A. The genre we picked for our music marketing campaign was rock. The target audience for the rock genre is an age range of teens to middle age people, about 14-50. The rock genre is different from other genres like pop and rap because of the themes that artists choose to illuminate with their songs. Hard hitting topics like depression, violence and dealing with mental illnesses are pretty much commonplace in this genre. We wanted our artist to embody this archetype but also remain a positive influence on the target audience. This genre relies heavily on touring/music festivals and live shows in order to gain publicity. The target audience is more likely to purchase vinyl records of albums as this goes with the rock aesthetic and nostalgia is a key element to rock.
B. We researched two famous rock bands to gain inspiration and insight into how a band can generate interest in their music. In this genre we noticed recurring themes that made artists successful.
Our first case study, the Foo FIghters have been a band for over two decades and are still going strong, having retained a loyal fanbase over the years. We found that because Foo Fighters have been around for so long, nostalgia marketing is a key part of their strategy when it comes to selling merchandise and records. 2020 marks the 25 year anniversary of the band being created, and band leader, Dave Grohl, has hinted through social media, that special releases and new items would be released accordingly. The band also interacted with their fans and gave opportunities for fans to be involved in band decisions. For example, they held a video contest where fans could make music videos and submit them for consideration and one video would be chosen as the winner. Other methods like doing a contest where a fan could win a free personal performance also generate interest. Through their website, the Foo Fighters were able to publish clues so fans could decipher where a secret performance would be held, this also creates buzz. Live shows are important since it allows fans to see the band in person, and concerts are a part of the rock genre. Live shows were promoted on the website and through social media like Twitter and Instagram.
Our second case study, the rock band Cage the Elephant, is a popular rock band that is slightly more recent than Foo Fighters. We used this band to research for our project because we wanted to learn more about how a band that began in the more modern age can thrive and survive the streaming battle. We discovered that Cage the Elephant uses talk shows like Jimmy Kimmel to promote their music. While many people do not watch the show live, clips of the performance are posted on YouTube which can make the music more popular. Cage the Elephant also likes to communicate with fans through a newsletter that fans can sign up for through the band’s website. The band uses the site to promote shows and merchandise and also provide links to their various social media accounts. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter are used extensively to inform fans of what the band is up to and where/when the band will be performing live next. Clips of songs and music videos are also posted on social media to drum up excitement about upcoming releases. The band also delves into themes of sadness and heartbreak with their songs, further playing into the genre conventions.
C. While we were creating our band, Riot of the Roses, we really wanted to emulate what our case studies had done so well, which was fan interaction. We believed that by developing a strong bond between the artist and fans early on, we would be able to sustain interest in the band for a long period of time, We created special hashtags like #FINDRIOT to include fans and give them a chance to see the band perform live if they could follow the clues and discover the secret location. We also wanted to create a special fan club that people could join to show their support for the band. We believe that by having an organized fan club we could actually generate more interest since the fan club would make the band unique in the way it interacts with fans. The Home Of Rose Nation or THORN for short was created for this purpose. Fans can post using the #THORNTHURSDAY in order to promote the band and their music. These hashtags are also ways we used social media like Instagram and Twitter to publicize our band. In the media, people with mental illness are being portrayed more regularly, but this has been a constant in the rock genre for decades. We wanted to continue that tradition by sending out positive messages with our fans.
To promote the band, we decided that distribution should reflect the wants and needs of the target audience. This means less focus on CDs and radio play and more vinyl records and streaming platform deals since that is what is trending in the genre at the moment. We made our new single available on vinyl so that fans who are a little more old school can still enjoy our music. We also wanted to promote a message with our band which could also help grow the fanbase. We chose our name, Riot of the Roses, based on the different colors that roses come in and rioting in a sense against what people expect from a rose. We wanted to show people that even though someone may look pretty on the outside it does not mean they’re okay on the inside, so our name is about the roses fighting back and taking control of their lives. Different colors of roses represent different feelings, for example yellow is friendship and compassion. We wanted to give fans the opportunity to buy band merchandise in the color that best matches their personal message, or what they want to put out into the world.
D. We created a variety of merchandise so fans could purchase specific things they want. We have a water bottle, a tote bag, and a fan club t-shirt. This merch is supposed to help fans connect further with the band and also promote the band by using the products they buy. Not only does this free advertising benefit the band, it also generates a second revenue stream.
E. Throughout this process I learned just how difficult it is to really become a truly successful artist in the music industry. It takes a lot of work and effort to make a small impact. I learned that social media and merchandise is quickly becoming the greatest marketing tool for artists now. Filming and editing a debut music video was difficult and our video was far from perfect. Our whole message as a band is spreading positivity and acceptance but our video was about a girl getting revenge upon those who looked down upon her. We wanted to show this as a cautionary tale of what NOT to do. In hindsight we should’ve included a still at the end with a bullying prevention hotline to make the video come together and relate to our theme more. I learned that knowing who the target audience is inside and out is extremely important and relevant information regarding where the genre is going is important too (more vinyl less CDs). When an artist debuts, companies have to make sure they will be successful so the project will make them money. This project really showed me how the music industry is based on what consumers want not entirely what the artist wants to do.
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