What can a hip hop artist teach us about marketing?

Quite a bit, actually.

Andre 3000’s built his brand around his creativity and authenticity. And at the Cannes Lions advertising event last weekend, he urged marketers to do the same.

In today's newsletter:

• Andre 3000 gives a masterclass in creativity (here’s how brands can create a subculture around themselves, just like artists do)

• Amazon's strategy for world domination (find out the secret behind their ultra-personalised customer experience)

• Trend plug - Blah, blah, blah

• Ask the Editor - What trend content should I use?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

p.s. If you're reading this and you want to start creating viral content for your brand, our cohort program is set up to help you do that. Lucky for you, we’ve just opened registrations for our August intake! Learn more.

If you only know Andre 3000 as one half of the southern hip-hop duo Outkast, allow me to educate you.

Often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, Atlanta, GA’s Andre Lauren Benjamin is the king of cool.

He's an insanely talented lyricist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, actor, black rights activist, and over-all beautiful human.

I mean, last year, the man released his first album in over 17 years; New Blue Sun. It's a lyric-less, instrumental flute album, redefining his artistic identity.

He’s a creative genius to say the least.

So, when he speaks, safe to say I’m sat.

That’s why when I heard him speaking at Cannes Lions this weekend with Meta’s Alvin Bowles, I was hyped.

[If you don't know what Cannes Lions is, let me catch you up.]

His talk was a masterclass in creativity.

Andre spoke of authenticity and the art of staying true to oneself. He says what doesn’t resonate is not truly creative. And to be genuinely cool, you must craft your own world.

Let’s unpack what my fave had to say to marketers.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Amazon’s Strategy for World Domination

Amazon, 1995: A bookstore!! But online!! Hehe!! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

Amazon, 2024: Amazon-Powered AI cameras are being used to detect emotions of unwitting UK train passengers.

Talk about character transformation, huh?

Amazon’s humble beginnings make the now-behemoth more impressive (business-wise) than it already is.

This is despite being hit with evil corporation allegations, with some calling it a 'genocidal war machine.'

Others have called out the exploitation of its workers and oppression of vulnerable people. Slate even crowned the brand the #1 evil tech company in the world. Yikes.

However, I am a mere mortal marketer.

I’m not here to weigh out the moral standards of giant corporations (I am judging. I'm just doing it quietly.) No, I'm here to analyse marketing strategies. And sinner or not, Amazon's marketing has been largely responsible for their meteoric rise into the global market.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Blah, Blah, Blah

Wish you could respond to boring questions by going 'Ba Ba Ba Ba Da Ba'?

Well, now you can.

Today's trend originates from Lazy Town's Sportacus edit, while the sound comes from Bebe Rexha and G-Eazy's 'Me, Myself & I'.

Tiktokers are using this sound to shut down criticisms like taking hours to find an outfit, or even responding to questions like, 'Why do you always have your earbuds in?'.

How to jump on this trend:

Film yourself as if you're reading/ listening to a question or statement. As the beat drops, motion your hand to go 'blah, blah, blah' like a mouth. Don't forget to add onscreen text displaying said question or statement you're not too fond of. 

A few ideas to get you started:

• Why do you always have your headphones on?

• Me listening to all the excuses of why my coworkers can't make it to the meeting (a little like this)

• When the client tells me how to do my job

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

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Ask the Editor

Q - Love how you guys give us the daily trend, but I'm not sure which ones I should be doing for my brand. Should I just do them all? - Lexi

Hey Lexi!

This totally depends on your brand and how you want to show up on social media. I don't suggest doing trends just for the sake of it. If it doesn't fit with your brand, it will come across as inauthentic.

The best way to use these trends is to customise them to fit your brand and audience. So if one of the ideas we've given works really well, that's great! But the examples are more to get you thinking about how you could apply it to your business. The important thing is to only use trends when they fit your brand.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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