The question we hear most often when working with a brand client is “Why is music influencer marketing important to my brand?”
Our immediate response is that it’s important to align your brand with someone your consumers can trust. If you have ever been to a concert, there are transcendent moments when it can honestly feel like that artist is singing directly to you. It’s a bond that can’t be explained, but only felt. The connection you feel with that artist or band creates a social bond. According to Stefan Koelsch, music psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, music impacts brain circuits involved in empathy, trust, and cooperation. Music actually alters a
person’s brain, which results in a connection to that artist.
Artists not only connect with their fans through music, but also through social media. It allows them to communicate directly to their audience. It provides a platform to express their thoughts, interests, and even their favorite products. When a trusted artist speaks to a loyal, connected audience already inclined to listen, then they become the very definition of an influencer.
The 2nd most often question we hear is “Why should I use a country music artist?
"The country artist partnerships are so important to the Coca-Cola brand and it's work with Walmart." Amanda Whittaker, Director of Shopper Marketing at Coca-Cola
In the US, 115 Million people are loyal country music consumers according to a recent study by the Country Music Association. Today, more than ever, country fans are younger, more diverse in their interests, and from every region of the country. To mirror that, country music artists are also getting younger. They are digital natives themselves, and arrive on the scene with small armies of engaged, loyal social media followers.
Having worked in the country music industry for over 20 years, Taillight has worked with the biggest artists in the industry and knows how the power of country music moves Heartland America consumers. More importantly, Taillight has the insider knowledge, the relationships and confidence from artists, and the production expertise to provide influencer opportunities and content programs that produce results for global brands. Drawing on the connection an artist has with their fan base brings trust to a brand and is the recipe for a successful marketing campaign.
Universal Recording Artist and 2018 Academy of Country Music New Female Vocalist Winner, Lauren Alaina has an exploding audience of over a 500 thousand followers on Instagram and over 600 thousand fans on Facebook. But to her, they aren’t just fans.
“I use social media as a way for me to share a part of myself. Taillight tapped into that by creating playful videos of me interacting with the four new Diet Coke flavors that I was able to share with my followers.” Alaina explains.
Taillight was tasked by our client, Coca-Cola, with finding the right country music influencer for a relaunch of Diet Coke at Walmart. The result was a partnership between Coca-Cola and Lauren Alaina to launch a new era with an updated look, sleek new packaging, and four new Diet Coke flavors. Lauren’s bubbly personality, her loyal, connected, and engaged fan base, as well as Taillight's instincts and industry knowledge led us to suggest her just as her career was catching fire. All of this made her a perfect influencer to launch Coke’s vibrant new look and taste.
The results speak for themselves. The right artist, the right content, the right distribution strategy, real results. Taillight has the evidence that country music influencers can open a world to a powerful new customer base and has the ability to make those connections.
The right artist, the right content, the right strategy= real results.
