BRANDS PLAY TO A NEW TUNE: The over-used think global, act local marketing nugget is finding greater relevance as brands take a fresh look at the music that makes their campaigns tick. It's a change

<p>Most people would not have known that there is a kick-ass, </p><p>hard-core, hip-hop act in Hong Kong which had a parental advisory </p><p>sticker on its CD cover. Fewer still would believe that the band's music </p><p>and attitude had been picked up for use by a major international brand </p><p>which itself was having a knock-on effect of the band's CD sales, </p><p>reportedly moving by the truckloads. The band is LMF, the brand, San </p><p>Miguel. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>If that is not extreme enough, take clean and placid Singapore - a place </p><p>where you would expect to hear cover bands churning out polished </p><p>international chart-toppers in bars and hotel lounges. But, while the </p><p>same political party stays in power, the musical powers that be have </p><p>been encouraging the growth of local artists, a development hampered </p><p>more by a shortage in financing than ideas or creativity. Again, a major </p><p>international brand stepped in, searched high and low for the best </p><p>up-and-coming band and launched it onto the Singapore scene. The band is </p><p>Urban Xchange, the brand, Coca-Cola. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>These are not isolated examples of what is being touted as a radical </p><p>change, a revolution even, in the way local contemporary music is </p><p>developing, its consumption by Asia's young consumers and how brands are </p><p>capitalising on the trend. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It's not just the youth brands that are blazing the music trail. </p><p>Marketers of mainstream brands are fast getting in on the act. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For many years, music in Asia was considered more of an after-thought </p><p>than an integral part of a campaign, with a brand's musical heritage </p><p>sometimes changing from agency to agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Schtung Music managing director Morton Wilson believes the change is </p><p>long overdue. "Music can add an enormous amount to a brand, such as a </p><p>comedic feel in the three-spot Wellcome (a Hong Kong supermarket chain) </p><p>campaign we recently did that racked up the tempo each time. It added a </p><p>refreshing lightness and enhanced the theme running through it. With </p><p>humour, entertainment and personality driving it, you feel better about </p><p>the brand," he says. "The role music plays cannot be underestimated. For </p><p>instance, you need to know how long it will be on air. If it is for a </p><p>long time, you don't want to try too hard with tracks that people may </p><p>tire of. There are so many missed opportunities." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An example of working together can be seen in Grey Worldwide's </p><p>relationship with Schtung. Over the three years the two worked on </p><p>Procter & Gamble's Pantene shampoo account, 12 songs were composed and </p><p>produced . They will now be marketed as a CD. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Producing a CD is increasingly offering brands a way to extend their </p><p>marketing and branding activities deeper into the lives of </p><p>consumers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In the US, Toyota launched a US$160 million campaign to improve </p><p>the sex appeal of the country's best-selling car, the Camry. Music </p><p>featured prominently in the campaign which included TV spots, inflight </p><p>ads, billboards, online links and magazine spreads. Toyota has also </p><p>looked at producing a CD with entertainers such as Jennifer Lopez, Lyle </p><p>Lovett, and Earth, Wind & Fire, plus artists' interviews and information </p><p>about the Camry. Further proof of Toyota's growing musical credentials </p><p>is its sponsorship of this year's MTV and VH1 music awards. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In Asia, change began a few years ago when international music </p><p>celebrities were used to help sell products. And, in many cases they </p><p>still do. Motorola was one of a slew of mega-brands to use Moby </p><p>globally. Jaguar featured the Sting song Desert Rain and Epson tied in </p><p>with the Bon Jovi track It's my life, to name a few. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, as brands try to localise, it would seem that the days of the </p><p>young and beautiful celebrities are drawing to an end. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In their place, local bands - short on looks but high on energy - </p><p>boasting a local following and with a repertoire of original </p><p>compositions have stepped in. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Having recognised this trend, brands are scouring bars and music </p><p>studios, looking to break in local acts, sign them on early in their </p><p>careers and - along the way - share their limelight as theband's </p><p>popularity soars. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Into this tantalising mix come the record companies, which work with </p><p>youth-oriented brands to sign up these artists, who will help companies </p><p>deliver campaigns that drive straight into the heart of Asian youth </p><p>culture. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A recent landmark study into marketing to Asia's youth by Filter and </p><p>Asia Market Intelligence called "Digital Tribes" found that youth </p><p>'tribal' tendencies are particularly strong in music, sport, fashion and </p><p>technology. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The survey was conducted by interviewing just under 10,000 people aged </p><p>15 to 64 in 20 cities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Our hypothesis is that youth form membership of a number of different </p><p>special interest groups or tribes. The intensity of membership is best </p><p>measured by establishing how passionate they are to each tribe," says </p><p>Filter founder Ian Stewart. "Youth with highly passionate membership of </p><p>a tribe will have built their lifestyle around their tribe's </p><p>characteristics. Brands wishing to reach these consumers would also have </p><p>to adopt the tribe's character to form relationships with youth." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Music offers a defining way for tribes to differentiate themselves from </p><p>one another. Among the different music genres, hip-hop has emerged as </p><p>the choice of the youth generation, revealing the attitude of tribal </p><p>members. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"One implication we found was that it is becoming increasingly difficult </p><p>for brands to send out generic marketing messages. Brand communication </p><p>must adopt tribal tendencies to connect," says Stewart. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The use of local music to communicate brand messages is a clear example </p><p>of how brands are becoming more localised. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal Music recognised this trend and is running with the ball in </p><p>the race to discover and sign up tomorrow's hottest name. It's a win-win </p><p>investment strategy, according to the music label: it helps discover new </p><p>talent, sign them up, get them promoted for free by a brand and count </p><p>the cash when CD sales take off. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There's a new generation emerging who understands that the easiest way </p><p>to localise is to use a local artist," says Universal Music Asia-Pacific </p><p>vice-president of creative services and corporate communications, Hans </p><p>Ebert. "The challenge is to find more alternative and up-and-coming </p><p>young acts." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Urban Xchange has been described as the perfect fit for Coca-Cola, but </p><p>by and large it's not easy finding original local acts. The brand found </p><p>just five acts to audition in over one year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We were able to identify an up-and-coming musical talent right on the </p><p>cusp of being discovered. Our relationship has meant visibility for them </p><p>and local relevance to youth for Coke," explains Coke's agency </p><p>McCann-Erickson Singapore managing director Ray Dempsey. "Urban Xchange </p><p>is now the most successful band in Singapore and the band is tied to </p><p>Coke." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Another brand that is banking on music, though not necessarily a genre </p><p>likely to fire up youth passions, is Pacific Century Cyberworks. The </p><p>Hong Kong-based communications service company recently launched a </p><p>multi-million dollar television campaign centred on music in China for </p><p>its 1010 mobile telephone brand. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The 60-second spot features China's former child protege, classical </p><p>pianist, Yundi Li, who at the age of just 17 won the prestigious </p><p>Frederick Chopin Piano Competition. "We chose Li because he is the best </p><p>in the world. We thought he was appropriate because he represents what </p><p>1010 is trying to achieve - to be the best," says Euro RSCG Partnership </p><p>vice-president for Grand China Anthony Wong, who handles the 1010 </p><p>account. While 1010 is not necessarily trying to become relevant to </p><p>China's youth through an edgy, angst-ridden performance, what it does </p><p>reveal is the rising tide in the use of local artists. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But the music at the cutting edge for brands going after the youth </p><p>market lies, as evidenced by Filter's piece of research, with hip-hop. </p><p>CD sales of international artists Eminem and Limp Bizkit in Asia hit a </p><p>million units each and seems to be driving the growth of a new </p><p>home-grown brand of music. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The market in Asia is changing. It is moving away from Cantopop and </p><p>ballads. You just need to go to the clubs where the kids are hanging </p><p>out. Brands don't want mainstream acts now, but really new breaking </p><p>acts," says Ebert. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal recently collaborated with Levi Strauss Asia-Pacific on its </p><p>recent 11-market, in-store campaign called 'Fresh Cuts', which features </p><p>the music of Universal's newest and most innovative acts, both local and </p><p>international, from the US' Alien Ant Farm to Japanese hip-hop act </p><p>Dabo. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Compiled on a monthly basis, the information on the artists is given out </p><p>in stores and featured in programmes. CDs of the music showcased in the </p><p>stores will also be sold. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The idea is to create an association with new and experimental music," </p><p>says Levi's agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty chief executive officer for </p><p>Asia-Pacific, Chris Harris. "It is creating a new in-store experience. </p><p>Kids now don't want slogans. Instead there are breaks, play lists and </p><p>music chat. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The music is all original and features local artists. We have moved on </p><p>from the day of the jingle. There is now a need to entertain and engage </p><p>which requires music and visual communication." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>