Sony Music
Benefits for the Brand and Fans
Unique Experiences & Activities
Behind-the-scenes content
Direct-to-fan-channel
Nearly a quarter of buyers engaged with the album’s digital content.- Users returned multiple times to explore the exclusive experiences.
- Almost half of buyers voluntarily shared their email, opening the door for future engagement opportunities.
Client: Sony Music
Industry: Music & Entertainment
An Immersive Music Experience Like Never Before
Sony Music and Jean-Michel Jarre have redefined the music experience with an innovative CD and vinyl record that offers more than just timeless sound. Buyers gain ongoing access to exclusive content, transforming the album into a living, immersive journey that evolves over time, inviting fans to revisit and rediscover its magic. This groundbreaking release follows Jarre’s historic performance at the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, where the godfather of electronic music celebrated the Château’s 400th anniversary, bridging France’s grand history with the promise of future innovation.
challenge
Transforming a Music Album Into an Immersive Experience
Sony Music faced the challenge of creating a standout, unique music album to honor Jean-Michel Jarre’s groundbreaking performance at the Château de Versailles, part of its 400th-anniversary celebrations.
Solution
Revolutionary Music Album Unlocks Digital World
Partnering with ZATAP, Sony Music introduced an NFC-enabled CD and vinyl record—a first-of-its-kind phygital product that bridged the physical and digital worlds. Fans could tap their smartphones to the embedded chip and unlock a curated treasure trove of exclusive content. The solution includes an adaptive platform that allows Sony to upload new content over time, keeping the product fresh and re-engaging fans with updated experiences, ensuring a lasting connection between Jean-Michel Jarre and his audience.
Results
48% Engagement Rate Boosts Fan Interaction
The NFC-enabled CDs and vinyl records achieved remarkable success, with a 48% tapping rate showcasing strong buyer engagement and a 3.8 repeat tapping rate highlighting fans’ ongoing interest. Additionally, a 78.3% email submission rate unlocked significant opportunities for future audience interaction. These results underline the power of blending physical products with immersive digital experiences.
Solutions Used in this Story
Product-Based Storytelling
Telling a story, storing memories, or using the phygital product in a video game. ZATAP allows brands to engage their customers directly through their products.
Other Success Stories
Discover captivating narratives, innovative technologies, and the latest trends shaping the convergence of the
physical and digital realms.
Client: Universal Music Group Central Europe & CRO
Industry: Music & Entertainment
NFC Plush Drives Long-Term Engagement
CRO, one of the most successful German hip-hop artists of all time, used ZATAP’s technology for his "Crodies". These plush collectibles have a ZATAP NFC tag inside and come in six different colors. Each color represents a certain topic (i.e. red = "love", green = "hope", or purple = "joy") and each color gives buyers access to a unique experience.
Client: Sony Music Entertainment Germany & Clueso
Industry: Music & Entertainment
New Chart-Eligible Music Format – Mini NFC-Cassette
It looks like a small version of an old-school cassette and has a tiny NFC tag inside. When fans tap it with their smartphone, they instantly unlock a digital hub filled with content from the artist and the released album. This new music format has already been approved for the charts in Germany and the United Kingdom, US charts will follow soon.
Client: Warner Music France & Christopher Maé
Industry: Music & Entertainment
Why You Should Sell Cassettes in 2026
Fans received a bundle of a HOHNER harmonica and a physical cassette with an NFC tag embedded. But why are fans buying a cassette, assuming most of them don't own a cassette player anymore? Tapping the NFC tag with the smartphone unlocks exclusive studio videos and bonus tracks from the album Fête Foraine, turning this collectible into a living fan experience. The physical-digital connection transforms the act of owning music into an ongoing relationship between artist and fan.
