Grow. Apply yourself.
In my final blog post, I will be applying the final module to my own brand as an artist/musician. Being in the industry for the last 12 years, with several managers in Cape Town, Johannesburg and London, interacting with different brand managers, PR companies and marketers – up until running my own talent management company for the last 4 years a lot has gone really well, but also, a lot could’ve been improved with more knowledge and vision. The article will be written in the third person, working on the brand team for the Chad Saaiman brand.
R&B Singer, songwriter and music creative Chad Saaiman has been performing and releasing music for over a decade and has had several #1’s and played shows like the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, K Day and graced stages in London, Seychelles, Spain and Dubai. With longevity always being the goal, in 2019 he is still currently on the charts with his latest release, Recovery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow6Aje8C_uE
In the current era of the music industry and digital fully controlling it, artists have built brands that can leverage and create impact beyond the 3 minutes of the song. The consumer is also now open to receiving a different product and offering from their favourite artist. This, combined with social media and brands who understand, have catapulted certain artists into the tastemaker space. Curators of cool and curators of culture.
Here are my thoughts on how we can grow the brand:
Market Development via line extension.
Here we would take the current live show and music and try and infiltrate a newer market. If we looked at a more adult contemporary, higher LSM space, we could create acoustic versions of the songs, and also rework the band configuration to be stripped down with the acoustic guitar, and cajon. This would be a horizontal line extension, as it would be priced in a very similar price bracket and it falls into the same category as a live show, just a slightly different feel. The risk here is very low, as the music will travel via digital and the benefits are new venues such as Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts and various acoustic festivals would be more susceptible to booking the artist.
Product Development via concept extension.
With a loyal fanbase, the chances of a new product succeeding with existing customers is quite high, as the supporters know that Chad Saaiman’s beliefs and values lie within the positivity and love spaces and any product that aligns with these, should do well. Cue a new event concept called Chad Saaiman presents: Date Night. This would be a live music event paired with a romantic setting for 2 or 4 at each table. The tickets will be sold at a premium price and there will be great cuisine combined with great music. The risk here is also quite low – as many of the artist’s songs are love songs, and his latest release is currently on the charts in Cape Town. With the winter season coming – people are generally leaning towards warmer, crafted and intimate experiences. The benefit here is being able to create another event property and touchpoint for his fanbase.
Multi-brand Strategy.
Here we would look the growth of Chad Saaiman’s second music project, The Black Ties. The Black Ties are one of SA’s premium cover bands, co-founded by Chad. http://www.stereotypetalent.co.za/black-ties/
What makes this different is that the music is familiar and often current Top 40, and/or themed to event specifics. The look is a lot more formal and classy, and the performances are mainly for corporate functions and destination weddings. For Chad, this gives him the opportunity to perform in a market that generally would not book him, which reduces competitor awareness, targets a different point in the market and with the experimentation here, can be an even bigger revenue stream for him. The risk here is Chad’s fans of his own music hearing him perform cover music, and he could lose some credibility with his hardcore fans if they are at any of these shows. There is also the risk of brand cannibalism as companies would book The Black Ties ahead of Chad Saaiman and his music. The benefit here is financial growth and stability within a more stable market as companies always have events and people always get married.
Endorsement Strategy.
Here we would look at celebrity endorsements via social media. We would allocate a budget toward using certain celebrities and influencers having first dibs on a new Chad Saaiman song, two days before it is released. This select group will have little videos of themselves casually enjoying the new song and this will create awareness within new markets and build hype around the release. The risk here would be if we do not get the choice of selected influencers right, it would feel contrived and the consumer will know it is not authentic. The benefit here is Chad’s brand alignment will increase as well as his consumer base.
Future Growth.
To continually grow the Chad Saaiman brand, we need to think into the future. Creating new products that run alongside the music, such as a coffee brand, as we know Chad does love coffee. As well as a seasonal collaborative fashion line with a like-minded designer brand. Chad’s love for sport currently sees him as an ambassador for Cape Town City Football Club and hosts 2 annual soccer tournaments which could be exponentially grown and taken nationally. I would also look at breaking Chad into a new media space, such as radio, TV or YouTube. This will elevate the brand and assist with sales and bookings and in-turn, revenue.
