05 Tools Found.ee 06-07 Campaigns Abbey Road Studios, Tanlines Tyler, the Creator, Pandora/Rolling Stones 08-11 Behind The Campaign Torche

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TIMELINE MUSIC ON TWITCH: SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS TWITCH-FINDER 2014 May: Diplo’s Mad MUSIC AND Decent label launches a Twitch channel. GAMING REBORN July: Steve Aoki streams GENERAL a live DJ set to launch his Twitch channel. August: Porter Robinson launches his Twitch channel, giving fans a look into the video games that inspired his Worlds album. August: Ghostly International artists perform the original music they composed for PlayStation’s Hohokum soundtrack on PlayStation’s Twitch channel. November: US dance music duo Krewella premiere new song, ‘Say Goodbye’, on Twitch. December: EDM label Monstercat launches Prodigy released a new single on there, Skrillex is an evangelist, Steve Aoki was an early adopter. Now more a 24-hour music channel on Twitch. acts are flocking to Twitch – a platform fizzing with such potential that Amazon bought it for just under $1bn. December: deadmau5 We look at why the hype around this live-gaming community is, for the most part, justified, why more artists debuts his Twitch channel. and labels are treating it very seriously indeed (and licensing their music for it) and how it is breathing new life (continued over page ») into music and gaming.

rom Wipeout on the PlayStation to Guitar Twitch.tv, an online platform where fans broadcasters, the For the music industry, too, Hero (which is making a bold return later go to watch other people play games; and, same month in which Twitch is becoming increasingly Fthis year), music and video games have if they’re feeling adventurous, broadcast it was said to have important. The company made become close bedfellows over the last two themselves gaming. become the fourth its first serous move into music decades, helped by a significant degree of Whichever way you look at it, Twitch largest source of peak in July 2014 when it broadcast audience crossover. is a Very Big Thing Indeed: in 2013, 45m internet traffic in the an Ibiza set from DJ Steve Aoki, But even the most games-friendly users watched 12bn minutes of video on US; and in September the move coming in response to music executive might be excused a certain Twitch, an increase of 100% year-on-year; in 2014 Amazon bought feedback from Twitch users. amount of confusion when faced with February 2014, the company hit 1m active Twitch for $970m. “A couple of weeks ago we

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channel in March. “ There is a large crossover between gaming and music audiences since many game broadcasters use music as part of their streams, not to mention that most games have their own robust scores and soundtracks ,” says Colin Carrier, CSO and head of music for Twitch. Hop-hop label Rhymesayers has been one of the most active on Twitch, launching surveyed the Twitch community and asked: Twitch stream a live video interview with the its own channel in April and adding more from a gaming background, as both a gamer TIMELINE ‘Would you be interested in watching your band and add their ‘Wall Of Death’ track to than 100 songs to the Twitch Music and as someone who has worked in the favourite artists perform live on Twitch?’ A its Music Library. Library. Subscribing to the label’s Twitch MUSIC ON TWITCH: video game industry, including at games- full 80% of you said, ‘Yes!’,” Twitch wrote on “ The Prodigy have had a long affinity channel gives gamers access to bespoke SELECTED focused MCN, Machinima. But she says that its official blog. “Some friends in the music with games,” Cooking Vinyl head of digital Rhymesayers Twitch emotes (essentially HIGHLIGHTS the decision to work closely with Twitch was industry have been interested in sharing free Sammy Andrews said at music:)ally’s Future Twitch-specific emoticons) and invites to 2015 largely driven by fans as much as by Twitch’s live concerts on Twitch for some time. Given Music Marketing event in London last week. subscriber-only games with Rhymesayers own decision to work with music. January: Twitch Music the community’s feedback in our survey, we “We took a punt on it and decided to unlock staff and artists, while the label has Library launches. “As for what Twitch gives us, it’s more said ‘Yes!’.” one track and license it for a set period of promised to stream video games and host February: Skrillex joins about what it gives us and our fans,” she The stream proved a notable success, too: time [to Twitch].” community events on Twitch every week. Diplo for a 24-hour explains. “Sure, it’s a great way to try to get it attracted more than 250k unique viewers As a punt, this was probably a fairly Twitch puts music in front of fans that DJ marathon on our music across ears who might not have Beatport’s Twitch and was responsible for almost half the reliable one: the Twitch audience is are otherwise impossible to reach channel to unveil their found a way to us before. But, on the other clicks on the pre-order links for Aoki’s new dominated by males aged 15-35, which Rhymesayers launched its channel on Jack U project. hand, it’s also a way to help cater to those album, according to his label. suggests a strong potential crossover with 3rd April with a three-hour live stream of February-March: fans who have been asking us to provide music. To date, EDM and hip-hop acts artists Grieve and Red Meek and social Spinnin’ Records, Dim our music that they can legally use in their Mak, FiXT, and Skrillex’s Growing the Twitch have been the most active on the platform, media manager Sarah Dope playing Call Of OWSLA label launch broadcasts.” Music Library although American violinist Lindsey Stirling Duty: Advanced Warfare on Xbox One, with 24/7 music channels The response, she says, has been has also worked with Twitch, streaming select fans invited to join in. on Twitch with music impressive. “I don’t have exact numbers In January 2015, Twitch launched a a Q&A session on the ArtistCouch Twitch “We like to try to be where our fans fully cleared for use. on these things, but from the sentiment Music Library March: for its creators, giving are,” Dope explains. “As someone who The Prodigy stream an that I’ve seen on social, it’s a slightly bigger them a catalogue of music they can use keeps a close eye on the various digital interview, preview new crossover than I think even I was expecting,” when streaming gaming footage (this platforms where our community is, tracks and add ‘Wall Of Dope explains. doubled in size, albeit to a modest 1,000 I noticed the demand there. When Death’ to the Twitch “We have our fans who are avid gamers Music Library. tracks, earlier this month). Twitch needed to start cracking down March: and regular Twitch users/broadcasters who And the past few months have on copyrights of streamed music [in Twitch announces were extremely thrilled. [There are also] our seen the company both stream live August 2014] and some of our fans it is the official fans who were unfamiliar with the platform footage from the Ultra Music Festival started asking what our policies broadcasting partner of but still stoked and intrigued about the Ultra Music Festival. (symbolically replacing YouTube as were when it came to streaming our April 1: Darude appears partnership and launch. And then we had streaming partner) and work with the catalogue in their broadcasts, we really on his Twitch channel a handful of Twitch users who had never Prodigy to promote the band’s new wanted to provide an answer for them.” and announces a 24/7 heard of us before, but took the time to come album. This two-part promotion saw It helps, of course, that Dope comes Sandstorm broadcast. check us out just because we weren’t like

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Twitch. Steve Aoki , for example, twice Rhymesayers, for example, has “a lot battled fellow artists on Ultra Street Fighter of fun ideas we’ve been trying to work on” IV using Twitch in 2014 and returned to his – although the label can’t say more about Twitch channel this month to debut his new them for the moment. single with Linkin Park, ‘Darker Than Blood’. Dope says she would love to see other Skrillex is another serial Twitcher: in labels get involved. “ Gaming isn’t going December 2014 his OWSLA label streamed anywhere but up right now ,” she its holiday party on Twitch and in February concludes. “eSports is a huge part of it right 2015 he joined Diplo for a 24-hour DJ set now and is even a part of the X Games and on BeatPort ’s Twitch channel to unveil shown on ESPN. You see more and more other music genres currently available on their Jack U project, racking up more than A-list actors taking on video game roles Twitch. They’ve become new fans through 1.1m live views. The same month, OWSLA these days. You see Snoop Dogg getting his this already.” launched its 24/7 Twitch stream, promising own voice-add-on as a micro transaction in The reason for this success is not simply music from the label’s artists (all cleared Call of Duty. You can’t ignore this world. At one of overlapping audiences, however: for Twitch broadcasters to use), live events, least, you shouldn’t.” :) Twitch also boasts impressive user artist gaming sessions and music premieres. engagement, with the company revealing “Many popular young artists, especially in that its users watch 106 minutes per person the EDM space, grew up in this video game per day in its most recent figures. And fans culture and are Twitch fans,” Twitch’s Carrier SHOW US THE MONEY aren’t just watching, either; frequently they explains. “Allowing them to use the platform For the moment, all seems rosy this at music: ally’s Future Music Twitch then launched its Music are actively engaging with artists and their for more than just gaming was something ) between the music industry Marketing panel in London last Library for creators. music in a way that, say, YouTube doesn’t we heard repeatedly from them. This was and Twitch. But one potential week. “Going forward, I can see Twitch has shown willingness to really allow. true for some Twitch streamers who are iceberg on the horizon could be that the platform works, but we’d work with the music industry on this “Twitch provides a way [for the musicians as well. Electronic music, and monetisation. As things stand, like to work with them in monetising issue and this goodwill should last a music industry] to reach their fans modern music production in general, is not Twitch doesn’t pay artists, labels the audio side,” she said. while. The more the music industry in a highly interactive format too far removed from playing a game on your or publishers to use their music. To be fair to Twitch, it has already uses Twitch, though, the more the [that’s] only possible with the computer. The same mastery and skills are As we have seen numerous times made moves towards cleaning up clamour will grow for the platform combination of live video, chat and required – and audiences are drawn to this.” in the past – but notably with the use of music on the platform, to pay for audio. a large pre-existing community These early successes – Aoki’s album SoundCloud – the music industry introducing a Content ID system Possible solutions – and this is that craves this type of content ,” sales, Jack U’s 1.1m viewers and the will usually accept this so long similar to YouTube’s in August 2014, all just speculation – could include Carrier explains. “hundreds of thousands” of Ultra Music as it views the platform as being which filters user videos, muting buy buttons for music, allowing This interaction can ultimately boost Festival viewers among them – have strictly promotional. the audio where it finds disputed Twitch users to purchase the track sales according to Cooking Vinyl’s Andrews, attracted the attention of the music Twitch, for the moment, falls content. they are hearing with one click; a who said the decision to add ‘Wall Of Death’ industry, according to Carrier, who says that firmly into this category. This “We respect the rights of deal with a music streaming service to the Twitch Music Library led to “significant “a lot of the artists and labels are coming arrangement can only last so long copyright owners, and are (e.g. Amazon Prime) which allows uplift in people going and purchasing the to us based on the success we’ve had with and, with Twitch being bought by voluntarily undertaking this effort to Twitch users to add music to their track and playing it off the back of that”. others”. Amazon for close to $1bn last year, help protect both our broadcasters videos while ensuring that copyright As such, we can expect to see not just it surely won’t be long before the and copyright owners,” Twitch owners get paid; or an expanded more artists and labels getting involved with Artists flock to Twitch music industry is politely asking general counsel Elizabeth “Boo” Twitch Music Library, where Twitch, but also new ways of working with Twitch for some cash. Baker wrote on the Twitch blog at copyright owners get paid for the It helps that many artists are gamers and the platform, especially as the Twitch/music Sammy Andrews alluded to the time of the move. In January, use of their music. therefore actively want to engage with crossover emerges from its infancy.

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Retargeting continues to heat up in online Found.ee also has more tools it will advertising. We spoke to Jason Hobbs, launch soon. The first, already in beta, is a founder of both found.ee and The Found cookie-embedding shortener – but for code Group, to discover what found.ee has to (as opposed to links). This can be used to offer the music companies who want to wrap IFrame players such as a SoundCloud. contact their fans. This was tested out recently by Zola Jesus who gave the pixel-wrapped SoundCloud To date, Found.ee has been used by 700 player to Fader for the premiere of a new different music companies, ranging from song. Pitchfork then proceeded to copy majors to indies and covering artists such the private SoundCloud player to feature as Marilyn Manson and 2Pac. The idea is to the song on its site. This player allowed build remarketing segments across all digital a cookie to be dropped in any visitor’s touch points. browser without owning or having access A quick refresher on retargeting: this to the sites themselves. is the ability to place cookies in a user’s Between the two sites, this drove browser which are collected by an advertising 50k pixels in one day (interestingly 75% platform (Google AdWords, Facebook, Twitter went to next. It also allows marketers to multiple platforms can be rather tricky; and of which came from Pitchfork). This is a etc.). They are then used to track these users segment fans according to the number of so found.ee has been a business channel for massive amount of data that can later be and later target advertising at them when interactions. All of this allows marketers to The Found Group, which offers to manage all used to retarget to. In the future, found.ee they come in contact with the platforms communicate to them accordingly. these campaigns for you. is working on the ability to segment that or their inventory. More simply, you may For regular sandbox readers, this may Found.ee also gives marketers the remarketing list into two segments: one know it as that pair of shoes you looked at remind you of RadiumOne (which we covered ability to stack pixels; this means that you cookie for people visiting the page; and one online once and which are now following you recently), a company that offers similar can place YouTube, Facebook and Twitter for people pressing play. around the internet. functionality. The main difference here is that cookies into one link so as to remarket Currently the shortener allows you to Originally pixels (the code that places RadiumOne allows you to collect the data to them across all platforms. This new send users with different IPs to different cookies) were embeddable only in websites for free but does not give you access to the idea is linked to the launch of their new locations (geo-targeting) and bulk upload which marketers owned or had access data to use in your advertising campaigns advertising platform for remarketing that is links to be shortened. In the future, there will to the coding of. However, as music fans (you need to allocate your marketing budget specifically tailored for the music industry. also be the ability to direct iOS and Android tend to interact with music on social to them to execute at a fee). Found.ee allows This will allow you to book advertising users in different places. They will be also media rather than on the artist’s website, you to keep all your remarketing data and across all platforms in one place and is due launching fully customisable vanity URLs but found.ee has created a link shortener that use it in your own advertising campaigns for to be launched later this spring. The cost this will come at a fee. wraps a cookie into the new link. This free by using already-public platforms such of this platform will be built into the CPM In conclusion, although Radium One allows users to be tracked based on their as Google AdWords. which Hobbs assures us will be the same has more advanced tools and reporting in interactions with links across any platform Access to all your data and no extra cost? price (if not lower) than booking directly place, found.ee makes up for it by allowing or website. This data can be used to That seems too good to be true. If you are through Google AdWords as Found.ee has a you to own your data – something that is remarket advertising to them but also find not a marketing expert, placing multiple direct seat on the exchange (so as to avoid vital today. We look forward to seeing the out where they came from and where they touch point retargeting campaigns across doubling fees). platform evolve further. :)

5 | sandbox | ISSUE 131 | 22.04.15 CAMPAIGNS The latest projects from the digital marketing arena GET A CLOSER LOOK INSIDE ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS TANLINES HIJACK NETFLIX

Ever wanted to have a crafty look around the most famous recording studio in the world? With the help of Google you can now get probably as close as you ever will.

Google has launched its dedicated Inside Abbey Road website where viewers can get a 360-degree panoramic view of the Scrap branding – let’s just, ahem, in the ‘categories’ section. Even the three main recording studios and mastering “liberate” it. US band Tanlines band’s upcoming tour is creatively suite (replicating the Street View component re-launched their website last week illustrated through images of ‘film of Google Maps). The tour not only allows and let’s just say it’s the best deliberate title covers’. viewers to walk around the studios but is rip-off of the year. The final version of the site was built also peppered with extra information and to explore the interactive environment, even through the in-house web design team interactive elements such as photos, videos playing around with the sound desks in the Their website has been transformed at Beggars Group and the idea, according and guided audio tours. It is available from various studios. into a Netflix-echoing landing page, to the band’s Jesse Cohen, came from desktop, tablet and mobile. incorporating the video-streaming thinking about how to create something It’s a comprehensive tour with details Google continues to throw its weight behind platform’s logo and films (which also relevant that reflects how the internet is even added on the importance of the chairs interactive projects, having launched Pac-Man leads to Netflix itself). being used; that’s when he realised how at Abbey Road and stories about the Trap on Google Maps a couple of weeks ago as well The band have put themselves in much time he spends staring at the menu Room in Studio 2. The tour also includes many as being behind the Google Art Project. This the highlight section, with clear action page on Netflix. YouTube videos from classic artists associated is its first real return to music after last year’s buttons for pre-orders and sharing. They The attention the band has received with the studio such as (inevitably) The Beatles partnership with Sam Smith to create the first also included the latest album in the as a result of this wheeze shows how and Pink Floyd as well more contemporary interactive TV ad commercial by dropping his recently watched section. creative websites still can generate acts such as Ella Eyre and Sam Smith. The tour live performance from London into an entire Because pictures convey more interest and, together with clever is a delight for music lovers and audio geeks ad break on UK broadcaster Channel 4’s Chatty than words, it’s certainly a fun and clear retargeting, can also create a powerful as there are an enormous number of ways Man show. way of highlighting songs from the band promotional tool for releases.

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TYLER, THE CREATOR – GOLF’S ‘WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS AND BULLSHIT’ PANDORA IS ROLLING INTO LIVE

Pandora had a major coup Are artist apps dead? The answer to that the app and magazine will be for a on its hands by becoming is, well, no – not if you listen to Tyler, demographic that isn’t necessarily the exclusive pre-sale The Creator. The US rapper launched a prepared to pay for music; but it’s an partner for The Rolling media platform on 8th April containing a interesting experiment to see if they value Stones’ US tour on 9th April. magazine (Golf) and an app (Golf Media). the subscription service (and believe in the artist) enough. The partnership – between The app is available on iOS and Android With third-party platforms like Patreon the music platform, AEG and and is described as “Tyler and his brain growing and fans willing to support The Rolling Stones – was without restrictions and bullshit”. For creative individuals, perhaps there is a announced ahead of tickets people currently signing up, the first two space for a return of interesting artist for the band’s ZIP CODE months will be offered free and thereafter apps which don’t simply aggregate tour going on general cost $5 per month, with the ability for already available content from social release on 13th April. The users to cancel their subscription at any media posts. If the artist is willing tickets were available via time. The app will include live to invest time and effort into Pandora’s dedicated ZIP streams, original series and creating exclusive content for CODE Radio Station as well other interactive content. an audience that, in return, as across Pandora’s socials. Tyler is following in the will support the artist, these The pre-sales were footsteps of Frank Ocean, types of platforms can certainly released in several who announced his upcoming provide closer communication clusters; the first one being album alongside a magazine for between artist and fan for American Express this summer. Acts that have tested communities. Plus they cardholders and VIP pre- similar routes include deadmau5 and get the artist one step sales before Pandora secured the second Bandcamp being integrated into Spotify his subscription app that sandbox closer to understanding round. In order to get the pre-sale code, and Beats’ acquisition of Topspin reveal reported on back in May last year. what content their fans the listener needed to tune into Pandora’s how other products are being leveraged That app was priced at $4.99 per prefer. special Rolling Stones ZIP CODE radio by streaming services to expand what month and station. The station also included exclusive they do and give them important points promised content, including an interview with the band of differentiation. With major artists like content such that aired on 14th April. the Rolling Stones on board, Pandora has as chat, live As more music services are seeking to certainly struck gold. streams and get a larger piece of the market and catch Pandora is doing well in its home country. news. listeners’ attention, exclusive deals will play According to The Infinite Dial Report in March It remains an increasingly large role. It’s not only about (based on surveys with 2,002 Americans), to be album exclusives, with services looking to 45% of all respondents use Pandora, which seen how link into other platforms to offer artists and puts it ahead of rivals like iHeartRadio (17%), successful fans much more. Things like Songkick and iTunes Radio (16%) and Spotify (13%).

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Building pre-release excitement Metal band Torche released Restarter in January. It is their fourth album and the second that The Orchard has worked on with them. JOANNA NOYES around the album artwork (director of interactive marketing & audience development), MARISSA PUTNEY (client manager for Relapse), COREY ZALOOM (head of digital marketing) MP: This campaign began for us in and Aaron Ford (head of digital advertising and media buying) at The Orchard talk about the role of digital advertising, why college marketing is still November 2014. The album was announced important, how streaming is impacting with metal fans and why the band built a dedicated game to promote the album. in December and then came out in February this year. We kicked off the campaign with a track premiere, which was pretty standard stuff. We decided to announce the album before the end of the year as there were some dates with Clutch that the band were confirmed for. So they made the announcement pretty early on.

AF: Their previous album, Harmonicraft, was on the Volcom Entertainment label and we worked on that one. So this is the second album we have worked with them on.

MP: We wanted to pick up on the pieces that Torche fans loved and that made them unique. Torche are a little bit hookier than your standard metal band. They are also well known for having fantastic artwork on all their records. We jumped in on the artwork and we wanted to use that to get fans excited. The cover is great but is a little simpler than on their past releases – although the inner sleeve art is really engaging. We didn’t want the fans to see the artwork right away so we created a Magic Eye-style effect where we scrambled the artwork. You had to stare at it to be able to read a secret URL. If you went to that link you were able to see the full album artwork. That got a lot of fans really excited.

AF: During this time we were gathering lots of remarketing data through the fans who went to see

9 | sandbox | ISSUE 131 | 22.04.15 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNTORCHE the artwork, so we were able to track where the instant grats as well as have those same of discovering the fact there is a new record they clicked. We were able to get the people tracks available for streaming. coming out. With metal albums, I think it is who were still there after three years – Everything went live pretty much changing. which, luckily, were most of them – back into at the same time. When there was In terms of how we are embracing the remarketing pool for later. a press partner involved, we would streaming and how we are making music During that time we started running have the stream go live 24 hours and content available with this particular search ads – basically around anyone who after, just out of respect for the strategy, fans are definitely happy to listen was searching for “Torche new album” to exclusivity of the premiere; but the to individual tracks; but metal fans as a pick up those fans who had heard there was instant great tracks would go live whole would really like to listen to the full a new album coming. We then went into a on the same day. [We didn’t give album. They like to have that experience. It phase over the holidays where we were just anyone exclusive content] as we wanted varies a bit from pop music, but I think that running column ads intermittently; that was parity across all retailers. We did our best to we have are more inclined to, especially if things are shifting and there is opportunity just to keep the band front of mind through get the single out to most streaming stores, it’s a priority and there is a lot of excitement for singles to become a reactive thing for the holidays as that is a period when people if not all of them. around a record, take a single that is rock or metal fans. can forget about an album coming out. Customers need to be able to discover available for streaming and put in on their that the band was back. There was a lot of playlists. There is a lot more activity on Torche Versus Robots game Setting up the album pre-order press leading up to the release of the album the streaming side when we approach it JN: We knew from the get-go, having worked in the run up to Christmas so, as a result, we wanted to make sure any with [this] strategy. Obviously it benefits with Relapse in the past, that we wanted JN: It is a difficult time of the year [for new customer had the opportunity to discover everybody – especially if it comes in terms to create a game for the band. This album albums], so that is why everyone agreed it the single that went live – whether it be was good to announce the album in the first with Alternative Press or Stereogum. We week of December and get it in front of fans wanted to make sure that people were able before we hit the holidays. to discover, to listen and to consume.

CZ: This was in addition to the digital Streaming and metal fans strategy and we had the digital album pre- MP: It is similar to other genres. A lot order go live in that time. We strategised of times we have customers that are in terms of keeping our retailer marketing dedicated to iTunes , but then you have team included and letting stores know what customers that don’t care about iTunes and was happening. We were, of course, putting would prefer to consume music through a together a schedule for the digital album streaming service like Rdio, Spotify or Deezer. that would really fall in line with everything We definitely want to keep the opportunity we were doing – as well as keeping it in line for discovery open on all platforms and keep with everything the interactive team was parity across all accounts where we can. doing to optimise that. There are only certain retailers who have AF: As far as the charts go [because the capabilities, on the digital side, to be able streaming data now counts], we actually see to handle digital pre-orders. iTunes was one a better chart position because our albums of them and Amazon was the other. Moving seem to do better on streaming because we forward with this campaign, we were able to have that ideology of parity. start to put into place track premieres and then include the track information in with MP: A lot more of the streaming partners

10 | sandbox | ISSUE 131 | 22.04.15 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNTORCHE has a really strong visual component and pop, I wouldn’t spend money on that. We did we thought it could lend itself really well to do a bit of work on that because of the genre a 16-bit-style game. We worked with the that album was in. developers to create a game where fans could play as their favourite member of the College marketing remains important band. They would be able to fight some of JN: We have college marketing reps in the robots that are featured in the artwork key markets. They were putting stickers while listening to one of three different in places like coffee shops and parties so tracks while playing. that it was it continually being seen on The game was very shareable and we campus. They also worked into it with included tracks that maybe people had digital marketing. Some of them have blogs, not heard yet. It was another way for fans including one rep who was able to set up a to engage with the music. We launched ticket giveaway and get writers out to the initially in-browser and created a page in remarketing tags in it.] The first page went everything on Facebook, from the side show. They are really supplementing what which to embed the game, complete with live when the album was announced and ads during the more dormant periods to we are trying to do online anyway. keyboard controls as well as pre-order links the pre-order went live. We didn’t launch ads that would generate clicks. With the The real world tends to come and streaming links for the record. We also the game until February and part of that video trailers, one of the key points was to back to the digital focus with us launched a mobile version of the game on was to have something on Torche’s digital always make sure that it could work with where people are sharing content. the week of release. The game is currently properties where it would be properly the sound off. The reps did things like hosting [content] still available on iOS and Android. We did see branded for the record and would have both A lot of people, when viewing these ads in on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, more traffic to the desktop version, but that pre-order and streaming links as well as Facebook, don’t have the sound on. Luckily Snapchat and so on. All the things that are is probably due to that launching in advance basic social links and follow buttons. for us the artwork is really engaging and popular on college campuses. of release. That was just a timing decision. Once the game was live, we did purchase we were able to create a trailer that worked We saw a lot of engagement in-browser a separate URL for it and also updated the without sound. We did run banner ads, but it Expanding the marketing around the live plot as a lot of the fanbase are in front of their band’s website to feature the game itself. wasn’t a traditional banner campaign. It was CZ: The band are on tour and we are talking computers and ready to engage. There were remarketing codes in there as we only re-targeting, pretty much. about doing a T-shirt design contest for The band hadn’t really done anything wanted to make sure we were capturing all We had data pools around different them. The album artwork is strong and we with gaming or the gaming community in fans at their point of interest immediately. sub-genres of metal that we have in- are excited to see what people can do with the past. But the metal genre really aligns house. We first put the budget towards the in. We are also planning some giveaways well with these communities. A large AF: One interesting thing it allowed us to immediately engaged fans from the game, around summer touring which will be in June amount of gamers are metal fans or EDM do was differentiate a site visitor from the website and everyone who was clicking and July. :) fans. Not both! They are tailor-made for someone who had played the game and in off the new album. We had segmented each other. On this game, we did see pick been immersed in it. That allowed us to out sub-genres of metal so we were able to up on gaming blogs as well as metal blogs. weight the budget a little bit more towards reach a little bit outside of that core group. WANT TO FEATURE IN There was a nice bit of crossover. One of the the people who had been engaged in the We did a little bit of in-stream pre-roll on BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN? goals we had with the game was to make game experience. We felt the people most YouTube. That was all remarketing to the Marketing people: do you have a campaign you are sure we created something that, while it likely to purchase were the site visitors. existing data pools and Torche fans. working on that you would like to see featured in Behind would appeal directly to Torche fans, could We also did some iAds, on Apple’s The Campaign in a future edition of sandbox? If so, send be fun and engaging with someone who was Digital advertising and network, but the targeting here isn’t as a brief synopsis of it to Eamonn Forde for consideration completely unfamiliar with the band. genre-specific data pools specific as it is on other platforms. For and your work (and your words) could appear here. [They created two versions of the AF: [They drew from a retargeting pool of certain genres like metal [you can target Email: [email protected] band’s splash page, one of which included 50k fans.] We did leverage pretty much people on there], but if you were targeting

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Clients include: Digital marketing services

Universal Music, Warner Music, Campaign support services: CONTACT Sony Music, Spotify, Deezer, • Strategy Ignition, Beggars, Modest, Red Bull, • CRM and Email tools  Studio 11, Holborn Studios 49-50 Eagle Wharf Rd Shazam, Domino and more • Digital housekeeping • Social networking updates London N1 7ED • Search and online advertising If you have a digital campaign ☎ +44 (0)20 7250 3637 • Mobile applications related story for sandbox, • Blogs and online PR outreach  www.MusicAlly.com please contact Nikoo Sadr on Published by music:)ally. • Measuring campaign  [email protected] [email protected] effectiveness music:)ally is a music business If you’d like to talk to us about our Registered company number: information and strategy company. Contact Karim Fanous on 04525243 digital marketing/mentoring [email protected] or We focus on the change taking training services, consultancy or +44 (0)20 7250 3637 to discuss VAT number: 858212321 place in the industry and provide specific research services, please your digital marketing needs. © Music Ally Ltd. For the purposes of information and insight into every contact Karim Fanous on [email protected] personal, private use the subscriber may aspect of the business: consumer Training services: print this publication or move it to a research analysing the changing • In house company mentoring storage medium; however, this publication behaviour and trends in the If you’d like to subscribe, add • Workshops is intended for subscribers only and as new subscribers, or talk about • Digital briefings such may not be redistributed without industry, consultancy services to permission. companies ranging from blue chip a corporate deal please contact • Digital MOT sessions retailers and telecoms companies Anthony Churchman on Subscribers agree to terms and conditions music ally to start-ups; and training around [email protected] music:)ally has delivered digital set up on the :) website, marketing training sessions for except where a separate contract takes methods to digitally market precedence. music:)ally has taken all your artists and maximise the a wide range of clients including reasonable endeavours to ensure the effectiveness of digital campaigns Universal Music, EMI, AIM/London validity of all items reported within this document. as well as events. Connected and many individuals We do not assume, and hereby disclaim, We are now also offering digital Check out music:)ally’s training any liability for loss or damage caused marketing services to labels, artist opportunities here by errors or omissions. In particular the content is not intended to be relied upon managers, artists and other music in making (or refraining from making) related companies from campaign Contact Anthony Churchman on investments or other decisions. We cannot advice and strategy through to [email protected] or be held responsible for the contents of any implementation and execution. +44 (0)20 7250 3637 to discuss linked sites. your training needs

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