OMG Turns 25

On OMG Music’s homepage, the following is emblazoned in big, white, bold lettering: “Delivering the most respected names in music retail accessories, all at manufacturer direct pricing, since 1990.” It seems that 25 years later, OMG is still working to achieve those same goals. “OMG started off as a manufacturer’s rep firm in the U.S. – fast forward 25 years and we’re now distributing and manufacturing for customers around the globe,” says Mark Blasko, a partner at OMG Music. Who are some of those respected names? Rotosound, D’Addario, Hohner, Henry Heller, LOXX, Get’m Get’m, LM Products, Perri’s, Copperpeace, Revo, Peter Schmidt, and D’Andrea. A few of those aforementioned brands will have a hand in helping OMG to celebrate their 25^th anniversary this year. “We’re working with our core partners Rotosound and D’Andrea to come up with an offering to help celebrate our anniversary with our dealers who made it possible,” says Blasko.

Over the last quarter-century, OMG has grown and prospered while sticking to the ideals which have made them successful. “We’ve been fortunate with our growth, especially in the last five years,” Blasko remarks. “We’re going to continue to expand the depth of our offering to our dealers while sticking to our core competencies.” Those “core competencies” are based around the idea that they, as a company, must capitalize off of the uniqueness of each dealer to forge a successful relationship: “OMG works tirelessly with both dealers and manufacturers to match product with dealer opportunity. Different clientele often means a different product mix. Best sellers in New Jersey may or may not equate to what will move quickly in Sacramento or Paducah. We take the time to get to know each dealer.” It’s this notion of customization of services that allows OMG to cultivate a unique relationship with each client, as opposed to a “one size fits all” approach.

That’s one way in which OMG feels they differentiate themselves from other competitors. “By concentrating on a small but important part of a dealer’s business that is an afterthought by many of our competitors we’ve been able to consistently build and grow relationships,” says Blasko. “High quality product is where it starts, but our experience and depth of knowledge in how a specific dealer can leverage that product into a more profitable business is what really separates us.” Those high quality products include guitar straps, Rotosound strings, and custom imprinted accessories like guitar picks and gig bags. OMG prides itself on being able to “turn any guitar strap rack or display into an exciting and profitable part of a business,” as Blasko put it. “As straps are ‘fashion’ and ever-changing, many dealers trust us to manage their entire strap business, saving them time while allowing us to use our expertise in the category to help grow their overall market share,” says Blasko. “Add to that the value a premium string like Rotosound brings, and solidifying our industry leading custom imprint business with the new D’Andrea partnership, you come away with a number of things that OMG brings to the table that are unique to us.”

OMG had a fruitful NAMM Show, which included expanding to a new location in Hall C and increasing their booth size to 1,000 square feet. “Both Rotosound and D’Andrea came in to really showcase their offerings and it turned into our most successful show to date,” says Blasko. “We’re already planning on how to top it for next year!” Besides aiming to top their Winter NAMM showing, OMG has a steady stream of new releases on the horizon. “As much of what we do is in the fashion world, things change quickly, so you’ll continue to see new offerings from us on a regular basis when it comes to the Henry Heller strap and accessory line,” says Blasko. “We search the world for quality and unique materials that really help our dealers offer the latest in trends while keeping in line with their overall business goals. Rotosound has just released new foil packaging, which not only extends the shelf life of the strings, but also is environmentally friendly. With our new D’Andrea partnership, look for our custom imprint offering to continue to expand.”

When asked about trends OMG has noticed in the music industry as of late, Blasko touts the success of the independent dealer. “We’ve really learned from our dealers that to be successful you have to stick to what you are good at and offer something unique and different,” Blasko observes. “The independent dealer will always be the backbone of this industry. Much like our own company, we see more successful specialty shops doing very well and expect that to continue.” At the end of the day, OMG has committed 25 years to offering ”unique and different” services, and it seems the next 25 years will be spent doing much of the same. “Thank you to our dealers for an amazing 25 years!” says Blasko. “We’re very grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve you and do what we love – it’s a privilege to be a part of this fantastic industry. “