MUSIC EVENTS BRANDING: INFORMATION

For this research task I will be looking at the branding of music events / festivals, analysing at the visual aesthetic of how they present the artists and organisation. I will also look at the products, range and distribution that these events produce to communicate to their audience.

To begin this research I decided to break down my research into four categories: information, product, range and distribution which will be presented through the following posts. I will explore the relationship between content, context and product in relation to the branding of music branding events.

Information: I decided to start my research by looking into what music branding is and the importance of it.

Branding in music has always been around. Great logo marks for bands have been a staple for decades (AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and even The Beatles) but as our visual culture evolves, as does the need for consistent branding in day-to-day communication from musician to music lover and consumer. Tons of bands use visual identity and branding to present themselves to the world in a consistent aesthetic approach that engages recognition from their fan base. 

mood blog

The article explores the importance of a strong visual identity in music that is transferable across a multitude of platforms for the audience to recognise. The examples above show the range of promotional material from album art work and websites.

I then looked further into the importance of a branding in music and how it effects the artist, organisation and consumer. 

Bestival Branding

Importance of a branded image
In business, a branded image is your logo, tagline, colours  fonts/typesets and other attributes that visually represent one’s company. In music, the same is true: Every band should develop at least a band logo to instantly gain recognition and set a mood for your audience. The more your audience sees your branded image, the more likely you are to gain credibility and earn fans… paying fans.

A branded image establishes you as a legitimate musician and makes it easier for your fans – or “customers” – to identify with you, and it presents upsell opportunities such as apparel, hats and other merchandise. Without a branded image, all you have is a name. With a branded image, you have a unique style that sets you apart from all other musicians.

How to identify your branded image
To identify your branded image, think about what genre of music you represent. Consider your fans, their likes and dislikes, their passions, and what they respond to. Research competitors to see what how they represent themselves – your most successful competition can lend great insight, indeed. Identify how you are different from your competition.

Next, list the results of all your research: Write down everything you know about who you are in a few words and phrases. Now, consider your own passions – what unique aspects you bring to the music world – and jot those down as well. Put everything together and come up with a preliminary tagline to describe yourself as a musician.

Finally, take your musician definition and consider creative ways to represent that in a word or two. Synonyms and rhyming dictionaries, historical texts, and other resources might be extremely beneficial. Come up with three potential concepts and choose the best – the one that resonates with you – as the name for your band or as a tagline for yourself as a solo artist.

Branding through design
Skilled graphic design can transform your musician’s branded identity from a written concept to a visual motivator. This image is what the world will see, and the public will perceive the ideals and emotions that your image expresses.

Your logo doesn’t have to be complicated – a simple text style or a few shapes will do. Consider Metallica’s first logo (with the lightning bolt “M” and “A”) or the Stone Temple Pilots’ “STP” logos – they’re both simple brand images for exceedingly popular bands. Though simple, when you see these logos you instantly know who they represent, what style of music they play, and whether you’re a fan. When you achieve this, you’ve developed a powerful musician brand identity - Psprint

From this research I found that music branding is an important role in communicating to an audience visually to create brand awareness for the artist or organisation. In order for people to be successful in this industry it's important for them to have a identifiable style for consumers to relate and buy into. The main features of a branded image in music consist of a logo, tagline, colours  fonts/typesets and other attributes that visually represent one’s company.