NEW YORK – Following a competitive review, the Country Music Association (CMA) has named MS&L, one of the world’s leading communications firms, its exclusive sales, marketing and branding partner. 

MS&L will work with CMA primarily on entertainment marketing, branding and sponsor partnerships with an eye towards expanding the relationship into assistance with research, digital communications and program content creation and execution.  The sponsorship sales and branding effort will be designed to support the country music genre and the constituents of CMA, including artists, management, music labels and country-based networks and media.

“Following a period of research, discovery and competitive selection, CMA decided that MS&L’s communications, entertainment and branding expertise will help us achieve our marketing goals, including expanding our fan base, identifying and securing strong business partners and elevating our brand,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese.

MS&L will be charged with developing and marketing sponsorship packages around premier CMA properties including the CMA Awards, held annually in November and the CMA Music Festival, held annually in June.  In addition, MS&L will work with CMA to develop new CMA equities to offer more opportunities for brands and companies to partner with country music, an American staple and one of the fastest growing and evolving music genres today.

 “Our goal is to work with CMA to support and grow this vital and vibrant art form,” said Bruce MacKenzie, SVP and head of MS&L’s entertainment marketing, branding and sponsorship sales group. “We are excited and proud to be a partner in this new chapter in CMA’s history and to help take the organization to new levels.”

MS&L has also announced that Sheri Warnke, based in Nashville, has joined the agency as vice president of strategic partnerships to help spearhead its CMA efforts.  Sheri was most recently at Playboy Enterprises as regional sales manager.  Warnke is an industry expert, having served on the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association, Leadership Music, TJ Martell Foundation, and Gilda's Club, as well as maintaining memberships in organizations such as CMA, NARAS, and the National Advertising Federation.  Prior to her role at Playboy Enterprises, she spent more than 15 years in high-level consumer magazine publishing roles including four years as the VP/Group Publisher of Country Weekly and Country Music Magazines.

"I am so excited for this opportunity. There is no better way to reach mainstream consumers than to align with the country's number one music format,” said Warnke.  “No other music genre offers a more passionate fan base and I'm looking forward to showcasing these equities and building new partnerships for CMA."