IndiaSocial Case Challenge – edition 2

Category: Best Strategic Programme

Winner of Position #1

Title: Independent Music goes Digital – Artists Aloud

Share a little about your Organisation

Launched in January 2010, ArtistAloud.com is a platform that has dedicated its efforts to ‘explore the unheard’ and bring brilliant independent music to the forefront. The endeavor was to build a platform for established and new artists, to explore undiscovered sounds, take their music directly to their fans, and distribute the content in ways that are most convenient to the listener. ArtistAloud.com currently celebrates the music from more than 155 artists who have contributed over 500 songs. What started as an experimental platform to showcase unreleased music of artists- well known and new, became a revolution in the Indian independent music scene. Some of these artists include Kailash Kher, The Raghu Dixit Project, Advaita, Sona Mohapatra, Vikas Bhalla, Siddharth- Suhas, Himani Kapoor to name a few. ArtistAloud.com has successfully managed to connect artists with their fans directly, giving them access to their previously unreleased music.

Executive Summary

‘explore the unheard’ and bring brilliant independent music to the forefront. The endeavor was to build a platform for established and new artists, to explore undiscovered sounds, take their music directly to their fans, and distribute the content in ways that are most convenient to the listener. ArtistAloud.com currently celebrates the music from more than 155 artists who have contributed over 500 songs. What started as an experimental platform to showcase unreleased music of artists- well known and new, became a revolution in the Indian independent music scene. Some of these artists include Kailash Kher, The Raghu Dixit Project, Advaita, Sona Mohapatra, Vikas Bhalla, Siddharth- Suhas, Himani Kapoor to name a few. ArtistAloud.com has successfully managed to connect artists with their fans directly, giving them access to their previously unreleased music.

Nature of the programme/ activity/ campaign

Business to consumer

Duration of the said programme/ activity/ campaign. Start date-end date

Webcert Season 1 Start Date: June 24, 2010 End Date: February 2011

WebCert Season 2 In finalization stages

LaunchCast Start Date: December 1, 2010 End Date: Ongoing

Background

ArtistAloud.com is a platform which supports music created by independent artists. The objective of this platform is to popularize the music created by independent artists and thereby, get more consumers to download the songs composed by these artists. This objective led to the launch of WebCerts Season 1 and LaunchCast a series of online concerts where artists can collaborate with ArtistAloud.com for the online concerts (WebCerts) where they perform live for a Digital Audience and/or Launch their new songs, again by performing for the Digital Audience, through our LaunchCast series. The WebCerts and LaunchCasts are relayed on a special page integrated with our website and promoted heavily using our Facebook community which boasts of 1,80,000 + fans.

Objectives

The objective was simple – Give independent artists a platform to increase visibility for their work. The goal is to increase interaction around each artist who appears on our WebCerts and LaunchCasts.

Strategy and Planning

The strategy was to create a series of high impact digital properties that will be lucrative for independent artists and their listeners, alike.

Stakeholders

The stake holders involved with this initiative include – Artists: As this is a platform that will help them create more visibility for their music – Brands: Since we have credible names attached to our WebCert series, we decided to open a title sponsor slot where brands could leverage the platform to create more visibility for their products – Listeners/Audience: Music connoisseurs who would be our end consumers

Choice of channel/s

Facebook – This is was our first step towards creating our presence on Social Media. We have built a considerably small but focused community which engages with our updates about the latest music/new artists collaborating with our platform.

Twitter – As the popularity of our WebCerts grew we started leveraging twitter to increase realtime interaction around the live performances. We saw a great response during the WebCert with Sawarthma as they were live tweeting from the venue and responding to the WebCert viewers on the fly leading to an immensely interactive event.

YouTube – To host videos post the Live Telecast of the WebCert/LaunchCast and other promotional content shared by our artists

Implementation

You can get all details about the implementation through these presentations. The properties have been conceptualized and executed drawing support from the Events, Technology, Integrated Media, Creative, Marketing, Mobile teams at Hungama Digital Media.

Impact and Outcome

Highlighted in these presentation. Outcome highlighted in this presentation.

Learnings

Highlighted in these presentation.

What next

LaunchCast: The response to our LaunchCast series has been phenomenal. Right from global fusion artists like Mynta to Indian rock artist Sona Mohapatra has used the LaunchCast platform to launch their new albums/songs. Recently, Bollywood Playback sensation Shaan collaborated with us to release a song which supports the cause of Anti Tobacco which also gave us the opportunity of exploring music related to a CSR activity. WebCerts: We wound up WebCert season 1 in Feb 2011 where we had BPCL and Close Up came on board as brand sponsors. We are in the finalization stages of WebCert season 2 which is being presented by Nokia where we will evolve from just web streaming to streaming on mobile devices as well giving the audiences a complete digital experience. We continue to focus on Facebook as a channel to publicize the events and broaden our horizons by exploring a possibility of – Live streaming of the WebCerts on YouTube & Facebook – Live Tweeting by the artists performing for these events (if they are social media savvy) – Post event Blogs on the official ArtistAloud.com Blog for viewers to catch all the behind-the-scenes action from the events.

Useful links

WebCert Playlist on YouTube: LaunchCast with Shefali Alvares WebCert with Parikrama Swarathma

WebCert Tweets:  http://www.artistaloud.com/press_news_details.php?news_id=150

Testimonials

We received a tremendous support from the media on the initiatives. The articles have been incorporated in the following presentations for your reference. >

Media Articles

Manasi Scott’s interview to ArtistAloud.com

More articles here

External Agencies: Any partners who helped you with strategy

Public Relations Partner – ActiMedia

Suitable Tittle

Independent Music goes Digital

Factsheet

Name of the Compnay: ArtistAloud.com

Category: Digital Entertainment, Business to consumer

Case Submitted By: Ishita Mookherjee

Website: www.artistaloud.com