# Bravado

> Bravado is Universal Music Group’s global artist merchandise and brand management business. It combines creative design, production, touring merchandise, retail distribution, licensing, e-commerce and fan experiences for recording artists, estates and entertainment brands, with teams in 40 countries.

- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Founders:** Keith Drinkwater (Co-founder), Barry Drinkwater (Co-founder; former chief executive)
- **Products:** Creative services, Branding and marketing, Global retail, Licensing, E-commerce / direct-to-consumer
- **Notable:** Teams in 40 countries, according to Bravado and UMG., Acquired Epic Rights in January 2019., Helped launch The Rolling Stones’ RS No.9 Carnaby store in 2020.

## Products & services

- **Creative services** — In-house merchandise design and product development informed by music, art and fashion.
- **Branding and marketing** — Artist brand strategy, retail campaigns and experiential activations.
- **Global retail** — Retail distribution and local-market merchandising.
- **Licensing** — Artist brand partnerships across apparel and categories including footwear, gaming and spirits.
- **E-commerce / direct-to-consumer** — Artist online stores, digital marketing and purchasing-behavior analytics.
- **Touring and fan experiences** — Tour merchandise, pop-up activations and VIP experiences.
- **RS No.9 Carnaby** — Rolling Stones flagship retail concept jointly curated with the band.
- **Hallotex upcycling initiative** — Announced processing of more than 400,000 obsolete or unsold merchandise items into an estimated 280,000 recycled cotton blanks.

## Achievements

- Teams in 40 countries, according to Bravado and UMG.
- Acquired Epic Rights in January 2019.
- Helped launch The Rolling Stones’ RS No.9 Carnaby store in 2020.
- The Weeknd’s Starboy pop-up received a CLIO award, according to Bravado’s services page.

## Latest updates

- **2025-07** — Announced the Hallotex initiative to process more than 400,000 leftover merchandise items into an estimated 280,000 recycled cotton blanks.
- **2025-09** — Announced multi-year sustainability partnership with REVERB.
- **2026-03** — Matt Young promoted from president to CEO; senior team expanded. First upcycled tour products were expected that spring.
- **2026-08** — Parent UMG and Apple Corps announced an exclusive global Beatles merchandise, licensing and e-commerce agreement; the announcement reviewed does not specifically assign execution to Bravado.

## Links

- Website: https://www.bravado.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravado-international-group-merchandising-services-inc.
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/bravadousa
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravadousa/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/bravado
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-01