How effective is Hellsinki Dub's star image and marketing campaign
1. How effective is the
combination of your main
product and ancillary text?
Evaluation Task Two
By Tom Lucy
2. What was our TASK?
Our task was to create a campaign involving the creation of an
artist/band and then to build an image around them.
The final product had to include a combination of music video,
CD digipack and official artist website.
The task was to create a strong star image for the band which
was effective enough to sell the products associated with the
band on platforms such as our newly-created website.
3. STAR IMAGE
RICHARD DYER suggests that a star’s narrative impacts on the
consumption by the audience. He argued that the star image is
made up and not real, they also have their own unique selling
point (brand values) in order to grab and hold our attention –
for example Lady Gaga, he states that Lady Gaga is an image
and doesn’t really exist.
Working with a real band meant we could properly construct a
star image look, which we did with the 3D glasses and white
scientist coats to create a ‘mad scientist’ look.
4. STAR IMAGE
KEY POINTS OF OUR STAR IMAGE:
•Unique
•Artistically creative
•Appear like ordinary people but with quirky twist
We didn’t really have any influences in terms of the outfits of
the band – the mad scientist look came really from
brainstorming around associations with the genre of their music
(dance/house).
We decided to go with a theme of dark blue and neon lighting in
the video, CD digipack and website – created a sense of
cohesion and a slick marketing campaign.
5. Target Audience
• AGED 16-30
• CLUBBERS/RAVERS
• MAINSTREAM DANCE MARKET
• OLDER RAVERS/CLUBBERS
• FANS OF ALTERNATIVE IMAGES
This is an example of a
DJ who plays similar
music:
http://www.judgejules.net/
6. How/where would we sell our
products?
Our CD digipack could be sold on a variety of different platforms
such as:
•High street music stores (HMV)
•iTunes
•Official artist website which we built
•Online websites selling similar music (BeatPort)
http://www.beatport.com/
Merchandise for the band (t-shirts/key rings etc) could be sold on
artist website.
The music video for the single ‘The Dead Don’t Dance’ is also
available to view for free on YouTube.
7. Benefits of website in media
campaign
The website which we created for our
artist, Hellsinki Dub, was highly beneficial
in marketing our products. It provided an
online presence for the band creating a
professional look and a place for fans to
find out more about the band and what
kind of products are on sale for purchase.
The website had links on it to various sites
where it was possible to purchase the
music and the band’s back catalogue of
music.
The use of the dark blue and the nightclub
feeling meant that all the band’s products
were linked and helped to create the
overall band ‘image’.
8. Benefits of website in media
campaign
The website contained various other features providing
information about the band.
For example:
•Photo gallery
•Previous music videos
•Tour dates
•Latest news
•Contact details
10. FINAL CD DIGIPACK
In order to design the artwork for our CD digipack we looked
at similar artists and bands in order to get some inspiration.
For example, we looked at Bronski Beat and Above & Beyond
as similar artists and how they structure their CD artwork:
11. Our Website Design
Our website was designed to have a
variety of features which would allow
fans to learn more and connect more
with the band.
For example, we had tour dates,
previous music, videos, a photo
gallery, latest news and contact
details.
We have also linked to the band’s
Facebook and Twitter pages in order
to create an online fan base for the
band.
12. Because the band we were using are a real band, this means
that they already have a back catalogue of music which we
could show off on the website and advertise their collection.
They recently had a No. 28 single in the charts which was
great because we could publicise this on the ‘news’ part of the
website.
WEBSITE IS HERE:
http://tomlucy72.wix.com/hellsinkidub
13. Social Media in Marketing
Campaign
Using social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter we
were able to give the audience somewhere to converse with
other fans of the band and post comments on their music and
videos.
It also gives us as the band management somewhere to monitor
just how well the band are doing at building an online audience.
Twitter and Facebook are also websites with a very large
number of users so there is the possibility of the band becoming
popular and building a bigger fan base on them.
14. Inspiration for Music Video
KEANE – STOP FOR A MINUTE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9C9j0QgU4
AVIICI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=IcrbM1l_BoI&list=PL5bDKtI83VRdeeGWWsiBNca4Cupg3ki6B
&feature=c4-overview-vl
15. 4 P’s
PRICE
•It was important that we priced our product of the single and
music video at a reasonable price for audiences which would also
make us, as the business, a profit.
•We priced our products very similar to other products in order to
fit in with the market and ensure that the audience would be
willing to pay. It was also however free online in various formats.
PRODUCT
•We had to make sure that we were fulfilling our aim for the
music video and website. Our aim was to entertain and create an
artistically unique product which an audience would enjoy and
create a community of fans.
16. PLACE
•Our product, I feel, has very good placement across a number of
platforms for an audience.
•It is extensively available online – website, iTunes, SoundCloud,
YouTube
•It is also available to purchase in high street music stores such as
HMV
PROMOTION
•Our main promotion technique was to link all of our products with
the theme of nightclubs and dark colours with neon lighting. The
mad scientist/experimentation theme continued throughout the
marketing campaign enabling the audience to recognise the band
very easily and be more likely to purchase the selection of
products.
17. Final Evaluation
Overall I believe that our product accompanied by its extensive
marketing campaign was really effective and will attract and
build a recognisable audience in the music business.
Hellsinki Dub already have had some success on websites such
as SubTV supplying music to universities across Britain:
http://www.sub.tv/
This is an example of how our marketing campaign is already
bringing attention to the band and possibly increasing their
fanbase.
18. I have been effective in communicating the star image as a part of a campaign –
considering the distribution of the product and the brand image. Ultimately the
brand image I wanted to promote was a quirky dance band. This is important for
any campaign or concept for example, in the campaign for example this could be
compared to actual artists like Lady Gaga who plays on her individuality and
unique appearance. Emily Teadrake from Polydor records argues that the pitch for
any concept had to be consistent and marketable, for example the making of the
Ellie Goulding music video for ‘Burn’ was key to the success of her song.
Secondly, I feel that I have given the campaign a unique selling point through the
star image. The star image I have promoted is through using white science coats
and 3D glasses. A unique selling point used in a coherent campaign will provide
different opportunities to market the star image. An audience who is able to
spread word of mouth about a publicity campaign can ensure success through the
engagement with the text as a form of online media – helping spread, circulate
and distributing meaning amongst fans.
19. Finally, I have technically delivered a coherent looking
campaign (with distinctive colour choices) through the use of
image and online social media. The music video promotes a
release from the album release whilst the website acts as an
effective online tool which helps distribute and promote
meaning for a fan base. The circulation and spread of
meaning by the intended audience helps with co-option ( as
Boyd preached) amongst the fans and aids me with the
marketing and promotion of the album.