In today’s connected world, when it comes to celebrity bookings, event management, and artist and celebrity management – creating exciting, immersive and memorable experiences is key.
As Co-Founder of IAM (International Artist Management), Georgie Woollams was involved in everything from artist and celebrity management, to brand ambassador recruitment and celebrity chef bookings. She was perfectly positioned to witness the major changes taking place in the world of celebrity talent booking and management – a world that has transformed even further in the midst of a global pandemic.
Here, the Founder/Managing Director of Katch International explains the importance of booking individuals, be they celebrities, artists, influencers, or keynote speakers, who immerse themselves in their roles as brand ambassadors and commit to creating memorable, interactive and authentic experiences:
Capturing the Moment
The rapidly evolving social media landscape has led to the transformation of fans’ demands, which has significantly impacted on what they expect from celebrity appearances at events, whether virtual or physical. Consequently, a celebrity who simply shows up and shows face at an event is no longer enough.
Instead, brands want to book celebrities, artists, influencers, or motivational speakers who are willing to immerse themselves in the events they appear at, engage with attendees and capture customers’ imaginations. In doing so, those brands are able to leverage the popularity of these celebrity bookings and incorporate it in an experience-driven marketing strategy.
Securing the right celebrity booking is only effective, however, when combined with engaging content that captures the authenticity of the event. The content should showcase a celebrity who shows real passion for the brand he/she is promoting – someone who doesn’t simply go through the motions, but is genuinely excited to represent the brand. This will ensure that the PR stunt has a lasting impact online and on social media long after the event itself.
Taking the Experience Online
The pandemic has forced many industries to rethink how they interact with their audiences. Events have moved online, as artists and creatives have embraced social media more. By creating online experiences, these artists are using social media as a platform to showcase their art on a global stage. This is proving to be an extremely powerful way of engaging with audiences, as people are drawn to authentic content that demonstrates an artist/creator’s passion and dedication to his/her craft. Additionally, content with a strong community focus captures the collective imagination of an online audience. A great example of this is Sacha Jafris’ latest ‘Humanity Inspired‘ piece, the largest painting ever created on canvas.
It hasn’t taken long for businesses to take notice, and big brands are now looking for artists, influencers and celebrities who are willing to do more than just a one-off sponsored post. Instead, they are booking content creators capable of telling stories that captivate audiences. These businesses want individuals who not only align with their brands, but also immerse themselves in them. This leads to content that appeals to and impacts audiences because of its creativity, realness and authenticity, which subsequently maximises exposure for the brand in question and reaches the right consumers.
A strong example of this approach is Global Citizen’s recent ‘One World: Together at Home‘ benefit concert. The online concert was curated by Lady Gaga in support of the WHO. Numerous cities and countries across the globe chose artists to represent their cultures and showcase their passions, with Dubai choosing Hussain Al Jassmi as its representative. Every music artist provided a personal, heartfelt message for the online audience watching from their homes around the world.
Always Aim for Authenticity
Popular social media platforms are also embracing the value of real and authentic content. Instagram, for example, has recently introduced new authenticity measures. The social media giant is now asking people to confirm who’s behind an account when it sees a pattern of potential unauthentic behaviour. These measures are designed to ensure the content you see on Instagram is authentic and comes from real people, not bots or others trying to mislead you (Instagram 2020). The introduction of these measures further highlights just how essential a component authenticity is in building engaging content and a successful communications campaign.
While the popularity of creative and authentic online experiences has skyrocketed as a direct result of lockdown restrictions, make no mistake, it is here to stay. Furthermore, its potential is limitless. Take Travis Scott’s virtual performance on Fortnite as a prime example. The superstar rapper was transformed into a psychedelic spaceman and performed for more than 12 million online players, live inside the game last April. The video of the event is currently at almost 100 million views on YouTube.
Live virtual events, experiences and concerts, like Travis Scott’s, provide brands with massive opportunities to generate major buzz, and develop social media-based add-on products, such as social lenses and AI filters. Moreover, as physical attendance at live events is limited, and more and more people opt to stay at home for health and safety reasons, the fanbase for live virtual events continues to grow. This can give brands a chance to develop more immersive online experiences that bring audience members closer to their favourite artists and celebrities, e.g. the breakout success of Cameo over the past year as a platform for celebrities to offer personalised messages, greetings and shoutouts to fans.
Looking for advice and expertise on celebrity bookings, influencer bookings, or artist management services? Get in touch with Georgie by emailing hello@katchthis.com.
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