Pump Up the Volume

Music is what anthropologists call a “cultural universal.” It’s one of the few constants across the diverse cultures of the world that is practiced and celebrated in every society. And while it manifests differently across a wide range of industries and cultural disciplines, there is no denying the huge role it plays in people’s lives, the passion it evokes, and the emotion it can communicate, even breaking down language barriers.

For thousands of years, music has been used as a means of emotional expression. It has unique psychological qualities that can affect listeners in many ways, impacting emotions, creating a somatic effect, and even being used as a means of achieving catharsis. With such deep psychological effects, it’s not a surprise that music fans’ relationships with musicians also run very deep. And in a digital world of “always on,” music fans are connecting to artists at unprecedented levels through a multitude of platforms.

So why do only a relatively small number of brands utilize this powerful passion to connect with the incredibly diverse audiences they must engage with to boost their business. People are listening to more than 20h of music per week and streaming is really on the mission to give back great power to the musical industry. While there is no denying that the streaming model is not yet perfect, with unanswered questions around the revenue opportunities for smaller, less established artists, there has been a shift to a place where consumers are prepared to pay for something that the digital world had previously served them for free. This is a bright spot, but one that comes potentially too late for an industry that has seen its profit model rendered unrecognizable by the digital advances of the last 20 years, leaving artists to find or invent new revenue streams wherever they can.

Looking at the world through the lens of brand marketing, we see many forward-thinking brands recognizing the need to engage their consumers through their passions. Smart marketers are no longer selling through messages alone, but rather providing experiences to strengthen the connections between themselves and consumers. When looking at the research and data, it’s clear that music and culture offer brands an advantage in consumer engagement and in commercial metrics.

This leaves us at an exciting intersection in marketing where brands and artists have many positive and mutually beneficial reasons to come together to create, communicate, and collaborate. In simple terms, two key events have created this new landscape. First, a shift in the commercial model for artists, driving them to rethink their opportunities; and second, the large increase in brands with a desire and necessity to create new experiences for their consumers, moving away from the traditional ad model that is being forced to evolve at a great pace.The movement, however, is not entirely new. Artists and brands have worked together for many years, but rarely have their interests been so aligned. However, when assessing opportunities, both artists and brands must follow some key rules of engagement to ensure that the partnership is positive and rewarding for music fans, artists, and brands.

• There is no shortcut. The best work will require insights and strategic thinking, informing an integrated creative process between all parties.
• Brands and artists both need to respect the unique dynamic and communicate openly.
• Understanding what artists are looking to achieve will immediately break down barriers and open up a forum for new ideas and experiences.
• As a foundation, artists and brands should be clear on their aim and objectives.
• Aspire to support the music ecosystem and create new opportunities for artists, with that comes respect and endorsement.
• Understand that artists who consider opportunities with brands are not “selling out,” an outdated term. In fact, quite often, it is the approach that is outdated.

Looking at the current landscape there are some forward-thinking experiences taking place that personify these rules, and demonstrate real success and value. Identifying key insights during planning is critical. Not putting music at the top of consumer passion points disregards data from around the globe that demonstrates the power of music and the impact it can have on brand marketing. Through a planned and strategic approach, implemented by an experienced partner, brands have a huge opportunity to truly integrate with artists and create experiences that have a substantial brand impact, artist impact, and take them to a wider, more engaged audience.

(Extract from ‘The relationship between brands and music needs to involve’, article from Andy Walsh for Fast Company)