Research showed that 80% of gig goers and people interested in music, discovered, listened to, and spent most of their online time on YouTube.
So, after close consultation with the music industry, we knew we had to create a YouTube channel that provided something for artists and music fans alike.
Our brief was to create an engaging YouTube channel that complemented the way O2 Academy live music fans interacted with artist-led content throughout the pre-, during and post-gigging experience.
archibald ingall stretton… and Pd3 designed a creative solution that was a promotional tool to help artists create a buzz around their live shows. It alowed artists control over the content, but also gave fans a chance to watch, contribute and be a part of the original content. All this through a channel that would be consistently rich in content and extend the reach of O2’s sponsorship across 15 music venues.
We knew music fans already filmed gigs on their cameras or mobiles and uploaded to YouTube to share their experience with other fans. Most of this shared footage consists of short clips with poor sound, and we wanted find a way to generate great content by encouraging fans to focus on just one song and upload it to our channel. We then take the live audio track and edit the fan’s footage against this – creating a bespoke ‘fan cam’ video from the gig that’s engaging and relevant, but still created by the fans. This allows those who were at the gig to relive the experience and promotes the event to a wider audience.
Also, as part of the channel, ‘backstage chat’ offers artist content – such as interviews with bands, exclusive and acoustic performances – shot at the venue and shared with gig-goers before the show.
Video booths installed in the venues invite fans to leave their own video diary entries which are uploaded directly to the channel – giving fans a platform to generate content with themselves in the spotlight.
So many brand channels are uninspiring, lonely places filled with TV spots and ‘virals’ no-one thinks worthy of sending on. O2 Academy’s YouTube channel is the exact opposite – great content takes centre stage and O2 as a brand acts as a conduit for music lovers to get closer to the acts they love.
Enjoying a concert at an O2 Academy venue need no longer be confined to one day. O2 Academy TV creates a lasting experience for fans through social media pre- and post-gig – and allows them to extend their live music experience and share it online with friends and other fans.
O2 Academy TV celebrates the raw aspect of live music at O2 Academy venues, giving fans a unique opportunity to get closer to the artists they love, and giving artists a creative platform to promote their shows.
It’s been a year in the making, working closely with YouTube, labels, promoters, managers and artists themselves. And we’re confident that the final product will help extend the overall gig experience and take our partnership with live music to the next level.
