BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF 06–07 Tools Best of Midemlab 08–09 Campaigns Bon Iver, The National, Kanye West, Big Narstie 10–14 Behind The Campaign- Kate Ellis
IN ASSOCIATION WITH sandbox JUNE 13 2018 MUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 206 APPETITE FOR CONSUMPTION
the drain and strain of making unique content for everyone COVERFEATURE ike a precocious Oliver in a fancifully designed workhouse, the music Lindustry has never been shy of demanding more of its artists: labels want more attention; media want more access; retailers want more content; and live audiences just plain want more. The difference in 2018 is that these demands never stop. Three decades ago, there was a limit to how many in-store appearances Tower Records could fit into its shops, while radio and TV stations were APPETITE FOR limited by strict time slots. But in the digital age, where spatial limits are a thing of the past, there’s little stopping DSPs like CONSUMPTION Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon from packing their platforms with exclusive extra content as they tussle over subscriber numbers. But artists, managers and labels alike are feeling the strain. They spoke to us about the tough realities of this – but only on the condition of anonymity. “This is one of the most important issues in the business right now and one of the biggest conversations we are having in our company around any release,” one international marketer tells music:)ally. “Everyone wants something that is exclusive to them.” For overworked labels and managers, weighing up the constant demands from the drain and strain of making digital platforms for exclusive content is an extra headache to be negotiated. unique content for everyone “The exclusivity demands around all this Hardly anyone today will give an album exclusive to a DSP – but in its place has come a growing demand that every music service gets something unique from acts as they line up their marketing. Covering sessions, secret gigs, interviews, playlists, podcasts and more, this is a significant drain on time and resources for acts – and what has become a content arms race risks turning into a race to the bottom. We spoke to marketers about how they shoulder these demands and navigate the politics, but also query if these exclusives have anything approaching the impact everyone hopes for or presumes. Is there a risk of them actually damaging campaigns and annoying fans? Or is this just part and parcel of what marketing is in 2018 if you want a DSP to throw its weight (and playlists) behind your acts?
1 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 COVERFEATURE stuff needs discussion as it can harm The question campaigns if it comes at the wrong of the exclusive time, especially around album releases,” content that digital one music:)ally source explained at the platforms demand tail end of 2017. “It feels like we’re – and for these now at a stage where getting the mix purposes we are right for all the DSPs is more important primarily talking than focusing on getting the most out of about Spotify, one provider.” Apple Music, One indie marketer compares the Amazon, situation to “a constant dance”. YouTube, Deezer “For a number of our biggest records and Tidal – is this year, we are – on some level – looking clearly a thorny to take between a moderate and an one. These are, extreme amount of money off of Apple, without doubt, both for content and for marketing,” they important say. “And in exchange for this there’s a distribution heavy demand that they be the retailer of channels for music, record, especially on social media. That is which pay large really where the rubber hits the road for amounts of money all of these folks. Each of these back to the music companies wants to dominate industry. And there artist and label socials around is a clear payoff for release. Or in Spotify’s case they labels and artists in would say they must have parity.” providing this extra music:)ally head of training and content, notably in A content arms race? development Wesley T. A’Harrah says terms of exposure Or a race to the bottom? that the problem for artists may lie and marketing. That is why marketers comparison to getting on the bad side of in the platforms’ strict guidelines for pitch so intently for promotional your top two sources of streaming income Musicians, too, feel the strain of these exclusive content. “You don’t make extra opportunities like Spotify Sessions. (Spotify and Apple Music), your number constant demands. “Artists certainly content in your own artist’s way; you do But that does not mean that it is one CD vendor (Amazon) or the world’s feel – and often ask – ‘Why are we it according to the brand guidelines of hypocritical for labels to chafe against biggest platform for music consumption creating off-the-cuff, unconsidered new those companies,” he argues. “And so it is their demands. Unbidden, several record (YouTube). content in service of something we have not like you are making something that is company employees have raised the Adding to this stress is the incredibly spent several years creating as a perfect really going to stand out for my artist. You problem of exclusive content with music:) fast turnover at DSPs, which leads to representation of our ideas and art?’” says are making something that follows the ally over the last few months and, given constant (seemingly insatiable) demands one senior marketer. “It is a fair question. design template they have.” the increasing amount of stress that for fresh material. “Quite honestly, the I say, ‘This is how we continue to engage He adds, “Plus Selena Gomez has music industry employees are under, this dialogues with DSPs about the promotion our partners.’ What we hear from partners 138m Instagram followers. Apple Music is an issue that needs addressing. And of our records is a short dialogue,” says and what have seen is that the clear plus Spotify have 5m combined. What on yes, demands on artists and labels come one US marketer. “It is new-release- introduction of fresh content continues earth benefit are you ever going to get by from all sides. But the worry of annoying focused and it is frontline-focused – so the conversation around a release.” making them content?” one radio station in Chicago pales in it is hard to go back and talk to Spotify
2 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 COVERFEATURE about editorial opportunities for songs moving into the video premiere territory that have been out for three months. So and is scaling back its original content what we end up doing is we put out a new long-form offerings like On The product– sometimes produced with them, Record . Amazon has various sometimes produced independently, programmes like First & Last as well which, again, in an ideal world is speaking as bespoke content for Amazon Echo. I to this halo effect – and the conversation expect to see more of these types of asks is never supposed to end. That is the from both Amazon and Google.” message that we get.” Apple will often help to fund the creation of promotional content in exchange for The politics of the exclusivity, famously bankrolling the GIF- DSP pecking order friendly video for Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’, and the company also has a “Merlin fund” Most marketers agree that Apple Music or that it uses to pay for marketing and Spotify – who did not wish to comment on content creation for indie labels who are this piece – usually end up with the best part of Merlin. In return, they want to be of the exclusive content: the former for its seen – according to one marketer – as “the reach and deep pockets; the latter for the DSP of record for a given campaign”. sheer size of its subscriber base and the Spotify does not hand over money for power of its playlists. labels and artists to create content. But Amazon and YouTube are next in line, it will swallow the costs for live Spotify followed by Tidal (another company that Sessions and its Spotify Singles series, is, according to marketers, prepared to and will also give artists promotional write cheques) and Deezer, although this support. “Spotify will purchase a billboard depends on the genre of music you make that they will own for the year and if we and the nature of the partnership. “If you do an above-the-line campaign with them, are a big rapper it makes sense for you to our artist will be positioned there for a do an exclusive thing on Spotify because who are going to have the top songs on more on bespoke video content than given time,” one US source says. “But it is that is where Genius lives,” says music:) one of their flagship playlists. That’s six Spotify,” one source says. “Spotify has never a dollar conversation with Spotify, ally digital marketing executive Chiara artists. And they are all going to be the spent a lot more on exclusive audio whereas it can be with both Apple and Michieletto. Facebook occupies a slightly six biggest artists that week regardless. creation, via Sessions, Spotify Singles, YouTube.” different sphere from the DSPs, but its By doing that they ensure that they also things like that – at least recently. On Is this exchange worth it, then? Many push into native and live video means it get all the social media coverage for those Spotify’s new video platform, they want marketers think so in terms of exposure. is often part of the same conversation platforms. Right now Shawn Mendes exclusive vertical video; they don’t just “The level of exposure you can get can be around where to place content. has the entire Spotify Instagram Story want you to convert standard HD video to huge if the plan is global and multimedia,” For DSPs, the lure of exclusive content takeover, one third of the Snapchat take vertical.” one senior label executive says. “If your is linked to the power of social media. over and the second slot on Today’s Top Another marketer confirms this. artist is particularly hot then it is to be “You make extra content to give to a Hits and New Music Friday. ” “Vertical videos on Spotify are expected that everyone will want to be DSP so that they can put their logo on Under this overarching theme, however, hugely important in terms of involved – so it’s just a balancing exercise. it and use it on socials,” says Music Apple Music and Spotify tend to want giving your new releases premium I would always favour giving everyone Ally’s A’Harrah. “The only people who do slightly different things when it comes to coverage and a huge start on the something rather than favouring just one exclusive videos for Spotify are the ones exclusive content. “Apple has spent a lot Spotify charts,” she says. “Apple is partner with all content and exclusives.”
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She believes it is possible to satisfy all the digital platforms – if you tread carefully. “You do just need to be very considered about who gets what and EXCLUSIVITY CHALLENGE: DEEZER’S APPROACH TO QUALITY CONTENT when and make sure that everyone gets something exclusive and their own share Sulinna Ong, global VP of artist What kind of promotional effect Marketers we spoke to have said of social posts,” she says. “It’s always best marketing at Deezer, gives a can this content have? that the pressures of providing exclusive to be upfront with all partners about the DSP’s view on exclusives. Audio recordings of live artist content to DSPs is hard to juggle. overall plan and if there are any exclusives performances are particularly effective for What is your reaction to this? with their competitors to let them know. How important is exclusive us. We typically see a minimum increase My answer to this is that there are fewer DSPs This transparency avoids future issues content to a DSP like Deezer? of 10-15% in streams across the artist’s than radio stations – which are still a heavy down the line and avoids any risk of Working with an artist and their catalogue without cannibalisation. We will fixture in how an artist spends their time on their partners pulling support.” teams to create original and coordinate sessions with artists and invite promo schedule doing sessions, interviews and A’Harrah agrees. “Shawn Mendes did exclusive content is extremely fans to attend and we always see not so on – but we have global audiences in the an entire live stream only through Apple important because it gives us additional valid only the increase in streams but “fan interaction” in millions with marketing budgets to promote this Music and a week later he also has the reasons to talk to our users about the artist Deezer – e.g. increases in follows, adding songs/ type of content, so I don’t really buy into that top slot and all the coverage on Spotify,” and thereby helps avoid the “album release albums to favourites and user playlists etc. argument. he says. “It is about smart negotiation. fatigue” of just pushing the same release We completely understand that there are only You don’t have to have to pick one partner message over and over again. Most importantly, What kind of exclusive or extra content so many hours in a day and that there are multiple and go with one partner. You can get the it gives us the ability to work a release longer does Deezer look for from acts? demands on an artist’s time, which is precisely why benefit of every platform without having and stagger content out to have multiple This can range from live artist performances it does make sense to work with DSPs on creating to burn your relationship.” marketing touch points. [sessions] where we record audio and video of the this type of content. I always talk about having to “look beyond the performance and invite fans to attend; interviews, Because, in terms of ROI on an artist’s time, Does exclusive content even playlist”: how do we get people who listen passively podcasts, live EPs, artist playlists and also what we you’re reaching millions of people worldwide. We move the needle for anyone? in a playlist to care enough and convince them to call artist “take-overs” of flagship playlists and/or respect an artist’s time and we only ask for content hit that ‘Follow’ button? Exclusive content enables channels. We take the time to craft the right plan we think will make an important impact in growing Other marketers are less convinced by the us to do this and we see the results. and what content we feel is going to work best their profile on Deezer and will increase streams worth of these exclusives. One UK label given the artist and situation. and engagement. executive mentioned his dissatisfaction at a recent case in which their company spent “a lot of money” to produce bespoke Other marketers point out that much do you and how much does the subscription base – which is really all that video content for a big Spotify playlist releasing exclusive material to different artist want the content to exist at all? That they care about,” he concludes. which was exclusive to their platform. platforms is hardly a fan-friendly move. is the big struggle.” “It’s not much of a fan experience to “I have absolutely no idea how “There is demonstrable evidence that Ultimately, though, whatever fans think, have to sign up for a service that you don’t many people viewed it,” he said. this is not a good fan experience, that the power of the DSPs versus a fractured use in order to check out a single piece “We mainly did it to ensure our it is not good for the content and it is music industry means labels are unlikely of content that you might only have a tracks were pushed high up in the not necessarily good for the campaign,” to move away from offering exclusive fleeting interest in. playlist, but even that didn’t really says one North American marketer. “You content until DSPs stop asking, a situation “I don’t think that it will be an ongoing happen. We got a few spots but can say that the campaigns and the that one marketer believes may be closer arms race to create more exclusive not enough to justify the effort presentations suffer via exclusive content than we think. content. I just don’t think it is sustainable and cash that went into making – and I think it does. But the thing that “I think that DSPs are going to see over the long term because, all in all, it is the videos.” you have to weigh against is this: how that exclusives don’t do much for their not a good experience.”
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BREAKING DOWN THE CONTENT ARMS RACE music:)ally picked four acts with albums saved the new album on Spotify automatically YouTube stream in January to celebrate the release Spotlight Stories) takes the prize. The three partners released over the past 12 months and looked at joined an “Always Ascending Fan Club”, which of the new album. produced a 360-degree VR video for ‘Saturnz the amount of exclusive material that appeared gave them access to large amounts of additional Spotify got three rather different – but equally Barz’, which was viewed more than 3m times in on digital platforms around the release. (Note: content, including behind-the-scenes videos, an alluring – exclusives. Fans who pre-saved Camila its first 24 hours, making it the biggest debut for We are not saying that all exclusive content is introduction to the new members of the band, lyric on Spotify were entered into a draw to win an a VR music video in YouTube history. Total views the result of an agreement with the platform in booklets and a fan Q&A. exclusive T-shirt; the service ran an exclusive currently stand at almost 12m. question, nor that this is an exhaustive list.) “playlist video” for ‘Havana’ and she celebrated the launch of the album with a fan party, alongside 40 Who Who of her biggest listeners on Spotify. Kylie Minogue, whose 14th studio album, Golden, Franz Ferdinand, whose fifth studio album, Always was released in April 2018 by BMG. Ascending, was released by Domino in February Who 2018 Gorillaz, whose fifth Where were the exclusives? studio album Humanz Team Kylie were generous with their time, with Where were the was released on Spotify and Apple Music each getting a raft of exclusives? Parlophone in April exclusives. With Franz Ferdinand, it 2017. might be easier to say where Who they weren’t: Spotify, Apple Camila Cabello, whose debut solo album Camila Where were the Music, YouTube, Deezer and was released by Epic/Syco in January 2018. exclusives? Amazon all featured exclusive Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music and Deezer content from the band around the release. Where were the exclusives? – although Deezer’s Things I Like podcast series As well as an exclusive CD for US retailer Target, came a year after the album’s release. Deutsche Who got the gold? Cabello had digital exclusives on Spotify and Telekom also got involved, backing a mixed reality Who got the gold? There is a pretty uniformly high standard to this YouTube. Apple Music and Amazon weren’t entirely Gorillaz app through its Electronic Beats initiative. While Apple Music benefited from some interesting content: Apple Music got an exclusive on the video left aside, however. Cabello appeared on Apple exclusives – including the premiere of the video for for second single ‘Feel The Love Go’ and recorded Music’s Carpool Karaoke in October 2017, while Who got the gold? ‘Stop Me From Falling’, handwritten lyrics for use a video of the band answering questions via a she recorded a brief video for Amazon Music UK in This seems pretty evenly spread. Apple Music got on their social media channels and an appearance “Glasouija board”; Amazon Music did a Side By January, explaining the first and last songs she fell the exclusive on two songs – ‘Ascension’, which from Kylie on its Beats 1 A-List Pop show – it is hard Side feature with the band, in which they broke in love with. premiered on its Beats 1 radio station, and ‘Garage to look past the intimate Spotify gig that Minogue down their new album; Deezer got the band to Palace’, taken from the album’s deluxe edition – gave to her “super streamers” on the platform, share “the songs that soundtrack our lives”; and Who got the gold? while Amazon Music got an animated advert. which became a key part of the narrative around there are four videos on YouTube in which the Let’s call it a tie between YouTube and Spotify. The (Don’t cry too much for Spotify: in 2011 Gorillaz the new album. BMG also ran a competition on band document the making of Always Ascending. 17-minute Made In Miami Artist Spotlight video celebrated their 10th anniversary with five weeks the platform, whereby anyone who pre-saved But the niftiest of the exclusive surely went for YouTube was a great example of how to tell a of exclusive content on Spotify.) Golden on Spotify would have a chance of (albeit indirectly) to Spotify, in what was a clever story around an artist and has been watched more But for the combination of novelty and success, winning a signed copy of the album on vinyl and extension of the pre-save model. Fans who pre- than 1.7m times. Cabello also appeared on a live the band’s hook up with YouTube (and Google there were video shout outs for Spotify socials. :)
5 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 TOOLS LAB-OUR OF LOVE sandbox’s pick of the best in show at this year’s Midemlab
Midem wrapped up last week with Laylo’s revenue model is based on a slew of startups pitching for first superfan experiences, like exclusive place in the Midemlab competition. merchandise and backstage access – and Midemlab startups compete within on a B2B model that works with labels, one of four categories: Discovery & publishers, promoters and artists to give Distribution; Marketing & Data Analytics; access to Laylo’s data. Advisors to Laylo Experiential Technology; and Music include the Fader, LiveXLive and Slacker Creation & Education. Radio. Laylo also states that artists are already breaking on the platform: Bazzi had We’ve picked out four fresh startups 5,900 followers in November and now has that we believe have the best potential to 368,000 followers, for example. Laylo’s app help marketers. launched six months ago and is currently invitation-only with 3,000 users. It is Seated working with social influencers right now in hopes to model its expanded audience on “Artists still have no control over their Laylo this base. ticketing experience,” says Seated CEO to automatically buy tickets. Seated sandbox is a little sceptical on this David McKay. “They’re still driving their collects data and integrates alongside The winner of the Discovery & Distribution concept. Gamifying social sharing tends to fans to countdown clocks before tickets existing suites of marketing tools, such as track, Laylo aims to super-serve superfans work at a single artist or campaign level, are available, to confusing pre-sales once MailChimp. through gamifying music discovery and and often works with younger audiences: tickets are released, and at the end of it all, Seated has worked with Jason Mraz, sharing. Laylo CEO Alec Ellin, with a but to how large an audience and over often a sold-out message.” The winner of Leon Bridges, Robert Plant and Lindsey background in running a music blog and how long a period of time will this type the Marketing & Data Analytics Midemlab Stirling as some of its early artist clients. being an A&R at Sony Music, believes that of activity scale? We believe the answer track, Seated was evaluated by its panel to McKay says that “in 10 weeks we’re superfans are the key to helping more will largely be based on the value and be the most promising for change in the launching a fully self-serve open-to- artists break even. exclusivity of rewards offered to the most marketing and analytics landscape of the the-public product,” and that a resale Within the Laylo catalogue of more influential of Laylo’s users. music industry. marketplace and subscriptions are among than 30m tracks, each song has its own Seated asserts that, while artists possible future product offerings. page showing who found it first and how can drive significant traffic to ticketing sandbox evaluates Seated as a it spread among the fans’ network, using websites, they lose control of the fan promising tool that will have to learn to leader boards and points to show who is experience along the sales funnel. scale quickly across countries, venues, best in a group of friends at sharing music. Seated works by providing artists promoters and thorny industry politics “If your best friend’s on Spotify and you’re with the tools to drive fans to the right in order to become crucial to the overall on Apple Music, you can send them that place at the right time, as it pertains ticketing landscape. We are looking music and talk about it […] and you don’t to ticketing, and can send reminders forward to that 10-week-hence public have to worry that you’re on different around when tickets go on sale; or it can product launch and the following flood of platforms. Anywhere you can spread a link, take information and credit-card details case studies. you can share this music.”
6 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 TOOLS
First aimed at YouTubers to license music Sampson. Lickd also sees potential to help for use within the soundtrack of their labels and publishers get their emerging videos, Lickd has the goal of making it artists and tracks into the videos of online feasible for large YouTubers to sync music influencers – and to provide them with data within their videos without sacrificing the via an analytics dashboard on what kind of entire revenue from videos with syncs. audiences are watching those videos. Video creators can search within Lickd Some 75 labels, publishers and by artist, genre and theme, paying to distributors are on board, and Lickd is license tracks with a sliding scale of fees “at contract with three of the four biggest dependent on the size of their channel’s labels in the world […] and I should be audience. Lickd then integrates with able to announce them in the next month,” YouTube’s Content ID system so that said Sampson, going on to say that one videos with Lickd-authorised syncs don’t of the deals is upwards of 250k songs get flagged for copyright infringement. on the master recording front with Muso.AI how common denominator metadata from Sampson noted that there are currently publishing attached. Preparing for a voice-enabled future, projects can be used across each of these over 2m YouTube channels that are making sandbox looks at Lickd as an Muso.AI responds to voice queries around companies, and consequently created into money from their content, and he views opportunity for the music industry to music and allows artists and their teams a search interface that can serve fans and that as the addressable market where redirect some of the difficulties that have to prepare metadata for searches that professionals alike. music is largely missing out. emerged around licensing within social audiophiles might make. Founder Kyran sandbox looks at Muso.AI as a step in the In the near future, this will also be platforms and believes working with this de Keijzer says Muso.AI’s search can right direction for how the industry needs to about Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. and similar platforms is one of the keys to “play me songs in the key of G minor” be preparing more holistic metadata around “Lickd’s role is to futureproof the music unlocking next-level revenues from social- and construct playlists accordingly, for music and music projects to be accessible industry for social-video licensing,” said video platforms. :) example, or answer questions like, “What by casual fans, specialist researchers and was the most-streamed song released business professionals. It offers the platform in 2017, what label released it and who is to enter, verify and access this data in their A&R?” Following queries about music consumer-friendly ways. industry professionals, a “connect me with them” command can take a user to that Lickd professional’s Muso.AI profile, effectively acting like an industry-specific LinkedIn Sync licensing is already a lucrative sector that is built on metadata around who for the music industry, though it mostly worked on certain projects. operates in a B2B field. Lickd CEO Paul Evaluating competition in this space, Sampson presents the platform as a way de Keijzer pointed to Genius, Splice and to bring sync licensing into the business- LinkedIn each as indirectly competing to-consumer world. “2.8bn of us have a around different parts of the Muso.AI production company in our pocket and the product offering. Each platform has its world’s most generous commissioner in own unique type of community, with YouTube,” he frames it, citing access to smart- the Genius community being by far the phones and the world’s largest video platform. most consumer-facing one; Muso.AI’s Lickd is a pre-cleared, claims-free approach from the outset is to identify licensing service for social-video creators.
7 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 CAMPAIGNS The latest projects from the digital marketing arena
PEOPLE SOUND: BON IVER AND THE NATIONAL CREATE A NEW “PUBLISHING PLATFORM”
not fit on their ‘normal’ albums. It’s The founders a ragbag of ideas and clearly aimed know that if at the kind of fan who wants to track they just pack it with their own music then the still exist within the structures of the industry, Some acts have come together to create a new all creative outlets and processes by appeal will be limited – so they want other acts of agents and managers, and those structures artist-centric and artist-empowering music their favourite acts. to circumvent labels and join this quiet revolution don’t often permit the kind of music-making we’re streaming platform. But it’s not a Tidal rival or a “We are a steadily growing group of artists, for creators. There are plenty of other big or cult interested in, where musicians interact directly Pono revival. People, currently in beta, has been freely creating and sharing our work with each names on there already, including a Leonard Cohen with each other. This is much more spontaneous set up by Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) along with other and everyone,” the blurb on the website song (albeit him as a writer rather than something and free, without promotional timelines and Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National. runs. “We call it PEOPLE [their caps]. It was recorded before his death) that Sufjan Steven is requirements and the label demands that come born of a wish to establish an independent one of the performers on as well as a track with into play. We’ve been 20 years in the National and It will be free to use and acts putting up music and nurturing space in which to make work Will Oldham on. gone through every phase of doing that. We see do so with an eye on the art statement and (generally around music) that is collaborative, Getting lots of acts on there is all well and good this as something else entirely.” possibly triggering collaborations within the spontaneous and expressive in nature and where in theory, but some labels – often with exclusive With Neil Young fully opening up his vast community. Monetisation is not the goal. It’s not all unnecessary distractions or obstacles that get recordings agreements with their acts – will not archives – with detailed notes and annotations even an afterthought as there will be no fiddly in the way are removed. PEOPLE is for the benefit be overjoyed at the idea of them (possibly) giving on pretty much everything – for a $19.99 annual micropayments to be gathered and distributed. and development of the artists involved and away raw gold for free. subscription, it is fascinating that artists are The founding acts are putting their money (well, just as importantly, for those who would like, to Asked by the Guardian why 4AD and now taking on a new curator role outside of the their music) where their mouth is and have put access and enjoy the output. It is as much about JagJaguwar, the labels they are signed to, are main DSPs. They are, it seems, less interested in up music that they feel is good but that just, for the process of making work and showing all that excluded, Aaron Dessner said, “They are two of the generating vast profits and more in actually giving whatever creative or release cycle reason, does openly, as the final outcome.” best, artist-friendly labels in the world, but they super-fans something of genuine worth.
8 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 CAMPAIGNS The latest projects from the digital marketing arena OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH: KANYE WEST’S LATEST NARSTIE HABIT: RAPPER AIMS TO BECOME FOOTBALL PUNDIT ALBUM-LAUNCH-AS-CULTURAL EVENT Readers of a certain age will know that Across a seven-part YouTube series, he Kanye West does not do quiet album football and music are rarely comfortable will get tips from football pundits and other launches. For the launch of The bedfellows. The Eighties regional disco experts as well as learn how the coverage of Life Of Pablo in early 2016, he live sounds of ‘Diamond Lights’ by Glen Hoddle the game works. The first episode sees him streamed the listening party from & Chris Waddle; Paul Gascoigne galumphing meet Barry Davies, legendary octogenarian Madison Square Garden in New York through ‘Fog On The Tyne’; John Barnes sports reporter, with the contrasts in their on Tidal. delivering the most toothless rap of all time delivery style being the big draw. It’s funny in ‘World In Motion’; David Baddiel and Frank and touching in equal measure and even for It was beset by buffering issues and Skinner honking through ‘Three Lions’; that avowed non-sports fans, there’s plenty to then, mere weeks after it came out, abhorrent Fat Les song… hold viewers and make them want to watch it stopped being a Tidal the series unfold. exclusive by landing on other Obviously that was going Narstie is someone the viewer will streaming services. By July to generate a lot of media connect with straight away and they will be that year, he was on Twitter interest, so West had the invested in him doing well. Plus he gets to saying this about exclusives: foresight to turn the album continually plug his music throughout so “Fuck all this dick swinging launch into a merchandising there’s a constant sales message happening, contest. We all gon be dead opportunity. It is perhaps yet it all feels natural rather than crass. in 100 Years. Let the kids the first album launch event There are, of course, huge ethical issues have the music.” Rumours of (certainly that we know for any celebrity linking themselves to a huge falling out with Tidal of) to get its own line of gambling sites and that unpleasant miasma and Jay-Z followed and then merchandise shortly after: a is something he’s not going to shake off West endorsed President collection of six WYOMING here. It looks a fun undertaking and the force Trump, made hugely hoodies and T-shirts, costing of his personality will carry it through; one controversial statements about slavery – and between $65 and $145 from his official Grime star Big Narstie is taking a much just wishes it was a different brand he was all hell broke loose. webstore, will ship within four weeks of the more dignified approach for his link around hitching his wagon to here. So the launch of Ye, his eighth studio album, event, complete with a download code for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in was not going to be a low-key affair. On the the album. Russia. Already known as someone day of release, he took over Diamond Cross Dogged by rumours for weeks that his last who will steal all the limelight Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and invited album and Beyoncé’s Lemonade had their when he makes TV appearances A-list guests and key names in hip-hop along. numbers gamed by Tidal, the narrative here – his natural humour and endless (He made the album at his ranch in Jackson was firmly being swung back to Kanye and likeability absolutely to the fore – Hole, hence the odd location for a major album his everything-turned-up-to-11 strategy. He he’s partnered with online sports launch.) There were also launch events (under knows everything he does will be an event and betting company 888sport to track the banner of Project Wyoming) in Chicago and what some might see as a shameless cashing the football tournament as he tries Miami on 6th June and a third one in in is arguably the most “on brand” thing he’s to become a sports reporter in the Brooklyn the next day. done in years. run up to the games in Russia.
9 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN KATE ELLIS BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNKATE ELLIS
Americana singer-songwriter Kate Ellis was born in Louisiana but moved to the UK – going against the general trend of foreign country acts moving to the US to make it there. Her debut album, Carve Me Out, was released in June 2017 and the challenge was in establishing her from scratch and ensuring she was seen as a US country act based in the UK (rather than a UK country act being exported to America). ANDY HOBSBAWM, founder of River Rose Records, explains how a serendipitous Spotify playlist placement took everyone by surprise, where her father’s record collection was used to put her music in context, how Twitter’s API was harnessed to create a dynamic video and how she is moving into other genres (notably electronica) through deft remixes.
Setting up the album slowly – Using her father’s record but a Spotify placement pushed collection as a hook it in an unanticipated way We did a series which I Kate released her debut album last year. think was really useful in It was very well received in the Americana establishing her – called world and got a large number of positive My Dad’s Records. It was reviews from various quarters – which a series of videos about was unexpected. The release was really the influences that her just intended to get it out there and to father’s record collection see what happens. That then begged the had on her. She was born in question: how to keep it going? Louisiana and her dad was The release was really introducing a quite a major musical influence on her new artist from scratch. There was no growing up. profile for her before that at all. She His record collection was what got Kate had not released anything before she into music. There were lots of classic stuff signed to us. She did have a social media in there – some of it expected and some presence, but there was no activity there of it less expected. as such. It was more of a holding pattern. She did a series of 10 videos which were There was no real activity, momentum or a really interesting look into that music cadence of any kind. and what was going on in New Orleans We worked with the team at Autonomy and Louisiana at the time. We posted the Music Group and released the first videos on YouTube and it was blogged single, ‘Ones You Love The Most’, which about in a few places. ended up being playlisted in quite a It was really useful in helping to major way on Spotify’s Your Coffee Break establish her back story and where she playlist – through the luck of the draw, was coming from. It gave her a bit of a really. That ended up getting quite a lot differentiation from a lot of UK artists in more attention than we had thought it this genre [and] it was really important would. We’re not sure exactly how that for us to establish that Kate was from happened, but it gave the whole thing an America. Her roots are from the South and impetus from the get go. where that kind of music comes from.
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Establishing a US act in There are, of course, many downsides to the UK that as we were all finding out now. But We released the second we liked the idea, at its best, of having the single, ‘Don’t Lie To Me’, real thoughts of real people in real time – and the album [Carve Me and combining that in a video seemed like Out] – and it all built really a really good thing to do. nicely. We got a Bob Harris We created two versions of the video. Radio 2 session in the One was a static version where the Warehouse in Harrogate. captions were fixed and that premiered all Last year ended up the US country site The Boot . Then we establishing her very well. launched the ‘connected live’ version on It ended up better than the same day on Kate’s site. we could have expected where we felt she was of build in the previous year. established as a proper We wanted to release a video for it. Americana artist. And that all came from a I don’t think her first single would have The idea behind it initially was that we standing start in February. ended on a national radio playlist by would show portraits of other people in She is based in the UK now. That is why accident like it did on Your Cofee Break. private reflection and they would have it was important to establish that, even Someone decided that it fitted the mood their beliefs expressed on the screen. [It though she was in the UK scene, she was of that particular playlist. The problem was a reference to] the REM video for actually a native of the South in terms of with that is that it is quite a difficult ‘Everybody Hurts’ with people in a traffic her roots. thing to replicate because it is somewhat jam and you could see their thoughts. The country scene in the UK is definitely arbitrary. You are never quite sure how it We liked that idea of internal thoughts getting momentum – broadening the got there. that you could see as well as this idea of awareness and consciousness of the The other thing that is probably really beliefs. My background is in technology music. That is definitely helped by a range helping the genre is that country music and I really loved the idea of a real-time The aim was to just associate her a of things [like C2C: Country To Country in America has become almost the new and human network of expressions. The little bit more with experimentation. I festival and the Bob Harris Country show pop. It is so mainstream now that it is internet, at its best, joins these wires don’t think her music fits neatly into a on Radio 2] and the Americana Music indivisible, really. together – people’s brains and emotions. genre – it’s a little bit country, it’s a little Association in the UK has done quite a lot bit folk, it’s Americana, but it’s not that to raise the profile of the music. Creating a dynamic video by poppy in a cookie-cutter way. So the drawing on Twitter’s API idea of associating her more with YouTube and playlists are taking niche We wanted to release a final single from experimentation and trying new genres far beyond what radio could the album – ‘I Believe’. There were quite a things felt cool. Technology is one YouTube and Spotify have hugely lot of potential singles on there. We only of those ways you can do it. altered the dynamics of music chose two to begin with and then released What we are doing with the video is promotion generally. That applies to a third in the summer last year which was using the Twitter API, which will have all all genres, not just Americana. You can argue more of a low-key acoustic one. This song tweets as they are posted throughout the that these big Spotify playlists have become was one that a lot of people connected world. You can write a filter to extract a the new radio gatekeepers. But how you get with and we had always wanted to subset of those tweets – and we did that on those playlists is probably as much of a release it as a single and thought we using the words “I believe”. dark art as radio promotion used to be. would do it after there had been a little bit This was my background. I started one
12 | sandbox | ISSUE 206 | 13.06.2018 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNKATE ELLIS of the first digital agencies [Online Magic, have to write an algorithm that learns which later became Agency.com], back over time. in the day and I know a lot of people in We did something very simple. The idea that world. That has interested me from itself doesn’t rely on the tweets being in the get go – how culture, economics and super real time. The things you see on the society work together and the effect that screen don’t need to have come through these technologies have, as well as how in the last 10 seconds to work. It could be you can use them in interesting ways. something that came through a few hours I got in touch with some people I know ago; it is still live and it is still real. So all called Solder Creative and they specialise the tweets that are ‘cleaned’ and filtered in these kinds of creative technology go into a moderation queue. solutions. They put it together for us. This moderation interface is very simple I wrote the brief on what we wanted and works on any website. It also works and the kind of rules we needed for the on mobile when you are on the go. So filter. They then put that whole thing all you do is approve a bank of tweets together, building the interface and that work. You manually go through them the APIs. They also figured out some and find the ones that work. There is interesting workarounds to get it to be a human curation process here in the video player that would play full that is part of the experience. It screen on mobile devices. is like a museum where you are We hosted the video on Vimeo and choosing the exhibits that go into then they put it in another player which technology that is tweets and extraneous the video. There is something nice could go full screen on any mobile device very gimmicky. information that you about that in an age of and still keep the ratios. That took a bit of Kate, in particular, need to strip out to be automated algorithms. fiddling with. was quite concerned able to get to these core What we found is that certain tweets Creatively, what I think is very that it didn’t take away belief statements. and expressions of belief work really well interesting about the video is that it is from the song. What she Automatically that and some things break the spell. incredibly simple as an experience. It is wanted was for people to starts to clean up a lot You might think it’s funny if there were just a video with some simple statements connect with the music. It of things that wouldn’t some tweets that were a little bit quirky of belief that are pulled in and then was very important to work work here. Then we applied a – “I believe I should have steak for dinner” overlaid on the imagery. But the process out what was the right way for profanity filter – a straightforward – but it doesn’t really work. It’s not that of getting to that – as anyone who this idea to come to life – and figure out filter to make sure that nothing gets funny and it breaks the spell of the video. develops anything interactive will know what the right video to canvass for this through that is really obviously wrong. You end up tuning into a spectrum of the – is [proof] that simple is hard and it is idea to augment it and not to detract or We couldn’t work out a way to automate belief statements that will really enhance difficult to get something to seem very divert from the music. it completely without stuff getting through the experience of watching the video and elegant and very powerful emotionally. We did a lot of experiments with this. which is like “I believe that Arsène Wenger hearing the music. It was very interesting going We had a bunch of filters first of all and should go” or “I believe that the Democrats So you do that a couple of times a day through the process of trial and there were various criteria for this. We are evil” or whatever. The only way to do and you build up a bank of stuff. It means error to figure out the right way worked out the maximum character count that automated would be to use machine that you’re always going to see something to end up with this effect which and stripped out all of the extraneous learning and AI. It’s not that this is hugely different, but you won’t always see wasn’t a gimmick. There is a lot information – retweets, for example. complex, but it was just out of scope as something that happened 10 seconds ago of stuff you can do with There is also a lot of metadata around that is a whole other piece of work as you – and that is OK.
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Taking her into another genre ambient soundscapes. via remixes and doing different He wanted to do a remix of versions of the song the song and we thought that For the electronica remix of would be great if it sounds ‘I Believe’ , we got a producer right. If you listen to it, it is in California to do it and which really interesting because it came out on his US label. That sounds really beautiful and cool is pretty interesting as well. It in its own way, but it actually is like an ambient country mix. shows that the song stands up There are synthesiser textures really well. and moods, but with the same You do an acoustic version vocals. of the song from the album so People who like country it gets on different playlists. music and Americana might You do a video that has a really hate it, but it is really beautiful interesting angle to it – and in its own way. It’s good that it is have a couple of different formats for experimenting with new things and not that. You have an electronic remix of being afraid to try stuff. it and a video for that. You also have a It’s less about opportunism [creating video of the acoustic version. And then a different versions of a song for different live video from a Sofar Sounds session. playlists] and more about experimenting All that feels like you have enough really creatively. I am aware of the fact that you interesting things and a constant pulse do have the chance of being picked up of releases. on different playlists and reach different It’s interesting to see how audiences – but it is genuinely about what that works as a campaign. Is is actually cool to do because it sounds it something that takes Kate’s good. To me that is always a better music into different areas? Or is it starting point than some idea of potential just something that keeps people outcome – where you do something not interested and feeling like she is because you think it is something that is someone who is not afraid to try right to do, but you do it because you think new things? :) it will get you somewhere. But if it doesn’t, you are left with nothing. Whereas if you do it because you actually want to do it, you are excited by it and you are proud of WANT TO FEATURE IN what it is [then that is better]. BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN? With the electronica version, we worked Marketing people: do you have a campaign you are working with David Gould [of DAG! Records] who on that you would like to see featured in Behind The Campaign sandbox did a lot of production on the album. in a future edition of ? If so, send a brief synopsis of She comes from this very different it to Eamonn Forde for consideration and your work (and your background and his label in the US puts words) could appear here. out different stuff that has cinematic and Email: [email protected]
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