveLive will continue to act as complementary music specialists, delivering projects end to end, or supporting agency efforts to integrate music into their specific endeavors.
Show Cobra was founded by producer Jason Ross.
LoveLive CEO Richard Cohen said: “The creative and business synergies with Show Cobra make it an ideal acquisition for LoveLive. The breadth and depth of the team’s exceptional capabilities to execute projects across formats, production and live streaming will be of huge benefit to our IP creation, ownership and exploitation worldwide.”
Ross said: “Show Cobra’s content creation expertise and its sterling track record with artists and clients combined with LoveLive’s unique rights frameworks and distribution capability will position the Group as one of the leading independent music specialists. LoveLive is innovating the music content space as we know it, and I am thrilled to be part of this new chapter.”
No financial details were disclosed. LoveLive and Show Cobra are projected to have combined revenues of $15 million in 2013.