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Exclusive Australia and New Zealand licensing deal with Refinery29 diversifies Vinyl Group’s media arm into the women’s lifestyle category.

Multi-year agreement with a performance-based extension option.

Includes ANZ operations and inventory on Refinery29’s international platforms.

Melbourne, Australia, 14 January, 2025: Vinyl Group (ASX: VNL), Australia’s only ASX-listed music Company, is excited to announce an exclusive licensing and representation agreement with Refinery29, a leading global women-focused lifestyle media brand. This partnership marks Vinyl Group’s long-awaited entry into the women’s lifestyle category, further diversifying its media revenues and aligning with its strategic vision of expanding into complementary markets.

The agreement marks a return of Refinery29 to the ANZ market with a revived local edition under the stewardship of Vinyl Group and includes representation of ANZ inventory across Refinery29’s international sites. Refinery29 is renowned for its compelling and culturally relevant content on fashion, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle, empowering women and underrepresented audiences globally. Refinery29 is owned by Sundial Media Group, a vertically integrated media, technology and experiential company that also includes Essence Ventures; ESSENCE, including Girls United and Naturally Curly; AFROPUNK; Beautycon; Essence Studios; ESSENCE Festival of Culture; and SOKO MRK.

A local Editor and editorial team will be established to ensure the creation of premium original content that reflects the unique perspectives of local audiences while maintaining Refinery29’s voice and editorial standards. The return of Refinery29 ensures the brand remains a vital platform for meaningful storytelling and cultural connection in the region.

Key terms of the agreement include a multi-year deal, with an option to extend for an additional term upon meeting minimum performance guarantees. Vinyl Group CEO, Josh Simons, commented: “This partnership with Refinery29 opens an exciting new chapter for Vinyl Group. Refinery29’s unique and powerful voice in the women’s lifestyle space is a perfect addition to our portfolio. It diversifies our media revenues while staying true to our strategy of leveraging internationally recognised brands to drive local engagement. We are proud to bring Refinery29 to ANZ audiences and look forward to delivering strong results for both parties.”

Batoul Peters, Head of Partnerships for Vinyl Group-owned The Brag Media, added: “Refinery29 has long been an important voice for women and underrepresented communities, championing stories that spark meaningful conversations and drive cultural change. At Vinyl Group, we are thrilled to continue its legacy in Australia, providing a platform that resonates deeply with a diverse and engaged audience. For our advertising partners, this represents an exciting opportunity to connect with an influential demographic that values authenticity and innovation.”

Refinery29’s Chief Revenue Officer, Ashley Meade, said: “We couldn’t be more excited to continue Refinery29’s commitment to building empowering experiences and content for the ANZ audience. There is a need for smart, irreverent and bold conversations that empower women today. We look forward to sharing the success of Refinery29’s centres of excellence across content, intelligence, experiential and talent partnerships to drive commercial growth with Vinyl Group.”

Vinyl Group is the heartbeat of an equitable music world, providing tech solutions that connect music creators, fans and brands. The Company’s diverse portfolio has touchpoints across all corners of the global music ecosystem, empowering everyone from creators to consumers. Vinyl.com offers a world-class ecommerce experience including over 50K titles for fans to support their favourite artists. Vampr is a leading dedicated social-professional networking platform and talent marketplace, allowing 1.4M creators to discover collaborators and monetise their work in over 180 countries. Jaxsta is the world’s largest and only database of official music credits with over 380M verified credits to streamline revenue opportunities for businesses in the music industry. Serenade is a Web3 pioneer of physical and digital collectibles that has served over 200+ global artists. Vinyl Group’s media arm includes Mediaweek, the leading media trade publication in Australia, having built its readership and industry respect over its 33 year history, and The Brag Media, Australia’s largest creator of premium youth content and events and publishes iconic titles including Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Variety Australia, TheBrag.com, The Music Network, Tone Deaf, and more.

For almost 20 years, Refinery29 (R29) has changed the way content speaks to and represents women and underrepresented communities. Now operating within the Sundial Media Group of Companies, Refinery29 continues to be a global  platform that celebrates and challenges the world. R29, inclusive of namesake Refinery29,  Unbothered and Somos brands, truly reflects audiences today, while identifying the shifts of tomorrow, in perfect alignment with Sundial Media Group’s mission to empower the voices of  communities leading in the new general market. Across its global team of journalists and creators, insight chasers and trend forecasters, Refinery29 engages, telling stories across the  platforms where their audiences gather most.

VINYL GROUP SECURES EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AND REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT WITH REFINERY29 FOR ANZ MARKETS