Research / Analysis / Ideation
THE CHALLENGE
Launching a new genre platform is a tall order for any brand, but launching a Rap focused platform is a particular challenge when you’re an established institution with a reputation for more traditional coverage and you’re seeking to enter a space that demands credibility and authenticity from its core audience.
We were approached by just such a brand who were looking for an agency who could furnish them with robust research and a well-rounded strategy guiding, mapping out the landscape of rap music in the UK and beyond to facilitate the brand in launching a new, dedicated rap platform that was authoritative, authentic and enticing to listeners from the get go.
our STRATEGY + WORK
We dissected the project into two phases, a research phase where we dug deep into the current state of play in the Rap space, leveraging learnings from competitor analysis and audience research to identify listener needs and market opportunities.
We then delved into a strategic approach for the brand to launch a rap platform offering that accounted for the wide variety within the rap scene and various user needs and habits.
In collaboration with research partner archtype, we conducted desk research, brand listening and community analysis to gauge the competitor landscape, looking at digital streaming platforms, community radio stations, established events and festivals, tastemaking social accounts, media and artist-centric platforms to better understand where the rap scene lives and thrives.
We distilled this down to what’s hot, what’s not and where our brand could bridge the gap.
We then set out a strategy that didn’t shy away from specifics, precisely locating exactly where this brand would be positioned against its competitors, setting out defined brand pillars and a programming and channel strategy that considered UK-wide opportunities for the brand and how they could launch with impact both IRL and digitally.
We directly addressed thoughts, queries and concerns from our focus group participants around the launch of a new Rap platform, incorporating these considerations into the details of each element of brand voice, identity and language, platform strategy and content focus.
the impact + REACH
This project is still cooking and whilst we can’t reveal too much yet, we can reveal that our delivered research was a highly informative, in-depth document that showcased the culture, topic and scope of the scene in an vivid light and with detailed thought. Our research highlighted opportunities for our client to become impactful within the space, with our research becoming a key catalyst for our client to devise strategy, ideate and enact decisions that are informed by best practice and informed knowledge of the scene.
So to keep it brief, our client was very happy with the playbook and research we delivered.
