A couple of interesting research studies into celebrity endorsements have surfaced of late, prompting us to look again at the role of endorsements in music. A new Adweek Media/Harris Poll, investigating the persuasiveness of celebrity endorsements, offered an insight into the most effective routes to market. Business leaders – of the Steve Jobs variety - came out on top as the ‘most persuasive’, followed by athletes, TV/movie stars, then musicians, with former political figures trailing along in fifth place. However, when the question was flipped as to which were the ‘least persuasive’ athletes, business leaders, politicians and movie stars were deemed less viable than musicians. Celebrity endorsements can be exceptionally powerful, raising awareness, increasing a product’s appeal and influencing the buying decisions of fans wanting to emulate the lifestyles of their favourite stars. Music, arguably, has more resonance than high profile endorsements from athletes due to the fact that unlike sport the endorsee comes complete with their own soundtrack. This gives a brand leverage every time their music is heard in numerous different possible locations, whereas sport can often be confined to a very limited – and literal -playing field. A quick scan across the barrage of media channels available today highlights a seemingly never ending string of pop stars and musicians extolling the virtues of a plethora of branded products. Another recent study, The Celebrity Endorsement Sensor, of 24,000 consumers across 25 countries, by the media agency Mediaedge:cia (MEC) highlighted how 35% of its respondents believed celebrity endorsements managed to improve a brand’s overall awareness. However, this awareness is subject to a major perception flaw. A sizable 53% said they had problems remembering which celebrity was attached to which brand. So a brand netting a lucrative music endorsement may actually indirectly be playing into the hands of a rival company. This is a problem that is exacerbated if the musical endorser in question is somewhat fickle in their choice of alignments over a given period. The Mediaedge study also stated that male adults within the 18-34 age bracket are the most likely to engage with celebrities via digital activities, and it is in this digitally enhanced realm where music celebrities can make a memorable impact. The relationship between artist and brand has evolved from a simple ‘cool-by-association’ proposition to a deeper, more rounded, collaborative partnership. In order to achieve ‘cool-by-integration’ brands need to become actively and creatively involved with their endorsees in broader more consumer rewarding campaigns. A nationally representative survey in the UK – which features in the FRUKT Music and Brands manifesto 2010 - recently asked: “Which music marketing campaigns make the biggest difference to your brand perception?” Artist endorsements came in at a lowly 23% of all the possible categories. Ticket/download giveaways, the ability to share music with others, receive exclusive content, and get closer to the acts they love were amongst the highest brand and music touch points for consumers. Endorsement partnerships are like relationships. They need chemistry. It’s ultimately a social science, a love triangle between three separate components – brand, band and fan. As with a chemistry set it’s a delicate balance between creating the perfect mix and it all blowing up in your face. However, get the ingredients right – a dash of star power, a hint of genuine creativity and a healthy scoop of believability – and an endorsement deal rooted in music will give your brand not only a figurehead but a whole new voice. Here are some key pointers to consider when embarking on a music-based endorsement deal: 1. Understand your market The reason that some celebrity endorsements fail to provide a ROI for the brand is because celebrities have often been identified in an emotional and sometimes un-researched manner, with the campaign concept tweaked to fit the celebrity into the creative. 2. Forge creative partnerships The key thing to remember is that placing a celebrity in an ad is not an idea in itself. The off the shelf mentality has gone, campaigns, and even the songs within them can be built from the ground up. Embrace and harness the creativity of those you have decided to work with. 3. Start a conversation Give them a story. Casting a multi-million dollar film star in your movie means nothing if the script is terrible. The same goes for a music artist. They may be the most popular face on the planet, but if the story they are cast in is bad no one is going to want to listen. Build your spokesperson into a narrative, an ongoing conversation where the music fan plays an active part in the musical journey. This piece is adapted from the article ‘Sound Investment – From Endorsements to Creative Partnerships’ from The Brands and Music Manifesto 2010. Download a sampler here
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As hard as it is to predict who the winners will be when the inevitable rationalisation takes place within the increasingly cluttered ad funded / music subscription market place, it's a fairly safe bet to suggest Google will still be in a strong position. What works so strongly in Google's favour is that unlike their competitors in this market they are already an established part of our online behaviour through basic search or Google owned YouTube (a key music discovery portal in it's own right for both audio and visual content). Google facilitates on-demand music discovery without the need for subscriptions or software downloads.So when rumours surfaced a few weeks ago that Google was set to announce a new music service, interest was understandably high and If you have seen Google Music in China you could be forgiven be getting excited about the possibilities for future music discovery. So when the Google One Box announcement came last week it actually felt pretty flat. The Google One Box service directs users to preferred, partner sites allowing them to listen to a track once before presenting them with an option to buy. Great for the chosen partners, Lala, iMeem et al and the major labels desperate to convince consumers they should actually be paying for music, but what does this mean for independent artists who rely on selling direct from their own websites? Suddenly it feels like rather than empowering and facilitating music discovery Google are dictating it?Their accent to global super-brand status seems to have been driven by a simple formula. 'Empower internet users with better tools for free' (See Google Mail & Maps) With this launch, have Google undone a lot of their good work and forgotten their key strength as a facilitator?Just for a moment I was questioning their future role in music. Then I was reminded about Google Wave the brainchild of genius brothers Jens and Lars Rasmussen (who already have Google maps on their CV) Google Wave is a real time communication platform which was created from the start-point of 'What would email look like if it was invented today?' This potentially game changing service feels much more 'Google' and reconfirms their position as facilitator extraordinaire. It's too early to understand the full implications for music fans or artists, but it doesn't take much imagination to understand it's potential. So I remain confident that Google will be a key player in music, but will it be a key player with Google One Box it's dedicated music offering which dictates where to buy or with Google Wave which empowers conversations and possible engagement around music? No doubt music fans will be the ones that ultimately decide.
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