Globally, today’s marketing clime is fast changing in response to the needs of the people; therefore one of the most effective strategies is to engage the collaboration of music and brand activism, as a definitive sustainability and success game plan.
What once started as shallow celebrity endorsement, a sticker on a campaign for short-term effect, is now developing into equally beneficial partnerships that are built on shared purpose and values, sometimes even politically.
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Endorsement deals
Celebrity endorsement deals are now a common place. What started in the 80s with product placement in video clips moved to festival sponsorships and ambassadorships in the 90s and 00s. Music partnerships were largely confined to basic campaigns. Brands mainly just wanted to profit from the popularity and fame of a music genre or artist. An easy way to reach a new audience or be associated with a cool subculture. Main motivation for the artist would probably be money and secondary their image.
A famous example of pure celebrity endorsement is Michael Jackson in 1984 with the “New Generation” campaign for Pepsi. A youth-targeted approach that would rebrand Pepsi as the cool, young alternative to Coke. Jackson signed on to Pepsi for $5 million, before anything had even been shot. It instantly became the most expensive marketing campaign ever.
Still, a lot of brands are looking for music stickers on their campaign. But their audiences expect more substance nowadays.
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Talent incubators
With the rise of content marketing in the 00s music platforms were born. Brands needed content. A one-day-fly collaboration with a famous artist won’t do the job anymore. Besides that, it’s super expensive. Instead of spending all their money on one artist, brands started investing in upcoming local musicians. The musician benefits in this partnership as he or she has access to resources to become known to a larger audience. And the brand has its content.
For the past few years, brands have witnessed a steady shift in culture where consumers are increasingly expressing their preference for brands to stand for something bigger than the products they sell. Mostly lifestyle brands realized they have to invest in their audiences’ subcultures and give back to their communities. The era that each brand has its own talent program. Brands are partnering with artists to help educate, empower and connect young people to music.
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Make a statement
Brands align themselves with issues that resonate with their user bases. But as the world is changing, society is getting more political and consumers demand brands to take a stand. Over the past few years purpose became the heart of marketing and is moving up the agenda of many marketing departments as companies look to ‘do well by doing good’.
Every brand has an issue that’s close to its heart and resonates with their base. Finding a cause should not be a problem in the current climate but having the empathy and self-awareness to speak about it authentically is. It’s about embedding the brand’s core values and exercising vigilance and good governance.
Activism in music is reviving as well. Artists aren’t only singing about love anymore. They are addressing political or social concerns through their music.
They’re more and more aware of the power they’ve and use this to convey their message. For example, Beyoncé changed her total personal brand identity from sex symbol to feminist fighting for equality.
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Team up to take action
Music & brands teaming up to take a stand is what will happen more and more in the coming years. At the same time activism is already becoming mainstream, activist brands are perceived as the expected norm rather than the rare champion. According to an Edelman study, “54 percent of consumers believe it’s easier for people to get brands to address social problems than to get the government to act”.
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So, what’s next?
Taking a strong, not always likeable stand, might feel scary. But artists and brands shouldn’t be afraid. We are facing major issues. Issues that need to be addressed AND solved.
Equality and inclusiveness seem to be the obvious topics for music & brands. But there is so much more.
So yes, music & brands need to be the ones filling the void left by politicians together. To every brand director and artist manager: TEAM UP AND TAKE ACTION!
If we wait for any politician or the organized political structure to do it, we will not make any headway.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE MASTERCRAFT, I.O SAMUEL
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Activism in music is reviving as well. Artists ARE NOT only singing about love anymore; they are addressing political or social concerns through their music. The power in their music today goes deeper and far reaching in a bid to refocus and address any perceived or real challenges the society and people face.
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This week, in our exclusive interview with the master craft and Gospel music exponent, Prophet Samuel Ikechukwu, has revealed the reason behind his latest album ‘I shall restore.’
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The Abuja-based founder and Prophet of Shiloh Word Chapel, made the revelation while briefing our music, brand and entertainment writers on his drive to seek to rewrite fables, wrong beliefs etc and seek to correct a lot of ills in our society locally and globally.
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The talented multi-instrumentalist said contrary to the traditional gospel songs about his birth, Jesus Christ specifically instructed him to sing about his victory over death and to honour his resurrection.
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“Jesus showed up to me 3rd January, 2020, and said ‘my son, Samuel, sing this to honour my resurrection. Worldwide, men do not sing about my victory over death they only sing of my birth over 2000 years.
“If you do, I will glorify the song and lift you high in love to shine brighter,” he said.
That is what how the inspiration for One of the hit tracks ‘Jesus is alive.’ was conceived.
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The prolific song writer and composer said the album will herald another new phase of the gospel ministry.
Ikechukwu also said he has authored over 39 life-changing books. Which were all writing to address identified challenge a group of people face, from finance to ministry, raising global leaders etc.
In the interview he opened up to our writers on some of the tracks in the nine (9) tracks album; namely:
- I shall restore
- Heaven knows
- Chineke idinma
- Love me
- Way maker
- Corona
- We are one
- Father show your love
- Jesus is coming.
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In the words of the master craft, he said “Just as every brand has an issue that’s close to its heart and resonates with their base. So also is my genre of music addressing a cause or causes we face as a people. I have sold out myself to keep addressing these because these issues should not be a problem in the current climate we live.
I have the empathy and self-awareness to speak about it authentically via my genre of music. that is the core value of my music. I exercise vigilance on societal ills and good governance, not just singing about heaven alone, but also singing on the need to live an impactful life here on earth.
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For example; the track CORONA, is essentially challenging and encouraging everyone to not only locate but also to tune in to GOD, who is the highest form and power source, known since the history of the planets began.
I actually drew a similarity between the pains of the dreaded corona disease, as the lots of those without GOD.
If you don’t have Jesus, your life is like corona.
Again, the track “we are one” is the expression of my distaste for the segregation and racism. God created all of us as one. Blacks, whites, Caucasians, American Indian or Alaska Native. Asian. Black or African American. .Hispanic or Latino. …Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander etc, we are all one.
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There is no need to emphasize what separate us, we need to embrace what brings us together. The world will experience peace if we remove all these differences that have been the bane of growth and economic development globally.
The music is available on all leading music download platforms. This is my contribution to the drive to make the world a better place for us individually and collectively. They focus and culture are well embedded in my brand’s core values; exercising vigilance and good governance; helping to live a better life and encouraging you to dare to explore to become better in life.