Great music deserves great marketing. The key to a great marketing campaign is clear and effective messaging. To comply with Apple requirements and receive the greatest benefit from your communications, follow these guidelines when promoting Apple Music in marketing communications, including advertising, apps, websites, and printed promotions.
The Listen on Apple Music badge must be used in all marketing communications promoting music content on Apple Music. Use the badge in your email, digital ads, apps, websites, and whenever else you promote your music. If you use the badge online, you must include a link to Apple Music. See Linking to Apple Music and iTunes.
The Listen on Apple Music badge is a promise to your audience of a high-quality listening experience. Follow these guidelines to make sure you’re using the Apple Music badge correctly. Marketing materials don’t usually require approval by Apple, but there are a few exceptions. Written approval from Apple is required for materials used in:
Be sure to allow at least seven business days for review and approval. See the Apple Approvals section for details.
1.1 Badge Artwork
Use only the badge artwork provided by Apple. Never create your own Apple Music badge or change the artwork in any way.
If you create marketing material for the web or onscreen communications, use the high-resolution scalable artwork in SVG format. For printed material, use the badge artwork in EPS format.
1.2 Localized Badges
Apple offers the Listen on Apple Music badge artwork with the words “Listen on” translated into many languages. The service mark “Apple Music” always appears in English. Never translate the words “Apple Music”. Do not create your own translated or localized badge.
Localized badge artwork is available in Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
Download localized badges in every language we have available.
1.3 Badge Placement
Use only one Listen on Apple Music badge in your layout or video. Place the badge below or to the right of the images and copy promoting your content. Keep the badge smaller than your other images and main message. Don’t make it the dominant artwork.
If you include the Apple Music badge along with badges for other music services, place the Listen on Apple Music badge first in the lineup of badges.
1.4 Apple Music and iTunes Two-Badge Option
Most communications should display either an Apple Music or an iTunes badge.
The option of displaying an Apple Music badge and an iTunes badge together is available for use in certain apps and high-profile interactive communications. With this option, the Listen on Apple Music badge and the Buy on iTunes badge are displayed side by side, giving customers a choice for their music experience.
Approval from Apple is required to use the two-badge option. To obtain Apple approval, send a request to our support helpdesk. Include a description of your app or marketing campaign. Upon approval from Apple, artwork and usage instructions for both badges will be provided.
To link to the iTunes Store, affiliates can use the Get it on iTunes badge. For information and to download badge artwork, see the iTunes Identity Guidelines: Movies, Music, and TV.
The Buy on iTunes badge is specially designed to appear along with the Listen on Apple Music badge. Artists and label marketing groups can use this two-badge solution with Apple’s permission.
If you are an iTunes affiliate using a stand-alone iTunes badge, use the Get it on iTunes badge. Do not use the Buy on iTunes badge by itself.
2.1 Minimum Clear Space
Follow these guidelines for print and digital material: Minimum clear space around the badge should be at least one-tenth the height of the badge. Don’t place photos, typography, or other graphic elements inside the minimum clear space area. Allow more space whenever possible.
2.2 Minimum Size
Minimum badge size is 10 mm for use in printed materials and 40 pixels for digital use. Don’t make the badge the dominant graphic. The small badge should be 12 pixels high or larger.
On Mobile Devices
If you have advertising with very limited layout space, such as banners for mobile devices, use a badge size that’s clearly readable on these devices. Minimum clear space around the badge should be at least one-tenth the height of the badge.
2.3 Backgrounds
The Listen on Apple Music badge must always appear in black and white. The gray border around the badge is part of the badge artwork and must not be left out.
You can place the badge on these backgrounds:
2.4 Avoid Mistakes
Use only the Listen on Apple Music badge artwork provided by Apple.
3.1 Apple Music Connect
Apple Music Connect is a place where artists can share their ideas, audio, videos, and photos directly with a global audience of fans. Plus, everything they share on Connect can be accessed by everyone, not just Apple Music members, giving the artist’s voice the widest reach possible. Learn More
3.2 Using Follow Assets
Artists and curators on Apple Music can use the Follow button or icon below to help fans find them on Connect. If you have the space, use the Follow button.
Only use the icon to link to an artist on Connect or to an artist page on Apple Music. If you want to link to songs, albums, or playlists, don’t use the icon. Use the “Listen on Apple Music” badge instead. To get some more detail, see section 1
3.3 Apple Music Icon
The Apple Music icon can be used alongside other social media icons that are similar in shape and size. However, don’t create your own icon. Only the versions shown here are approved.
Color
Use on dark backgrounds
White
Use on dark backgrounds
Black
Use on light backgrounds
Color Icon
Only use the color icon whenever other icons are also shown in color.
Black Icon
White Icon
Custom Color
You can use a custom icon color when other social media icons also appear in the same custom color.
Avoid Mistakes
3.4 Apple Music Follow Button
If you have space and want to link to an Apple Music artist or curator page, use our Apple Music Follow button instead of the icon. Here are examples of how to use the button:
4.1 Requirements
You must provide a link to Apple Music or iTunes wherever a badge is used online. You can link to any song, video, album, artist, or page on Apple Music or iTunes. Podcasts, movies, and TV shows are still available for linking on iTunes. Apple Music- and iTunes-related text in body copy can also link to Apple Music or iTunes.
4.2 Instructions
Advanced tools for linking to content are available. The Search and Lookup web API can be used for real-time lookup of iTunes, iBooks, App Store, and Apple Music links and metadata. RSS feeds can be used for displaying top charting content. Enterprise Partner Feed (EPF) makes the entire iTunes, Apple Music, and App Store catalogs of metadata and links available for download processing within your own database. The documentation for these tools can be found at https://www.apple.com/itunes/link/.
Any existing link to iTunes may open in Apple Music if the customer has already become a member. There are some occasions where you may want to override the behavior of a link and open the iTunes store or Apple Music.
How do I create links that always open Apple Music?
For any iTunes artist, album, song, or music video URL, simply append the parameter “app=music”. This parameter can be added before or after other parameters, but be sure all parameters follow the “?” and are separated by “&”.
Apple Music example: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/roar/id690928033?i=690928331&app=music
How do I manually create links to iTunes?
For any existing iTunes artist, album, song, or music video URL, simply append the parameter “app=itunes”. This parameter can be added before or after other parameters, but be sure all parameters follow the “?” and are separated by “&”.
iTunes Store example: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/roar/id690928033?i=690928331&app=itunes
If customers do not have iTunes software installed, an iTunes link takes them to the iTunes download page, where they can download iTunes software for Mac or Windows free of charge.
The key to a great marketing campaign is clear and effective messaging. To make sure that your content is the star of your message, we’ve included some tips to keep in mind when you promote Apple Music.
5.1 Messaging
There are three ways to enjoy Apple Music: music, radio, and Connect. You can focus on one of these areas in your communications or refer to Apple Music overall.
Use the sample messages below as a starting place to craft your own messages related to your music and unique content.
Short sample message
With Apple Music, you’ll get just about every song ever recorded—and the experts to recommend the right ones for you. A direct line between you and your favorite artists. And your entire music library. Get the world’s music. Free for three months.
Long sample message
When you’re an Apple Music member, all the music you already have lives right alongside just about every song ever recorded. Plus, experts help you find the right music—hand-selecting songs, artists, and albums based on what you already listen to and like. You’ll also hear the best new music in the world on Beats 1, broadcasting live from Los Angeles, New York, and London. And with Connect, your favorite artists share new songs, personal videos, and more exciting material. It’s the world’s music. Free for three months.
Sample message lines
Use the words hear, listen, and playing, rather than stream or streaming.
5.2 Referring to iTunes
If you refer to iTunes in your communication, make sure you distinguish the offers.
Listen to <artist’s> new <song> on Apple Music or buy it on iTunes.
The word iTunes is always typeset with a lowercase i and an uppercase T followed by lowercase letters, even when it’s the first word in a sentence, paragraph, or title.
iTunes is always in English. Never translate the word iTunes, even when it is surrounded by copy or spoken communications in a language other than English.
5.3 Referring to Beats 1
Always typeset Beats 1 with an uppercase B followed by lowercase letters then a letter space and the numeral 1. The word radio can follow Beats 1.
Do not translate Beats 1. Always say the word one in Beats 1 in English even when spoken communications are in a language other than English.
5.4 Using Apple Music in Marketing Copy
Typesetting
Always typeset Apple Music as two words with an uppercase A and an uppercase M followed by lowercase letters.
Localization
Always use the name Apple Music in English, even when it appears within text in a language other than English. Do not translate the word Music within the name Apple Music. Do not transliterate Apple Music or Music, such as rendering it in katakana in Japanese. Do not translate Apple Music in spoken promotions such as radio advertising or voiceover scripts. Always say Apple Music in English, even when a promotion is being broadcast in a language other than English.
Language
Always say on Apple Music. Do not use from, at, or in.
Do not make Apple Music possessive. Do not say Apple Music's. Modifiers such as services, playlists, tracks, or songs can be plural or possessive.
Avoid redundancy when crafting a message.
When describing how to access Apple Music, you can refer to the Music app on iOS or to iTunes on OS X. You can also refer to the Music app on your iPhone or iTunes on your Mac. Do not refer to Apple Music as an app.
Do not use superlatives to describe Apple Music.
Referring to Apple
Always use the complete name Apple Music. Don’t use Apple alone.
Do not indicate any kind of sponsorship or endorsement by Apple. Do not imitate Apple communications. Do not use product images or headlines and copy from www.apple.com.
5.5 Using Apple Product Names
Follow these guidelines when using Apple product names. Your marketing message should focus on your content, not on Apple.
You must attribute trademarks and use the correct credit line for every Apple trademark used in your communication. See Legal Requirements.
5.6 Other Platforms and Devices
Do not use the company or brand names of competitive mobile or desktop devices. Instead, refer to the operating system.
5.7 Graphics
Do not create graphics, illustrations, or logotypes to represent Apple Music. If Apple provides you with graphic assets or a layout template, do not alter the Apple Music identity graphics in any way. Use only the artwork provided by Apple.
Do not imitate Apple communications. Do not use copy, graphics, type, or layouts from www.apple.com. Your layout should reflect the look and feel of your brand.
Apple logo
In marketing headlines and copy, never replace the name Apple with the Apple logo. Spell out the full name Apple Music.
5.8 Contests and Sweepstakes
Apple doesn’t approve the use of Apple devices such as Apple Watch, iPhone, or iPad as prizes or rewards in contests and sweepstakes. Do not indicate that your contest or sweepstakes is sponsored or endorsed by Apple.
5.9 Legal Notifications
Provide appropriate credit attribution for Apple trademarks and use appropriate trademark symbols in your communications as described in Legal Requirements.
6.1 Requirements
Most marketing materials don’t require approval by Apple. However, we require that you obtain written approval from Apple for any material created for:
6.2 Submission Instructions
Send your materials to our support helpdesk. Give us at least seven working days to review your material. Make sure you include:
Be sure to include:
If your material is less than 20MB in size, attach it to your email. Attachments larger than 20MB should be provided by FTP server or another web-delivery service. Make sure you provide the link or the user name and password for the FTP server.
All email should be in English. Include an English translation of your materials if necessary.
If we don’t respond within seven days, it doesn’t mean that the content has been approved.
We can review materials that are in progress. However, all final materials must be approved by Apple before publication.
Send your content in a standard format, such as PDF or JPG for images and MP4 for videos. Submit only high-resolution layouts and images.
7.1 Credit Lines
Use the appropriate credit lines in all communications worldwide. List only the Apple trademarks actually used in your materials.
When using the name Apple Music in communications, include these credit lines wherever legal copy is shown:
When using the name Beats 1 in communications, include this credit line wherever legal copy is shown:
Follow standard practices for the placement of legal copy, such as creating additional screens or providing interactive links. Include the credit lines only once on your communication or website.
7.2 Trademark Symbols
In communications distributed only in the United States, the correct trademark symbol must follow any Apple trademark the first time it is mentioned in body copy. For Apple Music and Beats 1, use the service mark symbol (SM). Do not use a symbol in headlines.
Apple trademark symbols are listed on the Apple Trademark List.
7.3 Further Information
For the most current information on using Apple trademarks, visit Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights.
8.1 Resources
Affiliate program information:
https://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/
Linking instructions:
https://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/updating_links.html
Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights:
https://www.apple.com/legal/intellectual-property/guidelinesfor3rdparties.html
8.2 Contacting Apple
For questions about the affiliate program or linking:
http://affiliate.itunes.apple.com/support/
For questions about badge use and branding or approval of marketing materials:
http://support.itunes-marketing.com/hc/en-us/
Claim an Artist Connect Profile:
https://www.apple.com/itunes/working-itunes/connect/
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