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FINDING THE GIMMICK Identifying brand identities and creative marketing strategies in the Brisbane independent music market Christina Langham Bachelor of Contemporary Music (Honours) Dr. Christy Collis & Dr. Kevin Sanson Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Research) School of Communication Faculty of Creative Industries Queensland University of Technology 2018 Keywords Brand identity, brand co-creation, consumer relationship, independent musicians, music branding, music marketing, social media marketing Finding The Gimmick i Abstract Through a mixed-methods exploration of the use of brand identities in the Brisbane independent music market, this research project aims to identify the marketing strategies employed by artists, and to explore how music consumers and industry professionals perceive these strategies. This study identified a gap in the area of research concerned with branded music marketing, particularly in regards to the use of imagery when marketing music. From the research findings, it is clear that the theories and strategies can be combined to create strategic advantage in the development of a musical brand identity. This study concludes that imagery and symbolism, consumer relationship and co-creation, and consistent brand messaging are the most effective marketing strategies employed by Brisbane independent musicians. Hence, this project answers the question: How do consumers and industry professionals perceive the effectiveness of Brisbane independent musicians’ creative marketing strategies? ii Finding The Gimmick Table of Contents Keywords ................................................................................................................... i Abstract ..................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................ vi Statement of Original Authorship ............................................................................ vii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................. 1 1.1 Background & Context .....................................................................................2 1.2 Research Aims .................................................................................................4 1.3 Research Significance & Scope ........................................................................5 1.4 Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................6 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................... 9 2.1 Brand Marketing Theories .............................................................................. 10 2.2 Music Marketing Theories .............................................................................. 20 2.3 Social Media Marketing Theories ................................................................... 27 2.4 Summary and Implications ............................................................................. 33 Chapter 3: Research Design ..................................................................... 37 3.1 Mixed Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative ................................................. 37 3.2 Participant Eligibility ...................................................................................... 39 3.3 Overview of Phases ........................................................................................ 40 3.4 Research tools & instrumentation ................................................................... 46 3.5 Summary ........................................................................................................ 49 Chapter 4: Data Analysis.......................................................................... 51 4.1 Independent Marketing Strategies ................................................................... 54 Finding The Gimmick iii 4.2 Brand Identity & Self-branding Techniques .................................................... 56 4.3 Genre & Imagery............................................................................................ 61 4.4 Symbolism & Metaphor ................................................................................. 64 4.5 Marketing Approach....................................................................................... 65 4.6 Online Presence.............................................................................................. 66 4.7 Industry Advice .............................................................................................. 67 Chapter 5: Conclusions ............................................................................ 70 5.1 Strategies For Creating Brand Identities.......................................................... 71 5.2 Limitations of the Research ............................................................................ 77 5.3 Recommendations for Future Research ........................................................... 77 Bibliography ................................................................................................ 79 Appendices ................................................................................................... 91 Appendix A : Recruitment email for Phase 2 participants ......................................... 91 Appendix B : Phase 1 Results ................................................................................... 92 Appendix C : Phase 2 Results ................................................................................. 115 Appendix D : Phase 3 Results................................................................................. 130 iv Finding The Gimmick List of Figures Figure 1:Resnikoff (2016). Retrieved from https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/08/16/music-5-percent-youtube/ ....................... 33 Finding The Gimmick v List of Abbreviations B2C – Business to Consumer C2B – Consumer to Business DIY – Do-It-Yourself FMCG – Fast-moving Consumer Goods IFPI – International Federation of the Phonographic Industry PAYL – Pay-As-You-Like USP – Unique Selling Proposition V&J – Vincent & Jules vi Finding The Gimmick Statement of Original Authorship The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Signature: QUT Verified Signature Date: 28/09/2018 Finding The Gimmick vii Acknowledgements I would like to thank the all of the independent musicians, music consumers and industry professionals for their participation in this research project. I would like to thank my fellow post-graduate peers for their feedback, wisdom, and valuable conversations. I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr Christy Collis and Dr Kevin Sanson, for their guidance, patience, and on going support throughout this research project. I am also grateful to Kristina Kelman and Phil Graham for their support during the beginning of this project. Additional thanks to Denise Scott of Write Touch for her help in proofing this thesis. I would like to thank my friends for their inspiration and motivation, and for always encouraging me to be the best version of myself. Additionally, thank you to my wonderful family: my mother, brothers and sisters for supporting me on my academic journey, and throughout my life in general. Last but not least, to my fiancé Amanda: for all that you do, and all that you are, I am eternally grateful. Thank you for keeping me company during the twilight hours. viii Finding The Gimmick Chapter 1: Introduction The purpose of this research is to explore the use of brand identities in the Brisbane independent music marketplace; to identify the marketing strategies employed by artists; and to explore how these strategies are perceived by music consumers and industry professionals. It further determines how the marketing strategies identified can be combined to create strategic advantage in the development of a brand identity. Hence, it answers the question: How do consumers and industry professionals perceive the effectiveness of Brisbane independent musicians’ creative marketing strategies? Based on the findings of this study, I argue that the most important marketing strategy that independent musicians should incorporate into their online presence is the use of a brand identity. Such an identity has the potential to communicate key marketing messages and brand values to consumers. My secondary argument is that consumer relationships and co-creation can aid in the formation and reinforcement of brand identities. Studies have concluded that consumers can use brands as extensions of their self- identity (Brodsky, 2010), can form relationships with them (Fournier, 1998), and can co-create value through online streams of feedback and interaction with brands (Hay, 2017). Due to these relationships

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