Following up on yesterday's post with this short and condensed video where Jakob Lusensky explains in 12 minutes what the music branding is all about. Highly recommended.
Johan Orneblad
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Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
June 13, 2010
June 12, 2010
Sounds like branding
To use music in connection with branding is not a new thing and everyone will instantly recognize the jingles or sound logos of Coca-Cola or McDonalds. However this is only a small portion of the great opportunities that music has to offer to brands and that brands have to offer to music.
The recent book “Sounds like branding” by Jakob Lusensky, a Swedish DJ and executive at the branding agency Heartbeats International, focuses in on the opportunities and potential value creating prospects in the intersection of music and brand identity.
He looks at this from two ways, both that the brands by for instance through offering music CDs in the stores, as Starbucks, increases the distribution channels and for some even cuts out the record labels fully. The other aspect, which I find much more intriguing, is how brands can tap in to the credibility value built up by the artists, both directly to their fans and also more generally in society.
The four Es
Music is of course only one of the ways in which a brand can take a more strategic approach to its brand image, and as Jakob puts it:
“Music is something that people connect with, enjoy discussing and sharing with others. Music preference relates to and can reveal a person’s personality. Brands are becoming aware of the possibility to emerge as an ambassador of this social media, the positive effect it can have on their brand image, and how it can attract the attention of people in product and brand marketing.”
He bring in the concept of the four “Es”; Emotions, Experiences, Engagement and Exclusivity to position a brand and guide it in their efforts to collaborate and connect with fans and customers. A concept he uses to guide us through the book.
Consumers become fans
The interesting transition where the consumer more and more becomes a fan to a brand, is something that we already have seen with for instance Apple. The computer hardware company has since the launch of iPod, [video pres with Steve J] become more of a movement with dedicated fans being both advocates of the brand but even more so committed followers of a lifestyle where the white headphones just are one of the style signifiers.
Package a feeling
One of the things that I find especially interesting with this book is how a brand can capture and communicate the core values or feelings that is connected to the brand identity. Jacob Luensky exemplifies with the hotel chain Clarion Hotels which put together a soundtrack to be played in the lobbies and also via the internal sound system in the hotels. A representation of this soundtrack was then sold on a CD for the customers to bring back home.
One other example of a customized music and branding experience is Absolute’s “Sound of Ice” radio channel that Absolut Ice Bars are playing, irrespectively where in the world you are. It was created to give the bar goes a consistent and enhanced experience in all their locations.
The book
To say something more specific about this book which was sent to me for review, I find it interesting but slightly too focused on the processes that a brand should use when thinking about introducing music in to the branding mix. This is however not that surprising since I understand it as a way for Heartbeats international to inform about their services.
As a brand owner or artist, either thinking about these issues on a daily basis will find the book highly useful For the rest of us, more generally interest in the concept, the two white papers on the book’s homepage will bring you far along the way.
White paper 1 - Social music revolution
White paper 2 - Sounds like branding
Johan Orneblad
Follow me on Twitter
The recent book “Sounds like branding” by Jakob Lusensky, a Swedish DJ and executive at the branding agency Heartbeats International, focuses in on the opportunities and potential value creating prospects in the intersection of music and brand identity.
He looks at this from two ways, both that the brands by for instance through offering music CDs in the stores, as Starbucks, increases the distribution channels and for some even cuts out the record labels fully. The other aspect, which I find much more intriguing, is how brands can tap in to the credibility value built up by the artists, both directly to their fans and also more generally in society.
The four Es
Music is of course only one of the ways in which a brand can take a more strategic approach to its brand image, and as Jakob puts it:
“Music is something that people connect with, enjoy discussing and sharing with others. Music preference relates to and can reveal a person’s personality. Brands are becoming aware of the possibility to emerge as an ambassador of this social media, the positive effect it can have on their brand image, and how it can attract the attention of people in product and brand marketing.”
He bring in the concept of the four “Es”; Emotions, Experiences, Engagement and Exclusivity to position a brand and guide it in their efforts to collaborate and connect with fans and customers. A concept he uses to guide us through the book.
Consumers become fans
The interesting transition where the consumer more and more becomes a fan to a brand, is something that we already have seen with for instance Apple. The computer hardware company has since the launch of iPod, [video pres with Steve J] become more of a movement with dedicated fans being both advocates of the brand but even more so committed followers of a lifestyle where the white headphones just are one of the style signifiers.
Package a feeling
One of the things that I find especially interesting with this book is how a brand can capture and communicate the core values or feelings that is connected to the brand identity. Jacob Luensky exemplifies with the hotel chain Clarion Hotels which put together a soundtrack to be played in the lobbies and also via the internal sound system in the hotels. A representation of this soundtrack was then sold on a CD for the customers to bring back home.
One other example of a customized music and branding experience is Absolute’s “Sound of Ice” radio channel that Absolut Ice Bars are playing, irrespectively where in the world you are. It was created to give the bar goes a consistent and enhanced experience in all their locations.
The book
To say something more specific about this book which was sent to me for review, I find it interesting but slightly too focused on the processes that a brand should use when thinking about introducing music in to the branding mix. This is however not that surprising since I understand it as a way for Heartbeats international to inform about their services.
As a brand owner or artist, either thinking about these issues on a daily basis will find the book highly useful For the rest of us, more generally interest in the concept, the two white papers on the book’s homepage will bring you far along the way.
White paper 1 - Social music revolution
White paper 2 - Sounds like branding
Johan Orneblad
Follow me on Twitter
February 8, 2009
When will Spotify’s regional restrictions be removed?
As you probably are aware of, Spotify announced last week that they were about to apply the regional restrictions which were part of the license agreements with the record companies. This is not such a surprising step though it might be annoying for us users.
Using the function to show unplayable tracks give me this image of one of my playlists. The red/brown tracks cannot be played. I am in the UK at the moment and since it is country specific restrictions they might very well vary. It might seem as a significant part, and I guess it is. But I also imagine that they will try to include them in the 10000 tracks added each day.
The discussion around regional restrictions should definitely be held but it must be around having them as a general phenomena and not whether or not Spotify should apply already agreed upon contractual regulations.
When it then comes to the record labels and they applying restrictions to music based on geographic territory I think it makes sense in the old economy thinking. When music mainly was (intended) to be sold on physical carriers such as CDs having regional limitations and using different distributors in different areas made perfectly sense.
But today, when music as easy could be downloaded in Gothenburg, London or Doha the restrictions makes less sense. The user will most certainly want to hear the same music independent of where in the world she is at the moment. As well as she would like to share the playlists or suggestions of interesting songs with friends around the globe.
When it comes to Spotify I am not sure if they will be the force that will change the thinking of the whole music industry. But they might at least change the customer behavior which eventually will change the labels, even if it probably will take some time.
December 2, 2008
Nextopia in practice on iTunes
Nextopia has proven itself through a new feature on iTunes, where you can see the top content in the store for this year. It is unfortunately not available in Sweden, so I have not been able to verify it. But anyhow, even though the movie The Dark Knight has not yet been released it has outsold all other movies this year on iTunes.
The value of the movie is more likely to be higher when it is out of reach but still at your fingertips. Following the same rational, it will probably sell less and for a lower price just after it has been released. Since we constantly are looking forward to the next big thing, the movie will not anymore be as satisfying if it is accessible for all.
That the pre-order outsells other similar products released in the more common way has been proven several times with the Radiohead album In rainbows released last year. Even though the pre-ordered albums were at a pay-what-you-like-price they outsold the band’s previous album.
In a time when we literally have everything at our fingertips, the things that are the most valuable are the things we cannot get. At least what we cannot get right away.
What we do not have can be imagined to be whatever we want. That is the life in Nextopia.
November 20, 2008
McCartney and Guns N' Roses songs for free
More and more artists are starting to understand the power of free and that you can with much more on spreading your music than trying to stop the crowd from listening.
The latest in this is Paul McCartney and Guns N' Roses which will launch music on MySpace for exclusive previews. It is for Guns N' Roses the album Chinese Democracy which they will release in the US on November 23 and for the ex-Beatle an album from one of his side projects.
The fact that McCartney is in on this, raises the hopes that the whole catalog of Beatles music will be available digitally in a not too distant future.
But, in line with the development in general when it comes to content on internet, it is access which is important. Not to actually own the music. Keeping the use of the content on a access level will also ease up the rights issues since there will not be any rights handed over to the end licensee. Only a limited time access right which do not imply any more use.
So, we will probably see more of access. Either as free in some aspect or as a paid for service. But access is here to stay.
November 5, 2008
Is Spotify the model?
Have we now seen a shift, or at least an approach to shift, in the music industry by some recent activity? From using their IP in a protective way to actually understand the preferences of the new economy and rise above the physical carriers of music.
Spotify opened up to the public about a month ago and has since then received excited reviews. The service builds on either an ad based model or a premium monthly subscription model. Both models have been around for quite some time but the music industry has not yet really embraced them in a good way.
Earlier attempts to stop piracy with lawsuits, drm and other protective measures have obviously not been fruitful since there is almost everything you want on for example the Pirate Bay. To offer downloadable tracks for $1 each is way too much for something which is, although illegal, readily available for free.
Providing full access to almost all songs and still make money on it is a good deal for both the users and the rights holders.
Two of the main obstacles for Spotify are that they do not provide “all” music and that you need internet access. Sure, this will probably be solved in the future. Adding more content to the service must be one of the top priorities for the company. The access problem might be harder to overcome; even though it runs on 3G connection you hardly have your computer with you when running… I do assume the service will be available on mobile devices as well in the future.
The mobile market is already starting to be explored by the large manufacturers offering different deals where the handsets are bundled with music. Nokia’s Comes With Music offer is one of them and Sony Ericsson have similar deals. The device to carry the service is for me of less importance. But the breadth in the offerings of similar services will probably establish an acceptance for the model, both on the consumer side and more important on the rights holder’s side.
We are getting more and more used to that access of information is offered to us, not one at a time but instead unlimited for a specified time. This will bring new revenue models to us, either they are ad based, prepaid or in some other innovative way. We are still in the start of the new economy of access, some have come further and some are just beginning. But the main point is that you cannot any longer stay in the model of providing goods one by one. We are used to choice and instant access and will find the best and most convenient way to get it.
Perhaps Spotify will be a good step on the way.
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