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Analysing the Brand-Building of Einojuhani Rautavaara from the 1950S to 2010S

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Analysing the Brand-Building of Einojuhani Rautavaara from the 1950S to 2010S How to Build a Brand for a Composer: Analysing the Brand-building of Einojuhani Rautavaara from the 1950s to 2010s Joel Valkila Bachelor’s Thesis Degree Programme in International Business… 2020 Abstract 20 May, 2020 Author(s) Joel Valkila Degree programme International Business Report/thesis title Number of pages How to Build a Brand for a Composer: Analysing the Brand-build- and attachment ing of Einojuhani Rautavaara from the 1950s to 2010s pages 95 The aim of this study was to analyse the brand building of Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928– 2016), one of the most successful names in Finnish music exports of the last decades. The purpose is to collect a resource on how composers, publishers, record companies and other affiliates can support the personal branding and promotion of music artists and com- posers. For this qualitative study, Rautavaara’s own writings were used as primary data and com- bined with secondary data from archival and documentary research. Interviews with indi- viduals from the music industry were also conducted. This information enables us to see in detail the marketing efforts on Rautavaara’s music that intensified since the 1990s, and how they affected the composer’s brand. The analysis of the composer’s brand also in- cludes, besides various branding theories, the composer’s sonic and visual branding. This study can be a helpful resource for artists, composers, recording companies and pub- lishers in enabling them to identify features that can be of benefit in marketing and brand- ing efforts. Key findings of this study suggest that building a brand for an artist, such as a composer, is a long-term process that requires time and effort. A composer can fulfill the unmet emo- tional needs of his listeners and his art can be used as means of self-expression. Major re- sults can be achieved when record companies, publishers, orchestras, and other key part- ners come together to support the artist’s brand. The value of face-to-face communication is highlighted as well as the importance of creating general awareness. Sonic and visual branding can have an important role in the branding of an artist. To create a strong and successful brand, the artist should be consistent and genuine, focusing on his own strengths and being proactive towards his key partners’ marketing communications. Myths, symbols, and stories can be efficient tools in building an artist brand. Keywords Branding, Personal branding, music industry, Meta-luxury branding. Table of contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Question ........................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Demarcation ................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 International Aspect ....................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Benefits .......................................................................................................................... 7 1.6 Risks .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.7 Key Concepts ................................................................................................................. 8 1.8 Case Company .............................................................................................................. 8 2 Branding Theories and Their Application to Personal Branding .......................................... 10 2.1 Theories in Personal Branding .................................................................................... 11 2.2 General Branding Theories Applied to Personal Branding ......................................... 14 2.2.1 Aaker’s Two Models ......................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 Meta-Luxury Branding ...................................................................................... 14 2.2.3 Cultural Branding ............................................................................................. 15 2.2.4 Audio/Sonic Branding ...................................................................................... 16 3 Explanation of the research methods ................................................................................... 17 4 Analysis on Rautavaara’s Brand .......................................................................................... 21 4.1 Aaker’s Branding Models and Rautavaara .................................................................. 21 4.1.1 The Use of Symbols and Rautavaara .............................................................. 24 4.1.2 Self-Analysis & Core Identity of Rautavaara’s Brand ...................................... 27 4.1.3 Geographical Origin In Rautavaara’s Brand .................................................... 29 4.2 Meta-Luxury Branding and Rautavaara....................................................................... 30 4.2.1 Rarity ................................................................................................................ 30 4.2.2 Craftsmanship .................................................................................................. 32 4.2.3 Focus ................................................................................................................ 34 4.2.4 History .............................................................................................................. 37 4.3 Cultural Branding and Rautavaara .............................................................................. 42 4.4 Rautavaara’s Sonic Branding ...................................................................................... 44 4.5 Rautavaara’s Brand in Relation to American Composer Alan Hovhaness ................. 47 4.6 Rautavaara’s Visual Branding ..................................................................................... 50 4.6.1 Album Artworks ................................................................................................ 51 4.6.2 Rautavaara’s Visual Media Image ................................................................... 55 4.7 Marketing Efforts for Rautavaara’s “Angel of Light” Album ......................................... 60 4.8 Number of Performances on Rautavaara’s Music....................................................... 70 4.9 Interviews on Rautavaara’s Brand & Interview Results .............................................. 72 5 Conclusions on Building an Artist Brand for a Composer .................................................... 84 References................................................................................................................................. 88 1 Introduction This chapter discusses the background, research question and scope of the thesis, its in- ternational aspect, benefits, and key concepts. It also includes a description of the case company. 1.1 Background In February 2020, American composer, journalist, and author Kyle Gann told in an inter- view that he felt the general interest towards his music was close to none. As of conse- quence, he had stopped composing altogether. (Lebrecht 2020.) American Recording Guide comments: “[Gann’s] work as a composer is still tragically underappreciated” (American Recording Guide 2010). Many composers today can feel the same, although technological advances enable the recording, preservation, and distribution of music bet- ter than ever. At the same time, music is an important element of cultural heritage. For many, it is hard to imagine a nation’s cultural legacy without thinking about particular works of music, such as Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia” for the Finns, or Bedřich Smetana’s “Ma Vlást” for the Czechs. The recording industry faces many challenges today. At the same time, in Finland alone the Society of Finnish Composers (Suomen Säveltäjät ry) has among its ranks over 200 paying members in the field of classical music who profess to be composers (Suomen Säveltäjät 2019). Today, for half of the price of a physical CD recording, a consumer can have access to nearly all commercially available music content through different online streaming services, such as Spotify, or YouTube Music. A study commissioned by The Finnish Music Publishers Association, Finnish Musician's Union, The Society of Finnish Composer, and Suomen Musiikintekijät Association reveals that the “pro rata” model, which is used by all major streaming services (such as Spotify and Apple Music), directs the streaming profits to the most listened tracks instead of allocating them in accordance with an individual consumer’s listening choices or music genre of choice (Muikku 2017). As of consequence, even if a user’s playlist would consist only of classical music, or jazz, large portion of the revenues would still be allotted to popular pop artists. All major streaming platforms have also been designed for popular music, often omitting perhaps one of the most crucial pieces of information for listeners of classical music: the com- poser. Considering this, the challenge arises: how will composers and artists in all non- mainstream genres of music get their revenues in the future? What is the future for
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