(Previous) My First Bars/ BBC Radio 1Xtra

(Keturah Cummings/ Previous Work)

Keturah Cummings / selected BBC work case study.

IDEAS GENERATION /CONTENT STRATEGY /CONTENT PRODUCTION /DIGITAL CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT

Overview: Took the initiative in 2015 to create and launch 1Xtra's first digital-first visual series. Recognised the station's need to expand its online content offering to compete with similar music platforms vying for the same audience.

The My First Bars format takes the most interesting rappers and MCs and gets them to recall the first lyrics they ever wrote in around 90 seconds.

my-first-bars_dizzee-rascal.jpg

Idea + Strategy: Developed a strategy around providing the audience with regular, easy-to-digest visual content.

Created a format which combined the audience's appetite for nostalgia and artist insight with shortened attention spans and oversaturated social media feeds.

Directed, shot and edited each episode in the first year until internal recognition and prioritisation by senior management resulted in extra resource allocation.

Managed and delivered the project end to end including concept development, creative direction, booking talent, formulating and executing strategy, securing internal and external syndication and content creation.

Implemented a weekly release schedule with episodes published simultaneously on the 1Xtra website and YouTube channel (to enable easy syndication and sharing across BBC and external brands). Supported releases with teaser content in social media (lyric cards, gifs and clips) and on-air promotion across the daytime schedule.

Impact + Reach: Captivating and insightful content that is a popular format among black music fans online.

00s of videos have been recorded with new and veteran rappers including Stormzy, Wretch 32, KANO, DIzzee Rascal, Krept & Konan, Stefflon Don, J Hus, Akala, K Koke, AJ Tracey.

Episodes have been featured in on Radio 1's iPlayer channel in Charlie Sloth's Rap Up, as well as a collaboration with BBC Three to feature Kurupt FM and promote an upcoming series of People Just Do Nothing. To date the series has a reach of 11M+ across online and social media platforms.