How Zalando supports 650+ creators across Europe to use music strategically
Zalando, one of Europe’s leading fashion & lifestyle destinations, works with 650+ creators across 20+ European markets. As their music industry partner, Epidemic Sound runs workshops at Zalando’s creator events to educate creators how to use sound strategically.
Background and challenge
Zalando’s creator network spans several European markets with different fashion cultures. Before Epidemic Sound, soundtracking was fragmented, with creators picking music based on personal taste or social trends. This was neither scalable nor predictable from a brand and licensing perspective. Zalando is therefore shifting its creator strategy into a more structured ecosystem, where things feel more intentional. A key part of that shift is stronger creator education. Epidemic Sound provides this education, giving creators creative freedom while giving the brand legal confidence when it comes to music.
Solution
With Epidemic Sound as their music partner, Zalando looked to build a more professional, scalable, and creator-friendly way of working with music. By hosting dedicated music workshops at Zalando’s creator events and joint educational sessions, the partnership fosters a premium creator community. Creators are inspired, empowered, and equipped with the tools and education needed to make stronger creative choices, ultimately supporting the long-term growth of both creators and Zalando with a setup that is legally safer, operationally easier, and creatively better.
Results and impact
Zalando’s soundtracking is now licensed and unified across its network, giving all creators a shared, trusted music foundation that allows for their own creative choices. This gives Zalando a scalable system with confidence that all output sits within a consistent, professional framework. With continuous education, creators now learn how to use music strategically, resulting in a more holistic approach to content. When using music more intentionally, the content feels more polished, more engaging, and more native to the platform. This supports both stronger content quality and smoother creator workflows.
Shaping emotional identity through sound
Across Zalando’s platforms, the strongest content is the kind where music doesn’t feel added afterward. Sound, edit, and styling move together, carrying the energy of the moment. For Zalando, Epidemic Sound solves both the licensing side and the creative side at once, helping creators produce better content in a safer, more consistent, and more refined way. By continuing to educate creators on what great soundtracking looks like, Zalando aims to help creators think about sound earlier to shape the emotional identity of their content.
Customer highlight
Rather than treating music licensing as a purely transactional step, Zalando uses the partnership to build creator confidence, education, and a more premium creator experience. Their dedicated events create moments where creators understand the bigger ambition, meet the people behind the brand, and feel a genuine sense of belonging. Their goal isn’t just legal safety. It’s seeing creators as creative partners rather than production resources.
“Most partnerships solve either the operational or the creative side. Epidemic Sound does both. It gives us confidence in our licensing and workflows, while helping our creators make better content.”
“Most partnerships solve either the operational or the creative side. Epidemic Sound does both. It gives us confidence in our licensing and workflows, while helping our creators make better content.”
Dominik Valtin
Head of Creator and Content Partnerships Strategy, Zalando
“Epidemic Sound goes way beyond just providing tracks by genuinely investing in our community, whether through a workshop at last year’s Creator Day, a hands-on session at our Creator Playground, or an online masterclass.”
“Epidemic Sound goes way beyond just providing tracks by genuinely investing in our community, whether through a workshop at last year’s Creator Day, a hands-on session at our Creator Playground, or an online masterclass.”
Alexandra Wolf
Senior Strategy & Projects Manager, Onsite Creator Content
DISCOVER ENTERPRISE
- Compliant licensing by design, online and offline
- Professional music curation services
- A catalog spanning 400 genres