06-07 Campaigns Gaming, Jonas Brothers, Monstercat 08–12 Behind The Campaign- JVG
JULY 10 2019 sandboxMUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 232
SURE SHOT music marketing in Trigger Cities COVERFEATURE “Platforms want content that draws and investigation, Jenkins concluded that Latin retains active users to their app and, ideally, American and Southeast Asian Trigger make subscribers out of them. Platform Cities – such as Mexico City, Santiago, São algorithms raise high-performing tracks to Paulo and Bangkok – tend to engage with the top of the pile and are all – to varying new or emerging artists more rapidly, no SURE SHOT degrees – global and location-agnostic,” he matter where that artist might actually argues. come from. This engagement would then “Silos of music consumption – formerly often be followed by rapid engagement in outlined by national economies, cultural/ other Trigger Cities, eventually including the regional tastes, language and old-school artist’s home market. media formats – are rapidly becoming a Jenkins tells sandbox that this shift has thing of the past. What an Indonesian come about because of the increasingly hipster finds for free on globalised music industry and the changing SoundCloud might soon be played nature of influence. “The global music by a Spotify Premium For Family industry, which is Western European and teenage user in Iowa next week. North American in its focus, has really only Maybe the same day.” been concerned with about 30 different markets. That’s because predominantly music marketing in Trigger Cities Firing up the Trigger Cities it was not profitable for large global corporations or smaller independent Trigger Cities are those metropolitan areas outside of the In its blog, Chartmetric introduces the companies to operate in smaller markets. top global markets where users can and do latch onto concept of Trigger Cities – cities that latch In the past you had to send in physical songs early and trigger algorithms on platforms like Spotify onto new songs early on and play them product as manufacturing locally in a small incessantly, thus triggering algorithms on market was rarely worthwhile,” he explains. and YouTube to give them global momentum. We look at streaming platforms that surface these “That began to change with Napster this new phenomenon, how it is changing the promotional songs to global users, thereby creating a [in 1999]. Two things happened: people centre of gravity for the music business, why everything play count snowball effect. This is a similar globally were able to get hold of any music has to be global and how the Western music industry can kind of argument to the one we have they wanted. And for the first time, people make the most of this new wave of early adopters who heard around YouTube and Latin music: who listened to music were connecting economic factors mean that Latin American with other people who listened to music were previously off their radar. music fans tend to over-index on YouTube anywhere in the world.” where streaming is free, with their support Today, he adds, this kind of connection triggering global momentum behind Latin has become the norm. “The nature of PART I: HOW TRIGGER CITIES WORK music on the platform. friendship and the nature of influence is In 2018, Chartmetric partner and very different,” Jenkins says. “[Before] I hen we think of global music cities, industry gatekeepers dictated which songs advisor Chaz Jenkins identified the top would influence my four friends and we our attention tends to go to New had a strong chance of becoming hits. five Spotify cities and top 10 YouTube would influence each other in terms of our WYork, London, Los Angeles, Stockholm In the globally connected and stylistically cities of 40 artists (largely from the US and Berlin – the kinds of places that are adventurous modern music industry, and UK) who broke through in Western home to strong A&R bases, traditional however, where all streams are created markets in 2017 and 2018. He found that media and big music companies. It is the equal, such thinking may be a little old few artists were exclusively popular in kind of thinking that made a lot of sense hat, as Chartmetric music data storyteller the US and/or UK, with most enjoying a in the analogue world, where traditional Jason Joven argued in a recent blog. wider international success. After more
1 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 COVERFEATURE musical taste. Young people today, with within a week they will have engagement hundreds or thousands of friends who they in Jakarta, they will have engagement in are connected to on socials and possibly Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. All these who they have never met, means the level people follow very, very quickly. That seems of influence they have over each other is to be because of this very viral social much more limited because there are so behaviour.” many of them. But they have influence; and they have influence on a global level. That’s The per-stream the basis of the Trigger Cities.” payment puzzle Latin America and Southeast Of course, eagle-eyed readers may point Asia as the new centres of out that not all streams pay the same and gravity for social sharing therefore streams in Chicago or London are, technically, worth more than streams in This connectivity exists all over the world. Jakarta. But Jenkins says that the particular use of Jenkins doesn’t deny this, but he takes a social media in Latin America and Southeast longer-term view. Asia encourages sharing. “We use social “From a financial point of view you would networks in the West – or rather we think probably prefer 1m streams in London we use social networks in the West. I because the ARPU is higher and a much have accounts on all social networks and higher proportion of users are subscribers in occasionally I share something. But if I see London,” he says. “But you could take one of my friends post something about a the opposite point of view: when you new artist I will look at it and think, ‘Yeah, as a replacement for music retail. In Latin are an early-stage artist, you whatever.’ It might encourage me to listen America and Southeast Asia, where music need growth, not revenue. And 1m to that artist, but generally not,” he explains. retail was not so established, they are seen streams in Jakarta are more likely “The use of social networks in as social platforms. to be 1m streams by people who Latin America and Southeast Asia “In many parts of the world they didn’t are very, very, very socially active is fundamentally based around use to have record stores,” says Jenkins. and engaged. And so the result in friendship. Use of social networks “They have Spotify and YouTube today shares and growth that you would get from in the West is more hands-off and and they use them much more as social 1m people streaming your music in Jakarta it is more about status. Their use is networks rather than these modern is going to be worth a lot more than 1m generally about [being] social and sharing. replacements for record shops. This people in London.” To the point where you come across this combination leads to a virality.” That may be difficult for the music form of behaviour where, if you have a This virality, in turn, leads to music new artists can be very quick as well. But industry in traditional tastemaker markets friend who likes a new artists and they post spreading very quickly in Latin America you notice that they don’t spread. Just like the UK to accept. But Jenkins argues something on a social network, you as an and Southeast Asia. “On the Trigger Cities because a new artist gets engagement in this is simply the economic reality of the act of friendship also share that. Whether map, we have some Trigger Cities that New York, it doesn’t seem to follow that globalised music industry. you like that artist or not, that’s irrelevant.” are in Western markets: Chicago, New they will get engagement in Chicago any “If you wind back a few years, This behaviour crosses over into York, LA, Dallas and Houston in the US; time afterwards. Whereas if somebody gets ‘international repertoire’ basically meant platforms like YouTube and Spotify. In the and London and Paris in Europe,” says engagement in Quezon City in Metro Manila British and American artists, with maybe West, users tend to look to these platforms Jenkins. “Engagement in these cities for in the Philippines, it is quite likely that one artist a decade from Sweden, Australia
2 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 COVERFEATURE and Canada,” he says. “The British industry that was really popular in one place you really capitalised on that, as did America. would think, ‘Wow that could be popular in PART II: HOW TO PULL THE TRIGGER The international exploitation of their lots of other places as well.’ But if you see music really made the industries in the an established artist who is only popular Capitalising on Trigger Cities there is this intrigue. [That’s] because of UK and US very profitable indeed and in one country, your reaction would be, the cultural benefits of understanding generated a lot of revenue.” ‘Well OK, that’s only popular in one place; hile this kind of thinking may prove globalisation.” Today, though, things have changed. there’s no point in pushing that out.’” slightly controversial among the In both Latin America and Southeast “Look at the economics of it,” Jenkins He believes this factor could be Wmusic industry, ignoring prospective Asia, social media is hugely important in explains. “Britain represents under 5% hampering the global take up of US hip- new power bases like Southeast Asia and building audiences, as the Trigger Cities of global streaming users. If you are hop artists, often thought of as the gold Latin America would clearly be an error. So model suggests. “For artists who do emerge expecting to have an impact on borderless standard for musical export. “I spent a lot the key question now is: what does this through Trigger Cities, it is the organic streaming services in this global of this year in the US and one of the most mean for music marketing? And how can growth that really delivers,” says Jenkins, marketplace, do you want to appeal to just common things you find there are more Western labels, managers and publishers “so it is identifying digital content and 5% of consumers? And that’s assuming and more US labels saying how difficult it help to build their acts in these Trigger general promotion strategy which is going that there is a sizeable number of that 5% is now to really establish new US artists, Cities? to help you deliver effective organic growth.” who are actually going to like your music. especially rap artists,” Jenkins says. “Again The good news is that there are few This may not be massively different from And it might be that your genre of music the schlager filter effect comes into play. fundamental differences between music social media strategy in other parts of the is far more popular in other countries Once you are really popular in one marketing in Latin America and Southeast globe, but Jenkins and Perkins stress the anyway.” place it appears, not deliberately, to Asia, according to Jenkins, beyond the fact importance of artists spending considerable be much more difficult to become that Latin America is a more established time in these areas if they want to build up The “schlager filter” established elsewhere.” market for music and streaming. The audiences there. If this is the case – something that Latin American music industry, then, is “When it comes to doing these things, Jenkins also warns of the “schlager has certainly not been proven – then probably more familiar to the Western you need consistency,” says Perkins, who filter”, a name that references Germany’s it would imply a big change across the music industry, even if companies might not will bring Emily Middlemas , an artist notoriously un-exportable popular music board in music industry thinking, from actually have offices in countries like Peru he manages, to Singapore in September. style. “There are a few interesting things managers to publishers and from A&Rs to and Chile. about popularity algorithms which power marketers. “The strategy in record labels As for Southeast Asia, exposure on services,” he says. has always been not to internationalise Graham Perkins, CEO at Gray “If an artist becomes very established content until it is very, very established in London, spent more than in one market – their home market, for one market,” Jenkins says. 20 years living and working instance – then the effect of this is that “Everything has been turned on its in the music industry there. organic growth seems to be much more head. And if you were internationalising He says that audiences in difficult. The easy way to think of it is content, you would deliberately want to Southeast Asia “are very, very through popularity indexes; not only do push new things as much as possible in pro Western content”. they push new content out globally, but as many countries as possible. “When I was out there, they also restrict pushing out established “And then, as things become more when you look at what content, which only appears to work in established, you would double down they listen to, 90% of that is one market.” on the most engaged markets to Western music,” he says. “I He adds, “And I don’t think that is generate the most revenue. That is not don’t want to be detrimental necessarily a deliberate ploy. It’s just how happening yet in the recording industry. to that part of the world, but a human would treat popularity as well. International is still very much about there is this thing, because If you were to see something brand new global priority.” :) they [artists] are Western,
3 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 COVERFEATURE
“We can’t just take Emily to one show in Singapore and think we will come back a year later. Our idea is that we want to springboard from Singapore across Southeast Asia into China.” Jenkins adds, “I have jokingly been advising record companies for some years: if you have a new British artist, don’t try and break them in the UK: put them on a plane to Manila. Leave them there doing promo for a few months and I bet they come back a bigger star in the UK than if you had done two years of promo with them in the UK. And some people have been trying that.”
The role of localised collaborations and partnerships Chartmetric gives the example of US singer-songwriter Lauv as a way in which Western artists can break in Trigger Cities, with his 2017 track ‘I Like Me Better’ hitting playlists in Malaysia, Brazil, the Philippines and Indonesia on its way to international success. Lauv, Jenkins explains, has many be keen to do to boost their own fortunes knowledgeable enough about of the characteristics that Southeast Asian in your home market. Jenkins suggests the Latin American and audiences look for in musicians. that the radio can also be very important Southeast Asia markets to “Everything about Ari [AKA Lauv] is in some Southeast Asian markets, to operate effectively in them. For absolutely perfect for Southeast Asia: they the surprise of many Western music this reason, Perkins recommends finding there, there really aren’t that many booking love mainstream pop artists, they have a executives. “There are the markets local partners. “Obviously they have the agents. If you are a local artist, the manager bias towards male singers and his boy- that have traditional media like radio,” connections,” he says. “The ecosystem in becomes a bit more of everything.” next-door good looks are the sort of things he says. “So many labels now just Asia is massive and vast. It is very hard to Patrick Ross, now SVP of digital strategy that really appeal in those markets,” he don’t value radio; they think find someone who can work across regions. at music:)ally, encountered some of these says. But Lauv also capitalised on his early radio is worthless, certainly in Each country has it own specific people to difficulties when he was heading up success by touring Southeast Asia in 2019, establishing emerging artists. But work with.” international digital marketing at Kobalt. which Jenkins says was hugely important in in a market like the Philippines, Perkins adds, “We have a very structured “For digital advertising, we were using his development there. radio still most definitely has a way of doing things in the West. They don’t Facebook and Google , drawing on the Another traditional way of generating role.” follow that [in Southeast Asia] necessarily. tools that we had that were global, that buzz in Latin America and Southeast Asia is These concerns over radio tie into If I went to a promoter [in the UK] and said, could reach these places,” he says. to take the well-worn route of collaborating the wider concern that Western music ‘I want my artist to play,’ they would say, “Maybe that doesn’t do as well in a with local artists, something that locals will companies or managers may not be ‘Get in touch with the booking agent.’ Over place like Japan where we weren’t getting
4 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 COVERFEATURE
“With hip-hop, there can be a lot of explicit content in the lyrics and with regards the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, these are really religious countries and they don’t like the lyrical content,” he says.
India as the next hotspot
For all that, Jenkins believes the music industry will find itself looking increasingly towards Latin America and Asia over the next few years, with India especially important to its growth. involved with Line; it’s not something we Asia and Latin America than in most of the Trigger Cities probably sounds hugely “India is just the most rapidly could really go with in China, or in Russia West. “Digital advertising has definitely appealing to the globetrotting music emerging market of the lot,” he says. with vKontakte. For places like that, we started to develop [in Southeast Asia] executive; but there is a risk of spreading “When we did the original Trigger Cities didn’t really know how to market there. and it is cheaper,” says Perkins. “You hire yourself, and your artist, too thin, creating a map a couple of months ago, we identified We just used the platforms that we used a publicist in Britain for a month and it is level of support that is so globally disparate three Indian cities as really delivering globally.” about £1,000 ($1,250); but over there it’s it fails to trigger algorithms anywhere. significant early exposure for artists. probably £500 – maybe even slightly less. Ross has had experience of this kind I think if we re-ran that process at the An open door for the indies? There is still some bartering that goes on in of global stretch. “There was an artist end of this year, we would probably Asia, which is a little bit scary. ‘If you do this that wanted to work with us – a hip-hop see eight cities in India. The rate of Nevertheless, Ross believes that for me, it will be good for your business.’ artist from California,” Ross explains. “We growth at the moment of mobile independent music companies – perhaps That mentality.” asked him, ‘Where are you big?’ ‘I’m big broadband and streaming – and counterintuitively – might be better placed Ross adds, “It would be all over the world.’ ‘What do you I am not talking specifically Spotify to push their acts in Trigger Cities than interesting to experiment, mean?’ ‘I’m pretty big in California. here, I am more talking about their major label competitors. “I was at one seeing what happens if you I’m also really big in Africa.’ YouTube in India – is quite local major label office,” Ross explains. “I actively started trying to He started naming all these astronomical.” asked them: ‘How much do you talk to the target these cities. In a lot places. And he was basically And if that makes the all-powerful music Americans?’ ‘Never.’ Within the majors, of these places, you can get paying to get listens and likes industries in the West feel demeaned, then they have a history of not always playing cheap clicks, cheap advertising. in these other countries. And we it shouldn’t: this is simply economics at together well territorially. They push their You could see if running a bunch advised him not to do that as he was work, according to Jenkins. global priorities round but otherwise local of Instagram Story ads or something in spreading everything so thin. We didn’t see “It’s the economics that are really offices market their local repertoire.” that territory would actually convert over.” that as something he could sustain. We determining what is happening. And the told him to focus at home. ‘You should be economics favour the Trigger City markets Digital advertising as The risk of the global stretch able to actually tour in California.’” much more than they favour the UK or an open door for all? (AKA spreading yourself Some artists may also be even the US,” he concludes. “And that’s too thin) unsuited to certain territories. not to do down the industry in the UK and One familiar promotional tactic that makes Jenkins says that US hip-hop often the US. It is just natural that economics sense in Trigger Cities is digital advertising, We should, at this point, sound a word of doesn’t translate well to Southeast will change and that strategy will have to which is a great deal cheaper in Southeast caution. Targeting audiences in faraway Asia, for example. adapt to those economics.” :)
5 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 CAMPAIGNS The latest projects from the digital marketing arena GAMING THE SYSTEM: GAMES RETURN AS THE MARKETING TREND DU JOUR
Music works in waves as genres (and artists) crash score points. And those tracks, with incredible Next up are BTS – whose BTS World game has the Marshmello game, packs of “gems” for sale – in and out of the beach of public consciousness. convenience, all come from Joytime III, his new finally been released. We have already covered it but they range from the acceptable ($0.99) to the And the same also applies to marketing trends. album. The tracks were all available in the game jaw-dropping ($99.99). Yes, there is There was the Rock Band/Guitar Hero era of music the day before the album was released, obviously plenty of exclusive content for the and gaming, then it moved to apps with Tap Tap fans, but there are also plenty of Revenge, then there was Twitch, then there was ways for the group to make money Fortnite. here. Truly the gaming version of the old business maxim that there The gaming continues; only the platforms is no such thing as a free lunch. change. But now, for this month at least, gaming And finally, LAUV has gone back + music is back at the top of the agenda and it to Flappy Bird for inspiration for seems to be taking a scattershot approach to his Billy Meets World game. It is platforms with a retro feel. designed to push his ‘Drugs & The Internet’ single which is taken from designed as such to get fans to here, primarily due to the pre-marketing around his upcoming album, ~how i’m feeling~. The Billy install the game in order to hear it, which was something we had not seen before in the game title is Lauv’s dog and players have the album early. The game is on this scale for a music-centric game. Of course, to “navigate the digital universe” of the video free to download, but of course given the nature of their fans, it makes perfect for ‘Drugs & The Internet’, collecting rewards as there is a monetisation angle sense to have such a long build up. The game, in they go to earn discounts on purchases from his where fans can buy “gems” brief, puts you in the role of a online store as well as getting (the game’s virtual currency) to virtual manager who has to to unlock wallpaper and watch unlock new characters. steer the nascent boyband to an exclusive video of him Going even more old-school international fame. The hook performing an acoustic song. is TRISHA YEARWOOD who for fans to install and play Is this all a coincidence MARSHMELLO was, of course, the first major is returning to FarmVille, the game that took the game is that it contains and it just so happens that star to play a show within Fortnite and sell Facebook by storm before it was replaced by 10,000 (yes, ten thousand) new four acts released a game all manner of virtual goods there – as well as seemingly innocuous quizzes that may or may photos of the members and tie-in in the same month? Or battling Ninja in a Fortnite tournament. Now not have compromised private data. To mark the 100 exclusive video clips. is this part of a trend where he’s going old-school with a mobile game (if you 10th anniversary of FarmVille (yes, it’s really been On top of that is new contemporaneous games can describe a callback to something from a few a decade), the country singer is partnering with music linked to the game are built around nostalgia for years ago as “old-school”). developer Zynga to make a cameo in cartoon in the shape of an original games from the past decade? Developed by Vietnamese games company form in FarmVille 2: Country Escape. It will also soundtrack, with the single If so, who is going to be bold Gamejam for iOS and Android, Marshmello Music feature her new single, ‘Every Girl In This Town’, ‘Heartbeat (BTS World OST)’ enough and go even further Dance has echoes of Tap Tap Revenge as you and Yearwood’s 2D alter ego will appear as a being available in the game back in time to base their entire tap along to Marshmello tracks in order to make “down-to-earth farmhand avatar” in the game, 48 hours before the album album campaign around the an avatar of him and other characters move and offering rare items and other in-game rewards. release. There are also, as with third level of Jet Set Willy?
6 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 CAMPAIGNS The latest projects from the digital marketing arena
THE VINYL STRAW: JONAS BROTHERS CREATE A $$$ SUBSCRIPTION CLUB VIRTUAL SIGNALLING: MONSTERCAT DEVELOPS VIRTUAL EVENTS
vinyl records (plus “exclusive extras”) – which works out at eight albums and 10 singles. Plus there are posters and photo books thrown in. At the $399 level, you get the lot across four shipments if you pay everything up front (with free shipping if you are in the US) or across 12 shipments Vinyl is everywhere. Vinyl is the new if you commit streaming. Vinyl is the new downloading. to $33 a Vinyl is the new cassette. (Sorry, the tape month for a Indie dance label Monstercat is no has its own revival.) Vinyl is the new… year (but you’ll stranger to digital experimentation. vinyl? This is the long way round to say have to pay It was early in testing the water with perform. Thereafter there will be a range that vinyl is a bulging money pit at the shipping). its licensing for digital video and gaming of events – “from concerts to meet- moment and everyone is ensuring their If you have platforms through the creation of a $5-per- and-greets to exclusive fan quests and albums get the LP treatment and that limited- the funds, then the $599 deluxe tier gives you month subscription that licensed its music giveaways”. edition coloured vinyl is reaching ubiquity levels all of the above but you get all eight albums in for use on Twitch, YouTube and Mixer. It “We’re giving fans all over the world on D2C stores. “exclusive vinyl color variants” as well as five also licensed 40 exclusive tracks for Rocket the chance to connect in a shared more exclusive albums and singles on coloured League’s in-game catalogue last year. experience with other fans and the artists So surely vinyl is due a shake up. Something vinyl along with a nice storage and display they love; but more than that, we’re using new? Yes. Something different? Of course. case. If you pay $599 up front, you’ll get it all Its latest initiative is in partnership with gaming to elevate the concert experience Something audacious? Maybe… in four instalments (with free shipping), but if Linden Lab (the company that was behind – questing, raffles, special in-game prizes, Step forward the Jonas Brothers and you pay $50 a month (so $600), you’ll get it all Second Life) and there is a return to the across both VR and PC,” said Linden Lab their latest marketing wheeze – the Jonas across 12 shipments (but you’ll have to pay for virtual with this new tie up. It is based CEO Ebbe Altberg in a statement. Vinyl Club. It is very on-trend, the whiff of shipping). around Sansar, a social-VR platform, that It is an interesting new offering and the zeitgeist thick in its nostrils. Vinyl? Tick. If you are a fan, this is obviously highly launched in public beta back in 2017 and one that clearly understands how the Fanclub? Tick. Subscription? Tick. $399 for basic desirable. But we are still boggling at $600 which describes itself as “the world’s label’s fans want to engage with it and its membership and $599 for the premium tier? for the exclusive tier. Yet a note on the leading social virtual reality platform”. artists in new ways. It is still, of course, Tic… hold on a minute! FOUR HUNDRED OR dedicated site a few days after it went live Monstercat: Call Of The Wild Experience brand new – but it will be intriguing to SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS? Let’s see what you suggests all 1,500 premium box sets were is being planned as a weekly event within watch how these weekly events unfold get for that. close to selling out. So, while you might bristle Sansar. The first one will take place on and how they can (potentially) create new It’s all the albums (as a group and as solo at the price tag, you cannot accuse them of 12th July to mark Monstercat’s eighth forms of fan engagement and fan loyalty acts) on vinyl for the first time. So that’s 18 over-estimating their audience. birthday where over a dozen acts will as well as new forms of monetisation.
7 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN JVG BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNJVG
Background JVG are a Finnish hip-hop duo who formed in 2009. Their first two albums were released by an independent label, Monsp Records, which Warner Music recently acquired. Now Warner has the full catalogue for JVG. We signed them directly in 2014 and they have released four albums to date on Warner. They are, by far, the biggest band in Finland at the moment. Their music has changed a little bit from being just rap and hip-hop and has moved more into pop with pop melodies. They have also expanded their audience a lot. They have won eight Emmas [the Finnish equivalent of Grammys]. Last year they released ‘Popkorni’ which was the second-most-streamed track in Finland and it was the third-biggest radio track in Finland last year.
The hockey connection Their track ‘Tarkenee’ was the first Finnish song to be used in an NHL [National Hockey League] soundtrack and the EA Sports NHL 19 game. They also had their own characters in the game. They hold the record with two tracks being the most- streamed tracks in Finland ever in the Finnish language. ‘Tarkenee’ is the most- streamed domestic track in Finland with ‘Hehkuu’ being the second most-streamed domestic track. The guys are huge sports fans and JVG are a Finnish hip-hop duo and have become one of the biggest acts in their home country, breaking a variety of streaming records there. hockey players in Finland have always They began on an indie label but after two albums signed to Warner Music Group. Their fourth album on the major (and sixth in total), RATA/ loved them. That’s where they started – RAITTI, came out on 14th June. RAMONA FORRSTRÖM, marketing director at Warner Music Finland, explains how they grew through their doing sports tracks, rapping about hockey links to the ice hockey world, how plugging into Warner Music Live took them to arenas, why pre-saves don’t work in Finland, how YouTube is and so on. There are many NHL players in taking the place of Spotify’s free tier in the Nordics on an advertising level and why, when JVG release new material, it immediately takes over Finland who have spread the word about the local charts, making them a bit like the Finnish Ed Sheeran. these guys. We were approached by the
9 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNJVG
but they were ready to negotiate with us and we got them on board. We started working with them in 2014 when we released the album Voitolla yöhön. Warner Finland has a very good reputation. We have the biggest market share in the Warner world and we also have a really great domestic repertoire. Our market share on the local music side is 37% – which is far bigger than any other label here in Finland on the domestic side. We started negotiating with them and Setting up the new album we discussed how to take them to the next This new album, RATA/RAITTI, is more level. Back then they had achieved what pop than any of their previous albums. they were able to do with an independent It has, of course, the urban twist and the label. They needed more marketing and urban elements, but it also has a lot of the promotional support. They also needed That is one of the key things we have pop angles to it. The guys don’t want to A&R support to build things even further. done with the band: we have taken them compete with core urban acts who are 10 At the same time, they had started their to arena level , something that isn’t that years younger. They feel that now is the own record label – PME Records – so this common for local artists to do. We have time to do it more this way. was a joint release between Warner and invested quite a lot in that and we have We had a much longer build up to this PME and ever since we have done this as a grown them on radio airplay. They have album because the previous album was a NHL regarding their involvement. Warner release. had a number of airplay number ones since surprise release, of course. We released the Back in 2011 when they released the PME has several acts, some of which we and their record sales have been massive second single, ‘Frisbee’, on 10th February. track ‘Häissä’, Finland had also won the are working on and some of which they are in Finland. They are at over 200,000 sales, There was definitely momentum to get IIHF World Championship in hockey. That working on on their own. But JVG are a full which is a big number here. new music out. The first single, ‘Ikuinen was a big thing because we are a small Warner act. Popkorni, which came out in 2017, was Vappu’, is the most-streamed track in country. It was the second time Finland an album we just dropped without any Finland so far this year, with over 10m had won the World Championships. Building the live side and warning. We felt the status of the band streams. It went straight to #1 on Spotify JVG are loved by the hockey players and taking them to the arena level was big enough to do that. That turned out on its first chart day. We released the they were invited to perform this track at We have taken them to the next stage on to be very successful. The album is almost music video at the same time and it has the ceremony which was held in Helsinki the live side. Warner Finland has a live three times platinum in Finland. It has 11 had 3.7m views on YouTube. The single when the players came back from the agency – Warner Music Live – and it is tracks and all 11 of them went into the top was number one on Spotify for 64 days – tournament. The players really wanted integrated here in the same office. It has 12 on Spotify the day after the release. which is a new record for a Finnish track. the guys to perform there. That became a taken them to their first arena shows. That album had a lot of tracks with It all started well and then very massive, massive hit. A big difference compared to the other pop melodies. They started off as a very luckily Finland again won the World labels here in Finland is that we have a live credible rap duo, but with our A&R we Championships in hockey in May this year. Taking the group from the indie label agency which represents 70 local acts. Not have brought more pop melodies into their It was the same thing happening again. system to the major label system all of them are signed to Warner, but most music and that has been the key thing to The guys had this contact with the hockey They were still signed to Monsp back then of them are. their success since we came on board. players and they were listening to ‘Frisbee’
10 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNJVG
Taking an old-school approach We and the guys wanted to do it the old way – to go back to their roots. We FINNISH CHART DOMINANCE announced the album at the same time as On the Finnish charts, JVG went when the first single came out, confirming straight to #1 on the album chart there would be a new album in June. We were building up the hype from there. in its first week (beating Bruce Alongside these two massive singles Springsteen at #3 and Madonna at [ahead of the album], we have done quite a #7). All 10 tracks went in high in the lot of marketing as well. The marketing for singles chart, making up seven of the singles has mostly been through social the top 10 (with ‘Frisbee’ at #1 and media campaigns as they have a big social others at #2, #3, #4, #5, #7 and #8) media following. They have over 223,000 The growing importance of YouTube and while a further three were in the followers on Instagram and over 117,000 how it is replacing Spotify advertising top 20 (at #12, #14 and #16). followers on Facebook; so it is very easy to This is the first time we had really reach their target audiences. done YouTube campaigns for this act. That worked really well as because there are different audiences on they have a big audience there. YouTube and on streaming services. Before this, we only put up the For the ‘Frisbee’ video, Mika Häkkinen music videos on YouTube; but now who is double world champion in F1, is in we have done pre-roll campaigns with the video making a cameo. That is another various different spots. They have been good example of how JVG build a bridge working really well. between music and sport. It was a big Before the album came out, we did thing to have him in the video. videos for both of the lead singles. These They don’t have their own YouTube in the locker rooms during the games. videos were dropped on the same day channel – they are on the PME channel There were huge celebrations in that each single was released. That has [PME Network]. PME Records is basically the Helsinki and other cities in the country. changed a little bit from two years ago. two guys from JVG and two others who have When the players came back from the Back then we did windowing where we developed the label. JVG are the biggest act tournament, the city held a big party would first release the track and then we on the label. They are big influencers as well, for the public and the players once would put out the video two or three weeks so people who like JVG usually like what they again invited JVG to perform there. JVG after. Now we do it at the same time recommend. That is why they have decided performed ‘Frisbee’ even though it hadn’t to keep the stuff that comes out on PME been released yet. It was broadcast on on the same YouTube channel. That seems national TV and that show had more than to work very well. And that is the way they 1m viewers. [The country has a population want to keep it. of 5.6m.] Two years ago, doing Spotify advertising ‘Frisbee’ was released one week after was a very big thing in Finland. Nowadays this. It broke the record for first-day there are so many people who are paying streams this year – with 171,000 streams for the service so they don’t hear the ads. on its first day and it was number one for That means we have to find new ways several weeks afterwards. to get the message through. YouTube
11 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 BEHIND THE CAMPAIGNJVG
has proven to be a really good Even though the album is out there and platform for that. everyone can hear any of the songs, we are We do quite a lot of teaser still going to service singles to radio. campaigning nowadays. We They are also doing a brand partnership film a lot of material which we with Atria [a major meat producer in the use for video teasers. That is country] and also one with Paulig , the one of the key elements on biggest coffee brand in Finland. Those which we put a lot of spend campaigns will continue as well. on social channels. We always We are also doing a huge outdoor want to get the best possible campaign. We have the biggest start for a track or for an album billboard in Helsinki at the on the release day. In three moment [at the time of the album days, we would spend 70% or release] and a big radio campaign. 80% of our marketing budget – so that’s on Friday – and they had three tracks on there We do these sorts of campaigns Wednesday, Thursday and Friday when the on the day of release. The Spotify support for superstar releases. record comes out. for the singles has been very, very strong. We have quite a few major domestic They were on the cover and the releases this year, but this is definitely one Why pre-saves don’t work in Finland and placements have been high from the start. of the biggest. Streaming is very dominant why getting DSP editors on board is critical They have a strong belief in the band. in our market but we also released this Pre-saves don’t work as well here as they Their audience is pretty much 50:50 album on CD, LP and cassette . The do in many other territories. People just male and female. The core audience is cassette is only available through one don’t use it; they don’t pre-save that much. 17-27-year-old people, but they also have retailer – Levykauppa Äx, the biggest It is more about getting the information a big following among those aged 30+. It independent record store chain in Finland through that the record is coming. That is is great party music and mood music, so it – but the LP and CD are in all record shops. why we have the major marketing push in works for every occasion. the three days before release. That works It all started with the They are a purely Finnish phenomenon the best. The investment in those three hockey fans and sports Will we develop them for outside of days is the most efficient. It is pretty much main thing. JVG also do well fans, but nowadays it is Finland? No, unfortunately not – as long the same thing through the Nordics, but it on our own playlists. But very mainstream. They are as they sing in Finnish. There isn’t any is especially the case here. the key thing is that Spotify going to be headlining all the other market with a language that is Spotify has a big footprint here. Almost needs to be excited about the biggest festivals this summer similar to ours. It is one of the hardest 90% of the streaming in the Nordics comes release. With the first two in Finland. The audience has languages in the world to travel! :) through Spotify. That is obviously our main singles from this album and grown with every album and focus, but, of course, we are doing a lot of their track record, Spotify was it is very mainstream [now]. WANT TO FEATURE IN things with Apple Music and Deezer. But obviously very excited about BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN? Spotify is, at the moment, the one that is this album. Keeping momentum going after Marketing people: do you have a campaign you are working dominating the market. The biggest playlist in Finland is the album and the role of brands on that you would like to see featured in Behind The Campaign In terms of playlisting, the main thing Kovimnat Hitit Juuri Nyt . That is our There will be at least two more videos in a future edition of sandbox? If so, send a brief synopsis of is to get the local Spotify editors excited equivalent of Today’s Top Hits. That is a after the album. We are planning to get it to Eamonn Forde for consideration and your work (and your about the release. We try to give the Spotify-owned playlist and they were on more radio tracks out there. We will make words) could appear here. editors music to listen to well in advance. the cover of it on the day of release. They lyric videos for all of the tracks and we will Email: [email protected] It is Spotify’s own playlists that are the were also on the cover of New Music be sure that those will continue to build.
12 | sandbox | ISSUE 232 | 10.07.2019 ABOUTSANDBOX
CONTACT
Boat: Holly, Holborn Studios 49-50 Eagle Wharf Rd London N1 7ED
www.MusicAlly.com
[email protected] Published by music ally. SUBSCRIBE TRAINING :) Registered company number: 04525243 music ally music:)ally helps companies market To subscribe to music:)ally, begin a :) trains labels, agencies and music better, and helps create more corporate deal or add subscribers to management companies across over 30 VAT number: 858212321 sustainable careers for everyone in the an existing corporate subscription, countries. Training is available as: music industry. We accomplish this by please contact Anthony Churchman on © Music Ally Ltd. For the purposes of n In-house workshops and innovation personal, private use the subscriber may researching and publishing news and [email protected] sessions print this publication or move it to a the latest trends on digital change, storage medium; however, this publication n Material creation for corporate startups and strategy, by training is intended for subscribers only and as L&D programs companies in what we know, and by such may not be redistributed without To learn more about our training, n Team-level / department-level best permission. running campaigns to learn as much learning and development, and practice structuring as we can and drive excellence in our innovation workshops, again please n Internet-based learning options Subscribers agree to terms and conditions music ally industry forward. contact Anthony Churchman on also available set up on the :) website, except where a separate contract takes [email protected]. precedence. music:)ally has taken all We also produce events to facilitate MARKETING SERVICES reasonable endeavours to ensure the international discussion, planning and validity of all items reported within this networking around digital change and For digital marketing and n Digital health check document. n Audience development, remarketing digital strategy. campaign-level services, please We do not assume, and hereby disclaim, and CRM setup contact Patrick Ross at any liability for loss or damage caused n Ad campaign audit / optimization Clients include: Spotify, Red Bull, [email protected] by errors or omissions. In particular the n Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, YouTube assessment / optimization content is not intended to be relied upon n in making (or refraining from making) Warner Music Group, Beggars Group, Facebook assessment / optimization n Digital marketing plan creation investments or other decisions. We cannot Facebook, Amazon, Google, Domino If you have a digital campaign be held responsible for the contents of any n Digital media buying Recording Co, AEI, Anjuna, Songtrust, linked sites. related story for sandbox, n Creative campaign planning Blue Raincoat Music, Chrysalis Records, please contact Eamonn Forde on n Full-service digital campaign The Orchard, the MMF, the BPI, Berklee [email protected] implementation College of Music, BIMM and more.
1313 || SANDBOXsandbox | ISSUE | ISSUE 232 XX | | 10.07.2019 DATE XXXX