05-06 Tools Instagram 07–08 Campaigns Vevo & YouTube, Beauty & The Beast, Spotify, White Denim 09-12 Behind The Campaign Holy Holy MARCH 15 2017 sandboxMUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 175 MUSIC GOES ALL-IN ON SNAPCHAT But being used frequently doesn’t always equate with being used well. That is why music:)ally today presents its guide to Snapchat and music marketing, looking at how it can work in the marketing mix, what opportunities the platform offers and what kind of activity works on Snapchat. The three key uses Marketing on Snapchat essentially divides into three categories: what we might call “casual use” with artists using the app to document their life, while teasing and promoting their music; paid options, including geofilters, lenses and ads; and editorial opportunities with Snapchat itself (for example via Our Stories) and Discover partners, such as Vice and MTV. The first option is the most common – and understandably so, given that it is both free and relatively easy to set up. It can also MUSIC GOES ALL-IN ON SNAPCHAT work extremely well, according to Maddy Smith, senior digital marketing manager at Capitol Records UK. “Snapchat works Following its recent IPO (that gave it a jaw-dropping valuation of $28.3bn after its first day of trading), so well because it shows an often unseen aspect of an artist’s life and Snapchat is unquestionably the buzz platform of 2017. Music has been a key part of it for a while, but builds a level of intimacy that you this year will see musicians go all-in and hope to slipstream the Snapchat hype. We look at those acts wouldn’t get on many other social blazing a trail, how it can be used better, where (or if) the money can be made and what, exactly, it will platforms – like backstage at a show, on the tour bus and in the studio broadcast in cost you (in both time and money) to stand out from the crowd. real time,” she explains. But this doesn’t, of course, mean that t seems barely believable that just 20 artists can simply bombard their Snapchat months ago Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel followers with crude promotional Ifelt obliged to explain to the world what, messages whenever they have a new exactly, Snapchat does. In March 2017, song out. Snapchat’s audience is famously Snapchat feels like it has been around young – millennials are said to account forever, a well-worn tool in the music for more than 70% of all Snapchat users marketing box used by everyone from Avicii – which is a positive for music industry and 5 Seconds Of Summer to Biffy Clyro. marketers, but also necessitates a 1 | sandbox | ISSUE 175 | 15.03.17 COVERFEATURE tease new music; to show off his lighter side (lip-syncing to romantic songs on Valentine’s Day, for example); and recently used Snapchat to reveal news of a secret gig in his home town of Croydon. Then, in the lead up to the release of his duet album in February 2017, Stormzy wove subtle promotional messages into his Snapchat use, uniting his fans around the release. “Stormzy has used Snapchat brilliantly in the past few weeks to promote his album release,” Smith explains. “He has shown his fans everything he’s done in his whirlwind promo tour but also rallied his fanbase with sales messages. He has brought fans along for the ride and instead particular caution around an sensation Stormzy is a of these sales drives sounding desperate audience that is wary of great example of this, or forced, it makes fans feel part of a traditional advertising. using his Snapchat movement.” The key is for artists account to create to build up trust (and a loyalty among fans A two-way street following) on Snapchat before turning on the before they start with the promotional charm. He When using Snapchat for promotional promotional drive. Grime has used Snapchat to purposes, it is also important to give your followers something in return for their loyalty, be it exclusive news (in 2015 channels – videos are frequently ripped and One Direction announced the tracklisting uploaded to YouTube – creating a genuine for Made In The AM on Snapchat, while fan-led buzz. earlier this year Bonobo allowed fans Snapchat’s paid promotional to unlock his new album title 24 hours opportunities can also be hugely potent and early by using the platform); “behind the – in the case of geofilters, at least – actually scenes”-type footage; a competition (as pretty affordable. We covered geofilters at with Bastille’s Snapchat tracklist reveal); length in sandbox 171, so suffice to say and even exclusive access to new music, that on-demand geofilters – overlays for as Calvin Harris did earlier this year, when the user’s Snaps that are specific to certain he teased his eagerly awaited collaboration geographic locations, to which businesses with Frank Ocean via Snapchat. Limiting can add logos and promotional messages news or content to one platform in this way – have become an important tool for may sounds slightly counterproductive, marketers around concerts and other live but, in most cases, the Snapchat content events, allowing them to reach fans in a very will quickly spread to other social media personal and unique way. 2 | sandbox | ISSUE 175 | 15.03.17 COVERFEATURE Will Beardmore, digital lead, global are watching with the sound off, so an eye- Dangerous Woman. Meanwhile, US rapper rules this option out for the vast majority marketing, at WMG, says geofilters are “a catching creative is key,” she adds. Sage The Gemini benefitted from his song of music industry campaigns. really simple way to re-enforce the artist’s Sponsored lenses – branded lenses that ‘Now & Later’ featuring on a Snapchat lens brand and campaign aesthetic within the appear in the app for Snapchatters to apply in 2016 as background to a pair of multi- Editorial as the apex live environment. Wherever it is available, it’s to their pics – are the next step up (at least coloured sunglasses. While the song proving to be an affordable way of giving the financially). Running a sponsored lens is wasn’t named in the lens, word Possibly the Holy Grail for marketers, fan another way to endorse the artist.” thought to cost anywhere between $250,000 soon got out, helping ‘Now & Later’ however, is securing editorial opportunities and $750,000, depending on the day of the to jump from 1.1m monthly listens within Snapchat itself. These are few and Ads and sponsorship: week, time of year and so on, which rules on Spotify in November 2016 to 5m far between, but can prove hugely effective making money and them out of most music industry budgets. the following month. In each case, if done right. Willing marketers have two getting cut through But they are said to be hugely effective, the financial details of the deals routes to secure editorial coverage: via Our / “driving 3x higher brand awareness than were not made public . Live Stories or Snapchat Discover partners. Snap Ads (full-screen vertical videos of 10 mobile norms” according to Snapchat, due to “This type of partnership had never The latter option relies on good, old- seconds or less, which play in-between the fact that they essentially encourage fans been done before with an emerging artist,” fashioned plugging: convincing some of the stories, with the option to add an interactive to play around with an advert. Chelsea Gavin, director of marketing at 30+ Discover partners around the world to element) are also relatively affordable There have been a few instances of Artist Partners (who works with Sage The cover your music on their Snapchat channel. and Snapchat claims they command “two crossover between musicians and branded Gemini ), told Mashable. “Together we were This may sound straightforward, but times more attention than video ads on lenses, including an Ed Sheeran lens able to enhance a lens sonically, maximising opportunities are extremely limited, given comparable platforms”. Smith says that she released in January, which featured a pair of user experience, which translated into a lot of that only a handful of these partners – MTV, has run a few Snap Ad campaigns “and they virtual turquoise glasses with a 30-second curiosity around the artist.” iHeartRadio, Vice, The New York Times, have worked well”. “It’s a short ad format, clip of his ‘Shape Of You’ playing in the Snapchat also offers ads via its BuzzFeed – cover music in any substantial just five-to-seven seconds and you also background; and an Ariana Grande lens Discover channels, although a daily rate way. But it does happen: MTV’s Discover have to factor in the fact that a lot of people in May 2016 to promote her new album, said to start somewhere around $50,000 channel, for example, has debuted videos 3 | sandbox | ISSUE 175 | 15.03.17 COVERFEATURE from the likes of Bebe Rexha and Axwell /\ attracted more than 40m viewers – but inevitable that Snapchat will continue to Ingrosso, while in February 2015 Madonna Stories are entirely under the control of be an essential music industry marketing premiered the video for ‘Living For Love’ Snapchat, with no way for marketers, artists tool for years to come. That’s good news for on Snapchat. or management to create their own Stories marketers trying to reach a younger audience. Getting editorial coverage on Our / Live (although the judicious use of geofilters But a note of caution is advised: for all its Stories is equally tricky. The vast majority might be enough to create the idea of an success, Snapchat may remain something of these stories (first called Our Stories, informal Snapchat “event”).