Warc, 14 August 2013
LONDON: The sometimes strained relationship between music
and brands is changing for the better as the two sides collaborate more closely
over the creation of content and experiences, according to a leading industry
figure.
In a blogpost for the IAB, Nikhil Shah, co-founder of
internet radio company Mixcloud, highlighted the findings of a recent London
conference that explored the interaction of brands, music and content.
One notable contribution came from Matt Black, one half of
electronic dance duo Coldcut and founder of the Ninja Tune label. He described
his attitude towards brands shifting from one of "us and them" to one
that was much more open to "co-operative, enjoyable relationships"
with brands.
Elsewhere, Nihal, a DJ on UK pop music station Radio One,
noted that music was much less tribal than 20 years ago, with people more open
to music in different genres and in different languages. He argued that brands
could better invest in new talent rather than simply giving more money to
well-established existing artists.
Nihal also contrasted the effectiveness of MasterCard's
Priceless campaign taking consumers to a BeyoncĂ© performance – "a genuine
experience" – with the crassness of an attempt by fellow pop star Rihanna
to promote fashion retailer River Island at a London concert. He described the
latter effort as "insecure marketing".
As to what makes a great music-focused brand campaign,
research from Audiencenet, the market research agency, indicated that creating
engaging content and providing unique experiences were the most important
factors for marketers, far ahead of considerations such as supporting artists
or even aligning the brand with talent.
Engagement and reach were both vital aspects of such a
campaign, while experiential and digital content were the most important
channels.
Red Bull, Converse and Burberry were cited as standout
brands that had succeeded in creating unique and engaging digital content.
Media partners and Facebook were the preferred digital
platforms, ahead of YouTube and Twitter and a brand's own website.
A major problem for marketers, however, was how to measure
the return on investment of a music-focused brand campaign. Fully 87% of the
Audiencenet survey said they found this exercise difficult or very difficult.
Data sourced from IAB, Mixcloud; additional content by Warc
staff
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