Ivory Music and Video

Ivory Music and Video, formerly known as Ivory Records Corporation, is a Philippine record label and music-entertainment company. The label was established by Tony Ocampo on August 11, 1983, and initially operated by licensing recordings from overseas companies including Victor Musical Industries and Enigma Records. Its name reflected the Ocampo siblings’ family encouragement to learn and play the piano. After its initial licensing activity, Ivory shifted toward developing and releasing homegrown Philippine music, becoming associated with artists and groups from the Original Pilipino Music, or OPM, scene. Over time, Ivory’s roster included established acts such as Asin, The Company, Side A, Wolfgang, MYMP, Roselle Nava, and April Boy Regino, along with later artists including Maja Salvador and Silent Sanctuary. The label’s business has covered recording, release, distribution, and music-video-related products. It also issued video-karaoke VCDs featuring songs from its catalog, an offering aligned with the popularity of karaoke in the Philippine home-entertainment market. Ivory expanded its role in the local music industry through distribution arrangements. It handled distribution for selected GMA Records releases until approximately 2007. Beginning July 1, 2011, it handled the Philippine catalog and distribution activities of Sony Music Entertainment during a period when Sony was reducing its local operations. Sony Music Philippines subsequently closed its operations in February 2012 after facing persistent piracy problems. Ivory continued handling the associated catalog for several years, but updates concerning Sony artists were gradually removed from Ivory’s social-media activity by January 2018 as Sony prepared to resume operations in the Philippines. The distribution relationship had evidently ended by that period, with the reference material identifying February 2018 as its endpoint. The label also developed a talent-discovery and artist-development role. In 2003, it became associated with the emergence of acoustic group MYMP after the group’s live performance attracted the attention of iFM management led by Raymund Ryan and subsequently Ivory. During the same year, which marked Ivory’s twentieth anniversary, the label added Marielle and broadcast journalist Love Anover to its roster. Ivory later created Enterphil Entertainment as a digital label and talent-management unit, extending its activities beyond conventional physical-record releases. Ivory operated from offices in the Quad Center Building in Ortigas Avenue, San Juan, before moving to the Dona Parel Building on Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City. The company remained at the latter location until sometime in early 2018, according to the reference material. In the period leading up to its fortieth anniversary in 2023, Ivory introduced a new group of artists, including CJ Navato, Nonoy Pena, Karl Zarate, Meg Zurbito, Leann Ganzon, and the band Stereotype. This roster refresh indicated an effort to continue artist development while adapting to a more contemporary and digitally oriented market. On June 30, 2023, Viva Communications acquired Ivory Music. The acquisition placed the label within Viva Music Group and made it the group’s fifth flagship label. Under Viva ownership, Ivory remains positioned as a Philippine music label with a catalog spanning veteran OPM performers, contemporary artists, physical and video-karaoke releases, digital music activity, and talent management.

Ivory Music and Video was founded as Ivory Records by Tony Ocampo on August 11, 1983. The company’s name was connected to the Ocampo family’s encouragement of piano playing, and its earliest business involved licensing recordings from Victor Musical Industries and Enigma Records. The company later redirected its attention toward Philippine music, signing and releasing work by local artists and groups including Asin, The Company, and Roselle Nava. The label developed a broad OPM roster over subsequent decades. Its associated artists included veteran and established acts such as Side A, Wolfgang, April Boy Regino, and The Company, as well as more contemporary performers including Maja Salvador and Silent Sanctuary. Ivory also became involved in packaging songs for the home-entertainment market, releasing video-karaoke VCDs based on songs in its catalog. A significant artist-development moment came in 2003, when Ivory became associated with the rise of acoustic group MYMP. The group’s live performance was noticed by iFM management under Raymund Ryan, which brought the act to Ivory’s attention. In the same year, during Ivory’s twentieth-anniversary period, the label added Marielle and broadcast journalist Love Anover to its roster. The company also moved from the Quad Center Building in Ortigas Avenue, San Juan, to the Dona Parel Building on Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City. The Quezon City location remained associated with Ivory until early 2018. Ivory additionally distributed selected GMA Records releases until approximately 2007. Ivory’s distribution role expanded in 2011. From July 1 of that year, it handled distribution for Sony Music Entertainment’s Philippine catalog as Sony reduced its local operations. Sony Music Philippines eventually closed its local operation in February 2012, with widespread piracy identified as a major factor in that decision. Ivory continued to manage the Sony-related distribution arrangement for several years. By January 2018, updates concerning Sony artists had been phased out of Ivory’s social-media pages, and Sony was preparing to resume its own Philippine operations. The available reference material places the end of Ivory’s Sony distribution relationship in February 2018. The company later established Enterphil Entertainment, a digital label and talent-management unit. This initiative reflected the movement of the Philippine music business away from a primarily physical-release model and toward digital distribution and broader artist services. Ivory therefore operated not only as a traditional record label but also as a platform for catalog distribution, digital releases, and talent development. Ahead of its fortieth anniversary in 2023, Ivory formally presented a newer batch of artists: CJ Navato, Nonoy Pena, Karl Zarate, Meg Zurbito, Leann Ganzon, and the band Stereotype. On June 30, 2023, Viva Communications acquired Ivory Music. Through Viva Music Group, a subsidiary of Viva Communications, Ivory became the group’s fifth flagship label. The acquisition placed the long-running Philippine label within a larger entertainment group while preserving its identity and catalog-oriented role.

• 2023

  New artists introduced

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  Ivory introduced a new group of artists and the band Stereotype ahead of its fortieth anniversary.

• 2023

  Acquisition by Viva Communications

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  Viva Communications acquired Ivory Music on June 30, 2023, making it the fifth flagship label under Viva.

• 2018

  Sony distribution period ends

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  The Sony distribution relationship had ended by February 2018 as Sony prepared to resume Philippine operations.

• 2011

  Sony Music distribution arrangement begins

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  Ivory began handling distribution for Sony Music Entertainment's Philippine catalog on July 1, 2011.

• 2003

  MYMP comes to Ivory's attention

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  An MYMP performance noticed by iFM management helped bring the acoustic group to Ivory's attention and contributed to its emergence through the label.

• 2003

  Twentieth-anniversary roster expansion

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  During its twentieth-anniversary period, Ivory added Marielle and Love Anover to its roster and moved its offices to Quezon City.

• 1983

  Ivory Records is founded

  [1]Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org

  Tony Ocampo established Ivory Music and Video, then known as Ivory Records, on August 11, 1983.

A Philippine OPM-oriented record label combining local artist development, catalog exploitation, music distribution, video-karaoke releases, and digital entertainment activities.

• Music recordings · 1983

  Recorded music releases

  Ivory's core output consists of recorded music by Philippine solo artists, bands, and groups. Its catalog reflects a strong OPM orientation, spanning veteran performers and later contemporary acts. The label has worked with artists including Asin, The Company, Side A, Wolfgang, MYMP, Roselle Nava, April Boy Regino, Maja Salvador, and Silent Sanctuary.

• Home-entertainment video

  Video-karaoke VCDs

  Ivory released video-karaoke VCD versions of songs from its label catalog for the Philippine market. These products adapted recorded songs into a home-entertainment format associated with the country's strong karaoke culture.

• Digital label and talent management

  Enterphil Entertainment

  Enterphil Entertainment is Ivory's digital-label and talent-management unit. Its creation broadened the company's activities beyond physical recording releases into digital music and artist services.

• Music distribution

  Catalog distribution

  Ivory has distributed selected third-party music catalogs in the Philippines. Known arrangements included releases from GMA Records until approximately 2007 and Sony Music Entertainment's Philippine catalog from July 2011 until February 2018.

• 2023

  Join the Viva Music Group through acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Viva Communications sought to bring Ivory Music into its entertainment portfolio.

  Action taken

  Viva Communications acquired Ivory Music on June 30, 2023.

  Aftermath

  Ivory became the fifth flagship label under Viva Music Group, a subsidiary of Viva Communications.

  Source

• 2011

  Assume distribution of Sony Music's Philippine catalogStrategy

  Background

  Sony Music Entertainment was reducing its Philippine operations, creating a need for a local distribution arrangement.

  Action taken

  Ivory began handling distribution for Sony Music's Philippine catalog on July 1, 2011.

  Aftermath

  Sony Music Philippines closed its local operations in February 2012, while Ivory continued handling the distribution relationship until it ended by February 2018.

  Source

• Create Enterphil EntertainmentStrategy

  Background

  The music business was expanding beyond traditional physical releases into digital distribution and broader artist services.

  Action taken

  Ivory launched Enterphil Entertainment as a digital label and talent-management unit.

  Aftermath

  The initiative extended Ivory's activities into digital music and talent management.

  Source

1. 1Ivory Music and Videoen.wikipedia.org