Best of 2013 Music Marketing Part 1: Mrs. Carter

We all know that the music industry is saturated and getting any meaningful attention is pretty darn hard. But Bay and her PR team are well aware of that. You don't believe me? Read below:

1. The 2013 Superbowl

We all remember that epic performance during half-time at the Superbowl with the appearance of Michelle and Kelly. However, the buzz making part was the creation of memes using unflattering picture of Mrs. Bay herself. It was a nightmare for Bay's publicist who was trying to get them off the Internet but I personally wouldn't have tried to do so. Come one, there's something to be said about flaunting your flaws, right?

2. The HBO Documentary

The Life is But a Dream documentary debuted on February 16th on HBO allowed for the world to see Blue Ivy for the first time. She could have done the documentary without Blue but then there would be nothing shocking or unique there. Blue appearance was a buzz maker since everybody had been awaiting for this moment. Plus you must admit Blue actually doesn't look as bad as people were speculating, if you know what I mean.

3. Beyoncé New Face of H&M

She became the face of H&M in April. Anytime an artist teams-up with a notable brand it's usually a win-win situation for both parties. Beyoncé showed her curves, which would get immediate media buzz.

4. The Mrs. Cater Tour

Yes, she went on tour this summer but that's not the most important part. Remember when she photobombed a fan during her concert. Between her and her publicist, I am sure they knew the trend photobombing was causing, so why not part-take in it. But wait, it had to appear natural, like an after thought. Current events and trends get talked about that's why this was a mega hit.

5. Instagram Pixie Cut

The power of Instagram, you can't deny that. But really, remember when Beyoncé posted a picture of her new hair due in August, a blond pixie cut. Yet another buzz maker that had everybody talking. She didn't have it for long either, so why? Well, I am pretty sure she wanted to divert the attention Miley was getting, with her endless twerking and tong-wagging, back to herself. Because, she's the Queen!

6. End of Year Surprise Album Release

Now the bomb dropper, the cap that sealed the 2013 in the music industry, the Self-titled album itself released December 13th. Thanks to Bay now music consumption and distribution will have a different meaning. Most importantly 80,000 copies were downloaded in the first 3hours. I am not even a fan of Bay but this one was epic and kudos to her PR team because every media outlet was talking about it. I hope the team drank champaign and got treated to a long vacation!

A lot more went into planning Beyoncé's brand image this year than I could talk about. But at least you get a sense of how PR professionals creates buzz making events for their clients.Think about it why didn't Bay keep quiet all year and only make noise with her "Self-titled" album? Unfortunately, the competition is stiff and one big event is not enough to maintain a personal brand. As an artist, you MUST create a yearly calendar of major events that will create BUZZ around your brand image. Or hire a PR team/person to do so :)

**Creative Ideas= Buzz= Awareness= Sales

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I can see the World View!

For a while now I've been seeing the new Economist campaign "World View" in train stations around Boston. They had couple ads displayed in different places (will go over three of them). These ads reminded me of the "Big Idea" class as well as my beloved Prof. Tucker. As I was looking at the ads, I remembered him saying "print ads have to be visual, simple and at the same time convey the Big Idea you're going for." I can tell you the Economist nailed all these points.

Their BIG IDEA: emphasizing the "World View" through ordinary objects to get new readers.

According to Advertising Age, they wanted to target college students and they chose Philly and Boston. Why Boston? Well, the city is one of the most Affluent in the US. Largely due to high ranked Universities, well-respected healthcare system and being one of the main technology hubs.

Now let's focus on the ads themselves so you can understand why I thought they were brilliant and straight to the point.

1. The Binoculars 

You know the binoculars are used to see things that are far closer. I mean how great does it go with the worlds "World View." The also used their own print as the binoculars. With this, you don't have to read the texts below to get the message. Very catchy!

2. The Globe

The globe is an iconic object that can be found in all places of the world. Again, you have a huge image overpowering the whole sign. You must ask yourself without the worlds at the bottom (and only the logo) will you understand what this ad is trying to convey? If the answer is yes, then the ad is accomplished what it was suppose to do. Catch your eyes, and send you the message in quick seconds. Nice!

3. Rubik's Cube

Rubik are often associated with intelligence because it takes strategies to finish the game. The combination of the world view and solving the Rubik sends a strong message. You could read it as The Economist solves your curiosity about what's going on in the world. What do you think?


TAKE NOTES:

1. Have an image that can tell the story by itself
2. Have a "Big Idea" so that your ads can convey the same message in different ways
3. Remember the branding part. Meaning if people see the ad will they recognize the brand?
4. Don't beat your head against a wall to get a crazy out-of-this world idea. Look around you, what's ordinary that you can use.
5. Also don't forget about Simplicity. It doesn't have to be an orchestra type of deal.

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All Jazzed Up at Beehive!

Restaurant: The Beehive

Location: 541 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116

Highlight: EVERYTHING!

This is officially one of my favorite spots in Bean Town. Once you have live jazz I am sold. However, at Beehive it's beyond the the jazz. They have a great all around atmosphere. The waiters have a unique dress style i'd consider it a bit hippish but modern. The prices are great considered the fact that they offer free live music. Their Saturday brunch is from 10Am-3pm (music ends around 2:30pm).

The other reason why I love this spot, is the FOOD. You know that's always a deal breaker. Seriously the food is de-li-cious. I've been here twice and I've been more than satisfied with the options. This time I got a vegetarian omelet (with zucchini, tomatoes and cheese) which came with a salad (very lightly seasoned), bread and fries. I just love how they cut their fries, on a first look you'd probably think that they were bacons. Also, if you're a tea person get their African Red tea. I had it with lemons and honey, just amazing! For almost 5 bucks, trust me it's worth it. You actually get a little pot, so you end up drinking about 2 cups and a quarter. Plenty for your satisfaction :)

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It doesn't Bite!

One day as I was browsing in Sephora, I came across this Bite mini lipstick set (seen in the picture below). One side has the red "Pomegranate" and the other side has the hot pink "Vital." The side I am showing is the Pomegranate color.

Reasons why I love it:

1. I actually purchased this mini set due to the fact that it is on the natural side, since I try to take that route with my beauty products as much as possible. The brand stays away from chemicals such as synthetic dyes, parabens and fragrances. Bite focuses more on natural ingredients like organic fruit butters, Manuka honey and organic oils. 

2. I love the fact that the color is vivid and true to its look. Meaning what you see is what you get when you put it on. You know when sometimes you put on a color say "red" and the red doesn't show on your lips the way you want. So annoying!!!!

3. A lot of other lipsticks you find are dry (like the MAC brand). Most of the time you find yourself adding lots and lots of lipgloss to smoothen your lips. But not Bite, all you really need is your regular lip moisturizer before applying the lipstick. No need for lipgloss!

Pomegranate Bite Lipstick

Tips:

1. You MUST moisturize your lips before putting on your lipstick. You can't skip that stage, like EVER! Hope I scared you into this habit :)

2. Apply as little or as much to get the right shade of color you are going for. In this picture I applied a bit since I didn't want the vivid red. 

Have you tried Bite lipstick? Or you have another brand you like? Leave a comment below!

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Event Planning: Rwandan Traditional Wedding

It was such a pleasure to help coordinate my sister's traditional wedding known as "Gusaba" in Kinyarwanda. As I don't know all the meaning behind the Gusaba itself, I have taken a paragraph from the program given to those who were not Rwandan, during the ceremony, in order to get acquainted with the tradition.

Gusaba means “to ask” in Kinyarwanda. It’s the ceremony where the “Umuranga” (the bachelor’s representative) officially requests for the daughter as a bride. The Gusaba is a battle of wits often involving traditional tongue-twisters as well as riddles and pranks from the girl’s side. The family of the would-be bride, as well as the people of her neighborhood, were all consulted as the welfare of children, even in marriage, is the responsibility of the community.

For further information about Gusaba and all the other traditional ceremonies please visit Akaliza's blog.

I was in charge of the decorations. The colors were burgundy and celadon (which I learned of that color during the wedding preparation). The decor had to look a bit traditional but yet whisper 'uniqueness'. 

A. Bridal Party Area:

The stools the groomsmen and bridesmaid sat on where the black ones you see below. Obviously these are not the traditional wooden ones, but our decor had a more modern twist to it. Then the bride, groom, made-of-honor, and the best men sat on higher wooden chairs (they usually sit higher than the rest of the bridal party, as seen in the picture). 

Here's a closer look at the bridal area decor:

1. The wall decors was made from 3 long wooden stands covered with "Umusambi." The two  wall decor with geometric shapes are actually made from cow dung (no, worries you can't smell it). 

2. On the floor,  we had 3 narrow baskets filled with staple foods from Rwanda. There were tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes and green bananas (my personal favorite). I added a green material to go with the decor.

3. On each side of the center table we had traditional brooms which were painted in a burgundy color. 

4. These below represent the man and woman side. 

a. The woman's side: It has a traditional calabash called "Igisabo" which is a must have house item for a Rwandan woman. It is very sacred and must not break. Women used to make "kaffir" milk, butter, lotion in the "Igisabo" back in the days. Next to it are cups that were used for milk consumption.

b. The man's side: The two small calabash called "Agacuma" were used by men to drink traditional beer "Urwagwa." The drums have always been used by men and are an important part of our culture. Drums were used to tell stories as well as let men express themselves. Men usually carried the sticks you see below. One is made out of cow skin and the other from small beads.

c. Then there was the centerpiece on the bridal party table. My sister wanted the decor to revolve around fruits and vegetables. Since the centerpiece had to be low, I went with a single watermelon. I'd have to give it up to sister M and cousin R for enhancing and crafting it further.


























d. This is one of the small tables next to the bridesmaids and groomsmen to set their drinks on. I just put gold napkins, one small rwandan basket, and green star-shaped papers (that I bought from a craft store).







































B. Drink Area

Unfortunately I was running around so I did not get a chance to capture the decor for the drink area. But the picture below will show you a glimpse. I used round woods and painted the outskirts with burgundy paint. I then attached a celadon ribbon on each wood. For the writing, I first used a pencil to write the beverages that would be served, then I re-traced the pencil with the burgundy paint to avoid irreversible mistakes. 

C. The two VIP tables (one on the groom's side and another on the bride's side)

1. I went with 3 pineapples, then I added a dark brown cloth around them for support as well as blend the colors well (this was a last minute decision).

D. The rest of the tables

1. I used the woods below and painted the top part with burgundy paint and then I covered the side with the green cloth (shown below). I also added a burgundy ribbon around the green cloth to pop up more. Inside of the woods, I put different crops produced in Rwanda. Then in the middle I added a vase filled with limes (about 8-10 each). There were 8 wine glass shaped vases and 9 squared vases.

a. Props I used for centerpieces

 b. Coffee filled wooden container. Coffee is one of the main revenue generator in Rwanda. Starbucks , Bourbon Coffee, and several groceries store do or have carried it. 

c. Beans filled containers. Actually we had 3 containers with beans in them. Why? Well it's one of Rwanda's staple food. I can't begin to tell you how often we ate beans at home.

d. Soybean filled container. Soybean is another staple food. The others we had were corn, rice, sorghum, peanuts etc.

e. Here is the final look of one of the centerpieces.

E. Outside decor

We just had traditional baskets on the stairs. These baskets are hand-wooven by the women in Rwanda. It is the main source of income for a lot of these women who survived the genocide (a lot of them being widows).

F. The CAKE!!!
Yum, that's my favorite part. I knew the cake would come in brown, beige and black colors. These flowers you see had to have all those colors including red and green which were the main "Gusaba" colors. The cake itself was made by Oakleaf Cakes in the shape of "Inkangara" a large basket that was used, back then, to store crops.

Sorry guys this post is late and super long but I hope you do enjoy the pictures and the read. Special shout out to my sibling and cousins that helped make this even more gorgeous :)

Also thank you to Mr. O for taking these great pictures! 

P.S: If you need help with your decor for any occasion please contact me at delytwined@gmail.com

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My Name on A Coke Bottle?

If it was a secret before, it is not one anymore. Here is the truth: I Love Coke. The only brand that I am actually loyal to. Don't be alarmed because I don't drink soft drinks that much. However, when I am in the mood, I go for Coke. They have the largest market share in the Cola market, but they never cease to amaze me with their brilliant campaigns executed all over the world. Coke doesn't just relax and watch competitors try to get to its level, they actively think about new innovative ways to connect and engage with their customers. Constantly raising the bar while sticking to their brand image/tagline.

I was impressed with the recent Australian 'Share A Coke' campaign. Coke's problem in Australia was the fact that most teens weren't drinking Coke. Here's how Ogilvy Australia solved the problem seen below.

Here is why I personally like it:

1. They integrated different channels (on-line and off-line) for more exposure
2. Using people's names becomes personal and emotional. Who doesn't want that privilege?
3. A great way to create W.O.M (namesakes, I have a friend/family member by that name etc.)
4. Allowing others to submit their names for a chance to be chosen (customer interaction)
5. Create buzz that generate PR and Media attention

This campaign has all these elements: Conversion, In-store foot traffic (boost in sale), Engagement, Sharing, and Brand loyalty. A lot of brands fell to truly connect and engage with customers. Sorry, but push strategy does not work in this day and age. Also, campaigns without engagements are like breathtaking art that are only seen by the artist. I love campaigns that make me go "WOW" I wish I came up with that.

Shout out to Ogilvy Australia for a job well done.

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Book Event For Our Capstone Client

As you know, I graduated in May with my masters in Integrated Marketing Communications from Emerson College. Before we graduate, we are suppose to complete a Capstone class (equivalent to a thesis). We are put in teams of six and each person has a different role. The roles are usually as followed: Account Manager, Research Expert, Digital Expert, PR and Event Expert, Media Relations Expert, and lastly the Creative Director. We are also given a client that has a particular marketing problem that we need to solve. Perhaps you might have guessed that I was the PR and Event Expert since this is a post in the Event Planning tab or you simply know that I enjoy planning events. Anyways, one of our client's wish list was to have a book event. Here's how the wish came true:

Client: Kristin J. Lieb
Event: Book Event
Book Title: Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry

1. Location
I contacted Lucy Parsons Center to have our event there because it aligned well with the book. They embrace radical book with high emphasis on women. The book "Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry" focuses on how female pop musicians are branded in the modern music industry. Hence, why the two were a perfect match.

Lucy Parson Center in Jamaica Plain

2. Publicity
There's no book event without some degree of marketing involved. I, along with my teammates, went to local cafes and Universities to post event posters. I also worked with BostonTweetUp to include the event in their calendar as well as tweet it out to their followers.

Book Event Poster at Ula Café located in Jamaica Plain

3. Refreshments
You can't have an event without providing some sort of refreshments. I had to coordinate with both Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts personnel to get coffee, tea and munchkins for our guests.

Refreshments from Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts

4. Emcee
Of course before Dr. Lieb took the stage someone had to introduce her. Yup, that's me welcoming the audience and giving them a brief bio of Dr. Lieb's accomplishments.

Book event at Lucy Parson Center

5. Book Signing
At the end of the presentation. Audience members had a chance to purchase a copy of "Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry." They also received free bookmarks made by non other that our Creative Director.

"Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry" branded bookmarks 

**Images 1-4 were taken by our Creative Guru. Please check his portfolio for amazing work.

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