Megan Thee Stallion & Lil Wayne prove hip-hop (still) sells

If hip-hop says it’s cool, it’s cool.

Don’t be asking any questions!

That’s why in advertising, the inclusion of hip-hop in campaigns can generate sales like no other and put your brand on the culture map.

Think about the early 2000s. In every hip-hop and R&B music video, the Cadillac Escalade, which debuted in 1999, almost always made an appearance. Nelly, Jay-Z, Outkast and 50 Cent all had one in their videos.

This level of exposure helped Escalade sales to jump 84% in the first seven months of 2002.

To this day, Cadillac Escalade campaigns heavily feature hip-hop and R&B artists like Jhene Aiko and Killer Mike.

You only have to look at collabs like Adidas X Run D.M.C, Doja Cat X Taco Bell, and Cardi-B X Playboy, to see that the hip-hop culture has a proven track record of marketing success.

And in case you didn't know, Pusha T (part of the rap duo Clipse) came up with the song that eventually turned into the iconic 'I’m Lovin’ It' jingle for McDonald's.

Whether you’d like to admit it or not, hip-hop and R&B have influenced marketing for a long time.

And we have two new campaigns that are proof of that this week.

Megan Thee Stallion X Amazon Prime Day

Okay, I went into this one with, let’s just say, not the highest of hopes. Often, giant companies like Amazon include popular figures like Meg to come across as relatable and relevant. Usually, it ends up being super cringe and corny.

But this 2- minute commercial for Amazon Prime Day exceeded my expectations.

Maybe it’s because Megan actually wrote the song. And she also absolutely ATE UP all the costumes they put her in.

The commercial features Meg exploring all the deals on her favourite products. But the song isn't just a creative way of showcasing Prime Day. It's also a bonus track – available on Amazon Music only – from her new self-titled album that dropped on June 28th.

Prime members will also be able to shop Meg's 'Prime Day picks,' inspired by her interests.

This is a clever collaboration with mutual benefits for promoting both Megan Thee Stallion's music and the Amazon Prime Day annual shopping event. Win win.

Lil Wayne X Beats By Dre

Lil Wayne is kept awake by his own song in this hilarious new campaign titled The Predicament. This ad is promoting the relaunch of the Beats Pill and showcases how loud the new speaker is.

In the 90-second spot, LeBron James and his wife Savannah host a hotel party, playing the hip-hop anthem, Lil Wayne's 'A Milli' on repeat.

On the floor above, none other than Lil Wayne himself tosses and turns as he listens to his own song. He's obviously annoyed and conflicted, saying, 'I can’t tell them to turn me down. It’s me!'

Eventually, he gets irritated enough to burst into the party, telling Lebron they’re, 'playing Lil Wayne too loud!'

'But you’re Lil Wayne? Wouldn’t you want us to play Lil Wayne too loud?' says Lebron, confused.

'Forget I said you’re playing Lil Wayne too loud,' Wayne responds.

'PLAY LIL WAYNE TOO LOUD!!' And the party resumes, with the onscreen text, 'Your music, seriously loud.'

How’s that for minimal scripting?

Here are our takeaways:

• Connect your brand with cultural icons. Collaborating with influential figures can significantly boost your brand visibility and credibility. So think about what cultural icons are relevant to your brand and consider how you can tap into their star power.

• Create authentic content. Ensure whatever content you make feels genuine. Megan Thee Stallion's collab with Amazon feels right because she wrote the song, and she's an active user of Amazon Prime. Authenticity is crucial for relatability!

• Incorporate humour. Humour helps create memorable and impactful ads. The Lil Wayne X Beats collab used humour to highlight the product's key feature in a clever way. The key is to be entertaining while still conveying your product's benefits.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have 'A Milli' stuck in my head for the next week.

-Sophie, Writer