Music and branded events go hand in hand. From shows to concerts to festivals, the right musical talent can propel a brand’s purpose into the limelight and increase the success of any event.
DJ A-Trak’s Bioreactive Concert at SXSW, for example, launched a piece of wearable technology called Lightwave, which measures people’s body temperatures, movements, and excitement. The data Lightwave collected showed up on A-Trak’s iPad and allowed him to adapt his performance to fit the crowd’s mood. The music connected the brand with interested people, and the event benefited everyone involved.
Another example of how musical talent can be key in a branded event’s success is how Jay Z got people excited about Tidal, a high fidelity music streaming platform. He put on a show exclusively for Tidal subscribers that included hits he hadn’t performed in a decade. Jay Z was willing to provide fans with a unique and intimate experience. Of course, he owns Tidal, so he had a clear incentive to do this concert. However, the concert gave people an understanding of the benefits of Tidal, and the aftereffects swayed people to give the service a try.
Collaborating Effectively
Developing organic and mutually beneficial ways to collaborate with artists is of the utmost importance. Here are four ways I’ve seen brands successfully collaborate with artists:
- Placement: Jeep and Interscope Recordspartnered to build a campaign for Jeep’s new image by using music to enhance its offerings. One of the label’s bands, X Ambassadors, was working on a song called “Renegades” that had all of the qualities that Jeep wanted to represent its brand. Jeep’s use of the song in its commercials amplified its message.The genius in this campaign lies in how “Renegades” was released. The commercial syndication helped the song gain steam to eventually spend 11 straight weeks as the 1 song on the Billboard alternative chart. And X Ambassadors’ debut album, “VHS,” premiered in the top 10.
- Sponsorships: Absolut Vodka sponsored Lady Gagabecause its brand relies on transformative collaborations, and her creativity and individuality are sure to invoke transformation. Because Lady Gaga’s values align with Absolut’s, as a brand ambassador, she can accurately create and manifest the ultimate Absolut experience.
- Partnerships: Sour Patch Kids created The Patch in Brooklynand Austin — a free place for bands to stay in those cities tostrengthen the brand’s visibility and credibilityby entering the music world. In this case, NUE Agency and Sour Patch Kids used their knowledge of the music ecosystem to identify and fulfill needs of emerging artists. Then, by collaborating with platforms such as SoundCloud and Billboard, we were able to amplify the purpose of the houses and provide additional value to the artists.
- Experiential: The annoying beep of New York City subway turnstiles is being replaced with music by James Murphy, thanks to funding from Heineken. Heineken hopes its involvement in creating a new musical experience leads people to associate its brand with a positive moment each day.
How Important Is Musical Talent?
The effects of musical talent performing at brand-sponsored events can, in fact, be measured.
An eMarketer survey found that one in three people who attended a concert remembered the brand partners of the last show they attended, and 44 percent of respondents said that music partnerships are most likely to boost positive feelings toward a sponsor brand.
Additionally, LiveAnalytics reports that 52 percent of concert attendees followed a brand on social media after a musician posted about it, and 51 percent connected with a brand on social media for access to music or concert promotions.
What’s more, a survey by Momentum Worldwide and AEG Live found that 93 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds appreciate brands that sponsor live music events, with 8 in 10 respondents saying branded festivals and concerts are the best ways for brands to interact with them.
People love music — plain and simple. For brands striving to become valued, it makes perfect sense to strike a chord with the audience they’re trying to reach through good music. Great brand promotion that complements musical talent is key to any event’s success.
First Published on Event Industry News
