He’s on the verge of unveiling his seventh studio album, but one doesn’t need to check a list of upcoming releases to know that – not when social media and a canny knack for self-promotion has already helped Ed Sheeran bank an estimated £300million fortune.
The singer-songwriter has a habit of popping up in all the right places, just ask the bemused bride and groom who could only gape as Sheeran brazenly gatecrashed their wedding this week.
Armed with an acoustic guitar, the British star was on hand to serenade them as they exchanged vows at the iconic Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, a venue famous for its Elvis Presley themed marriage ceremonies.
But there were no Elvis tunes playing on Sheeran’s watch, with the star opting instead to perform the comparatively unfamiliar opening track from new album Autumn Variations – less than three weeks before its general release on September 29.
The startling coincidence wasn’t lost on those of a more cynical disposition, but it’s not the first time Sheeran has used affability, approachability and relatability to his considerable advantage while plugging his music.
Read on for a comprehensive list of his numerous promotional appearances and sponsorship deals!
Surprise: Ed Sheeran made a newly married couple’s dream come true by gatecrashing their wedding ceremony and serenading them with a song from his new album
Stunned: The singer-songwriter made an unexpected appearance at the legendary Little White Chapel in Las Vegas – where a young couple were in the process of exchanging vows
In good company: The British star was accompanied by four backing vocalists as they made their way into the small church
THE PR STUNTS
On August 25, shortly after announcing his new album, Sheeran pulled on a green apron for a surprise appearance at a Starbucks coffee shop in Seattle.
Those hoping for a caffeine fix got more than they bargained for after the singer signed in for a shift as a barista at the venue, where he served up ‘spiced’ pumpkin lattes in accordance with the LP’s autumnal theme.
But Sheeran’s appearance sparked division in some quarters, with Starbucks Workers United tweeting: ‘Ed Sheeran working a shift at a Starbucks store in Seattle that faced massive union-busting is straight up embarrassing.
‘Not to mention almost every ‘worker’ you see in that photo wearing a green apron is management, not baristas. AND, meanwhile, workers at the Starbucks store down the street were drowning because they were grossly understaffed due to hour cuts.’
Sheeran had already worked on his customer service skills having previously taken orders at The Wieners Circle fast food restaurant in Chicago.
I’ll have a ginger nut latte please: On August 25, shortly after announcing his new album, Sheeran pulled on a green apron for a surprise appearance at a Starbucks in Seattle
Not happy: But his appearance sparked division in some quarters, with Starbucks Workers United posting a furious tweet
There you go: Sheeran flashed a smile as he handed out coffees during the promotional stint
Promoting his appearance in July, the hotdog chain tweeted that Sheeran was their ‘newest trainee.’
The wrote: ‘@edsheeran has a lot to learn, he’s way too proper and friendly.’
Later that evening, the four-time Grammy winner went on to complete the latest stop on his Mathematics Tour in the city.
Days after his appearance in Chicago, Sheeran – who is currently touring the united States – popped up at Minnesota’s Mall of America, where he served customers at a LEGO store.
He wore a staff apron and T-shirt, signed products, handed out gifts and took photos with fans – before playing a version of his song LEGO House.
Sheeran also revealed a new LEGO figurine to the camera which sported red hair and a T-shirt with the words ‘Autumn is Coming’ written across it – a reference to the title of his forthcoming album.
Experts have since told MailOnline that celebrities making similar endorsements could earn up to £2million.
The hot dogs are on me: Sheeran had already worked on his customer service skills having taken orders at The Wieners Circle restaurant in Chicago in July
Introducing Ed: Promoting his appearance in July, the hotdog chain tweeted that Sheeran was their ‘newest trainee’
Here to help: Sheeran became a ‘brick specialist’ for the day at a LEGO store in Minnesota
Surprise: Sheeran revealed a new LEGO figurine which sported red hair and a t-shirt with the words ‘Autumn is Coming’ written across it – his new album is called Autumn Variations
Remember this: Sheeran has form with the brand, having previously performed backstage at LEGOLAND in 2013 (pictured)
In May Sheeran tried his hand at bartending during a pop-up appearance at SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta, ahead of his concert in the city.
Addressing Instagram followers, he said: ‘So I’m in Atlanta, and I’ve been told there are some breweries that are good in Atlanta so I’m going to go to this brewery, serve some beers, play a gig and then buy everyone in the beer garden drinks. Beers on me.’
Sheeran was later seen pouring pints for stunned locals for surprised patrons before making his way onto the stage, where the multi-millionaire informed fans the drinks were on him – for one hour only.
The pop-up was an opportunity for the singer to promote his acoustic track Eyes Closed, released just weeks earlier as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Subtract.
That same month Sheeran delighted fans in West Hollywood by performing another free show, this time aboard a StarLine City tourist bus.
After hitting the makeshift stage, the singer took time to greet his adoring fans and pose for photos.
Promoting the surprise performance on Instagram, he wrote: ‘LA pop up. I got the address wrong. 8483 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA 90069. See you around 11:30am.’
Cheers! In May Sheeran tried his hand at bartending during a pop-up appearance at SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta, ahead of his concert in the city
New tune: The pop-up was an opportunity for the singer to promote the track Eyes Closed, released just weeks earlier as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Subtract
Me again: That same month Sheeran delighted fans in West Hollywood by performing another free show, this time aboard a StarLine City tourist bus
Pop-up: Sheeran delighted fans in West Hollywood as he performed the free show in May
In 2015 the singer delighted a bride and groom with an appearance that mirrored his most recent, this time further afield on Australia’s east coast.
Sheeran was on hand to perform during the bride and groom’s first dance in Sydney, arranged by popular KIIS FM DJ’s Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O’ Henderson.
Taking to Instagram following the performance, he shared a snap with beaming newlyweds Kya and Matt Debono and their children.
Curiously, the appearance coincided with Sheeran’s promotional campaign for second studio album X and its stream of singles, among them Thinking Out Loud – the very song he performed for the newly married couple.
Previously: Sheeran has considerable form as a wedding crasher, having previously made an unexpected appearance at a 2015 wedding in Australia (pictured)
Say cheese: Sheeran shared a snap with beaming newlyweds Kya and Matt Debono and their children, as well as KIIS FM hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O’ Henderson
Coincidence: The appearance coincided with Sheeran’s promotion for second studio album X and its stream of singles, among them Thinking Out Loud – the song he performed on the day
THE BRAND ENDORESEMENTS
Sheeran has been working recently on projects with brands from Peloton to Honest Burgers, and American Express to Heinz.
Experts said it was important for him to protect ‘the Sheeran brand’ and avoid deals which would ‘detract’ from his music.
Speaking about this range of tie-ups, PR expert Sean O’Meara, managing director of Manchester-based agency Essential Content, told MailOnline today: ‘Ed will be an attractive ambassador for a range of brands across a range of sectors. I can’t think of many people who are an equally good fit for Heinz Ketchup and American Express.
‘He’s got a signature blend of appealing qualities; people perceive him as relatable and authentic, he’s atypical of the male pop star archetype – and leans very much into that – which broadens appeal further, and – so far – he’s managed to navigate more than ten years at the top of his game without even a hint of a scandal.
‘In fact, he came out of his recent copyright legal battle with Marvin Gaye’s estate looking quite statesmanlike, as an advocate for all artists.’
All yours: Sheeran has worked on a deal with Honest Burgers with his new hot sauce brand Tingly Ted’s
In April, Sheeran was cleared of copying Marvin Gaye’s classic song Let’s Get It On after a New York jury at the £80million trial ruled that he independently created his 2014 single Thinking Out Loud.
O’Meara added that Sheeran’s audience had ‘witnessed his evolution from scruffy boy next door to married man with kids’.
He continued: ‘And that really opens up the range of brand partnerships possibilities where he can add value. His authenticity is key.
‘It’s easy to picture the family man Ed Sheeran eating at Honest Burger, messing about with Lego and even using guided audio on a nature walk.
‘And we can equally picture the global megastar Ed Sheeran using American Express and partnering with Global Radio.
‘In terms of audience reach, he’s consistently in the elite tier of global pop stars, alongside Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, so whether he’s helping to flog Lego or Peloton’s latest app, there’s a guarantee of visibility for the brands.’
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede
‘Ed is one of the world’s most bankable stars not only for his music but also for his brand appeal.
‘Because his image doesn’t define him he has the ability to make a lot of money from brands and bring a lot of credibility and value to who he endorses.
‘Already a multi-millionaire, Ed doesn’t need the money but he strategically has managed to infiltrate different demographics by partnering with brands who will be paying millions.
‘The reason he is so appealing is that like Adele he has a unique appeal that is universal. We have seen him grown from humble beginnings but he hasn’t lost touch and this is why brands want to sign him as they know he appeals to all ages, demographics and geographically he is known worldwide and it’s just him! Not a huge band or entourage.
‘The tie-ups with these huge brands will cost them a lot of money but they will all see a massive return for them and for Ed too. All the brands he has associated himself have a strong strategy behind them.
‘None of his deals detract from him or his music which is a very clever way of protecting the Sheeran brand.’
On Lego: ‘Lego have successfully managed to carry on being a huge brand for children and adults and with Ed they have the ability to cement their mass appeal. He will have been paid over £2million for this and the association with a brand that has education at its heart is a really strong association.
On Honest Burgers: ‘Bringing out his own sauce was a fun move and partnering with a distributor allows him to gain more sales and brand visibility. I doubt this is a big money maker yet but it’s a passion project and he loves it and partnering with. Honest burger gives it credibility.’
On Peloton: ‘Partnering with Peloton maximises Ed’s appeal and he will have been paid millions for his participation. Nearly all his collaborations circle round to his music which gives them all an authenticity and also brings in money from downloads.’
PR expert Sean O’Meara, managing director of Manchester-based agency Essential Content
‘Ed will be an attractive ambassador for a range of brands across a range of sectors. I can’t think of many people who are an equally good fit for Heinz Ketchup and American Express.
‘He’s got a signature blend of appealing qualities; people perceive him as relatable and authentic, he’s atypical of the male pop star archetype – and leans very much into that – which broadens appeal further, and – so far – he’s managed to navigate more than ten years at the top of his game without even a hint of a scandal.
‘In fact, he came out of his recent copyright legal battle with Marvin Gaye’s estate looking quite statesmanlike, as an advocate for all artists.
‘His audience has witnessed his evolution from scruffy boy next door to married man with kids. And that really opens up the range of brand partnerships possibilities where he can add value. His authenticity is key.
‘It’s easy to picture the family man Ed Sheeran eating at Honest Burger, messing about with Lego and even using guided audio on a nature walk. And we can equally picture the global megastar Ed Sheeran using American Express and partnering with Global Radio.
‘In terms of audience reach, he’s consistently in the elite tier of global pop stars, alongside Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, so whether he’s helping to flog Lego or Peloton’s latest app, there’s a guarantee of visibility for the brands.
‘I think despite the number of commercial relationships he has, he’s actually quite discerning about who he partners with. From his point of view, these deals and the associated media coverage they attract act as a nice little boost to his profile, which is particularly useful as a jumping off point for things like tour and album announcements.
‘Ed Sheeran obviously doesn’t need the publicity or the money, but there is always a machine in the background supporting artists at his level, and the revenues will be feeding into that operation and supporting the careers of the people working to support Ed.
But O’Meara also said that despite the big number of commercial relationships Sheeran has, he is ‘actually quite discerning about who he partners with’.
He continued: ‘From his point of view, these deals and the associated media coverage they attract act as a nice little boost to his profile, which is particularly useful as a jumping off point for things like tour and album announcements.
‘Ed Sheeran obviously doesn’t need the publicity or the money, but there is always a machine in the background supporting artists at his level, and the revenues will be feeding into that operation and supporting the careers of the people working to support Ed.’
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede also spoke to MailOnline about Sheeran today, and said he was ‘one of the world’s most bankable stars not only for his music but also for his brand appeal’.
Ede continued: ‘Because his image doesn’t define him, he has the ability to make a lot of money from brands and bring a lot of credibility and value to who he endorses.
‘Already a multi-millionaire, Ed doesn’t need the money but he strategically has managed to infiltrate different demographics by partnering with brands who will be paying millions.
Tune in: Sheeran features prominently in a new Global radio advertising campaign for Capital
Collaboration: The singer has previously worn Duluth Pack gear and was given a customised bag by the brand Play ius
Play us a tune: Sheeran has done work with Lowden Guitars on the ‘Sheeran by Lowden’ range
‘The reason he is so appealing is that like Adele he has a unique appeal that is universal. We have seen him grown from humble beginnings but he hasn’t lost touch and this is why brands want to sign him as they know he appeals to all ages, demographics and geographically he is known worldwide and it’s just him. Not a huge band or entourage.’
He said the tie-ups with the major brands ‘will cost them a lot of money but they will all see a massive return for them and for Ed too’, adding: ‘All the brands he has associated himself have a strong strategy behind them.’
Ede said that on the Lego deal, the company has ‘successfully managed to carry on being a huge brand for children and adults and with Ed they have the ability to cement their mass appeal’.
He said Sheeran ‘will have been paid over £2million for this and the association with a brand that has education at its heart is a really strong association’.
Ede added: ‘None of his deals detract from him or his music which is a very clever way of protecting the Sheeran brand.’
Sheeran left school at 16 but the singer was the first artist to surpass 100 million followers on Spotify. And the latest Sunday Times Under 35 Rich List in May this year revealed that he was in seventh place with an estimated wealth of £300million.
Another PR expert Andy Barr, co-founder of Gloucester-based agency 10 Yetis Digital, told MailOnline: ‘Ed Sheeran is a commercially savvy leader when it comes to endorsements and sponsorship deals.
‘He clearly only signs up to brands that he is interested in, rather than choosing money over his own personal values and interests.
There he is again: Sheeran worked with TikTok this year, having used it to offer a preview of his song Eyes Closed
Racing all the way to the bank: Sheeran said partnering with Peloton on its Outdoor Walks series (above) had been ‘really cool’
‘He can command millions for signing up to endorse a brand, but you can see from moves like his appearance in Game of Thrones that he also wants to have fun with it. ‘I am sure there is a competitive element to all of this as well. He no doubt wants to be chasing down the earning power of the other big name music artists out there and earning as much as he can, whilst his profile remains so high.’
Sheeran’s recent tie-up linked to British restaurant chain Honest Burgers was with the singer’s hot sauce brand Tingly Ted’s, which he launched in February followed by a TV advertising campaign in June.
In February, Kraft Heinz had announced it was teaming up with Sheeran to co-create the ‘Tingly’ and ‘Xtra Tingly’ hot sauce flavours under the singer’s Tingly Ted’s brand.
The Ted’s Halloumi burger at the chain contained Sheeran’s Xtra Tingly Sauce along with beef, halloumi, cheese, crispy onions, avocado ranch mayo, lettuce and pickles.
The burger, which retailed for £14.50, was only available from August 1 until September 4 at its 42 UK restaurants or via takeaway order.
Adam Layton, Honest Burgers’ head of food, suggested in a press announcement that it was actually Sheeran himself who contacted the firm about the tie-up.
Layton said: ‘Honest and Ed go way back. So, we were chuffed when the man himself got in touch asking us to be the exclusive restaurant launch partner for Tingly Ted’s. This burger is a world first for the exciting hot sauce brand that is destined to be Ed’s next global smash hit.’
Speaking about the Honest Burgers deal, Ede told MailOnline: ‘Bringing out his own sauce was a fun move and partnering with a distributor allows him to gain more sales and brand visibility.
‘I doubt this is a big money maker yet but it’s a passion project and he loves it and partnering with. Honest Burgers gives it credibility.’
Another tie-up saw Sheeran given an accessory by US canvas and leather bag maker Duluth Pack for his concert in Minneapolis.
The company previously gifted him a leather backpack and assorted apparel in 2017, and he was then spotted wearing it during public interviews and outings.
He has since been given a customised Weekender Duffel including an embroidered US Bank Stadium logo on the inside with the concert date stitched in.
Andrea Johnson, marketing and public relations contact for Duluth Pack, said: ‘What an incredible opportunity to be a part of once again.
‘Duluth Pack is exceptionally grateful for the fantastic and ongoing partnership with US Bank Stadium and the opportunity to provide Ed Sheeran with additional gear we believe he will enjoy and wear.’
Another brand working with Sheeran is the commercial radio company Global, which featured him in an advertising campaign for Capital, which launched in July.
Sheeran appeared alongside the likes of Dua Lipa, Jonas Brothers, Stormzy, Niall Horan, Anne-Marie, Tom Grennan, RAYE, ArrDee, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Adam Lambert to help promote the radio station.
The campaign, called ‘Play Capital’, included a 30-second film shown on TV and in cinemas, as well as on digital screens and buses, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, formerly known as Twitter.
Simon Barnabas, managing director of brand marketing at Global, said: ‘Ed Sheeran more than lands the message that the hottest hit music really does live on Capital.’
Sheeran also struck a recent deal with US exercise equipment company Pelton, to introduce the brand’s first audio collaboration for its app.
The company described it as an ‘exciting new partnership’ for its series called Outdoor Walks featuring ‘original audio content from Sheeran’s latest album Subtract’.
It said the ‘global collaboration unites both members and fans of Sheeran through class content that offers a full album experience and connected, immersive and intimate storytelling.’
Get involved: Sheeran also worked with American Express in May on a ‘Subtract Pop-Up Experience’
Secret gig: Sheeran played his top ten song, LEGO House to hundreds of fans who were waiting patiently for him after his recent promotional appearance in Minnesota
Sheeran said partnering with Peloton had been ‘really cool’ and he hoped listeners ‘enjoy experiencing Subtract in a unique way’.
The app costs £12.99 per month, with another higher-tier version featuring exclusive classes for £24 a month.
Speaking about the Peloton deal, Ede told MailOnline: ‘Partnering with Peloton maximises Ed’s appeal and he will have been paid millions for his participation.
‘Nearly all his collaborations circle round to his music which gives them all an authenticity and also brings in money from downloads.’
Sheeran has also worked in recent months with American Express by offering a ‘Subtract Pop-Up Experience’ in five cities across the US in May.
This included interactive installations about the album in New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, and Chicago – as well as performances by Sheeran in the first three locations.
Camille Hackney, chief partnerships officer of his label Atlantic Records, told at the time how that ‘the pop-up experience provided a unique outlet for [Sheeran] to share this deeply personal album with his fans, and it allowed him to reconnect with his fan base in the States just as he kicked off his stadium tour.’
American Express cardholders could also buy an exclusive hooded sweatshirt co-branded with ‘The Subtract Pop-Up Experience’, with the company saying 9,000 fans attended the events across the five cities.
In another collaboration, Sheeran has been doing more work with Lowden Guitars, a 50-year-old Northern Irish guitar brand, on the ‘Sheeran by Lowden’ range.
The partnership began in 2019 but in May it underwent a major US expansion at the time of the 25-date North American leg of Sheeran’s ‘Mathematics’ world tour.
Previously shoppers in America were buying the guitars through distributors and merchants – but now they can also do so directly from Amazon on its US store.
Sheeran has also worked with TikTok this year, having used the social media network in March to offer a preview of his single Eyes Closed.
TikTok had a six-day exclusive period on the initial audio clip, and the track has now been used for 1.2million video creations globally.
Centre stage: Sheeran performs during his Mathematics Tour at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 29
This content was originally published here.