EMI’s DRM-free downloads are already opening the door to significant strategic partnership with name brands in the U.K.

The company announced a pact with Chicago-based digital agency VerveLife to open its extensive music catalog for global brand promotions and “loyalty experiences.” The partnership will allow the company’s brand partners access to high-quality, DRM-free downloads.

As part of the arrangement, Burger King is the first of VerveLife’s brand partners to take advantage of this opportunity in the U.K. Consumers will be able to search for, sample and download a pre-paid EMI Music track from a specially created microsite after inputting a unique code. Codes are being distributed to Burger King consumers upon purchase, and there will be links from the microsite to an online retailer, allowing consumers to purchase further tracks by EMI artists featured on the microsite. EMI is the only major music company offering content for this first-of-its-kind program and will be featured as the exclusive provider of digital music in experiences being developed by VerveLife for several other global brands.

EMI Global Head of Digital Barney Wragg comments: “EMI's recent decision to drop DRM has had a hugely positive impact on our potential to collaborate with brands in order to offer consumers downloads that they can play across all digital music players. We are very excited about this deal with VerveLife which provides the perfect platform for us to partner with a wide spectrum of high profile brand names such as Burger King. Now, if that’s not a Whopper, I don’t know what is.”

Said VerveLife Founder/CEO Justin Jarvinen: “This agreement significantly alters the landscape of the $500 billion per year promotion industry. Consumers are increasingly asking for digital rewards such as music, movies and games. With this partnership, VerveLife can now reward tens of millions of consumers worldwide with instant access to some of the hottest music on the planet, in MP3 format. We’re proud to be partnered with EMI and look forward to bringing the most innovative and successful digital promotions to market with them. And they can always say, ‘Do fries come with that Lily Allen download?’”

EMI Music UK Head of Business Development Giles Harris believes that “this program illustrates perfectly how EMI continues to break the mold, by working with new partners in new ways to tap into fresh revenue streams and promotional opportunities for our artists. It’s what we call ‘special sauce.’”

Added VerveLife Director of Media Licensing Barry O’Connell: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share EMI’s amazing catalog of music with millions of consumers through the trusted brands that are part of their everyday lives. What goes better with a cheeseburger than an Interpol track?”