In the dynamic confluence of music and digital marketing, there’s a name that stands out: Solveig Deason. Think of her as the maestro directing a harmonious blend of melodies and marketing strategies. With a series of remarkable achievements, she’s showcased her expertise in navigating the intricacies of the music industry and the vast digital realm.
Modern music isn’t just about tunes and talent anymore. It’s a blend of tech, artistry, and strategic marketing. In this vibrant landscape, an artist’s brilliance could easily fade into the background without the right spotlight. This is where digital marketing plays its part and where Solveig truly shines.
Let’s talk about the Women Musicians Network (WMN) and the stellar 2019 showcase, led by Solveig. Under her guidance, WMN became a beacon for female voices in the Berklee community, bringing diverse sounds to the forefront. That 2019 showcase? A roaring success, largely credited to Solveig’s vision and execution.
But she’s more than just a backstage genius. Solveig’s been in the thick of it – curating performers, managing events, and even working with acclaimed artist, Laufey.
The numbers also speak for her. As the driving force behind Berklee A&R Group’s social media, she spearheaded a staggering 66% growth in Instagram followers. Working with artists like Tiny Habits, Noah In The Open, and Aiida, Solveig and the A&R Group helped shape their artistic careers.
Across her career, Solveig’s seamlessly blended creativity with strategy. Be it pitching budding talents to bigwig labels or playing a pivotal role at Warner Chappell Nashville and Sony Music Canada, her dedication shines through. Her contributions to Grammy-winner Aaron Raitiere and her stellar management of Laufey’s North American tours speak volumes about her versatility.
In a candid chat about her successes, Solveig gave insights into her digital marketing approach. Her prowess in leveraging online platforms and her keen understanding of audience dynamics have carved out iconic milestones like the WMN 2019 showcase and the Berklee A&R Group’s online surge.
In the ever-shifting world of music, where trends come and go, Solveig Deason remains a consistent beacon of excellence. Every artist she supports, event she orchestrates, and campaign she crafts pushes the envelope, redefining success in music marketing.
Hey Solveig, I heard about the impressive 66% boost in Instagram followers for the Berklee A&R Group. Can you shed some light on the strategy behind it?
When managing social media and creating a brand, it’s very important to pinpoint your visual identity. How are you going to represent yourself, and what is going to set you apart from others? While working with the A&R Group, we had discussions about branding and narrowed down specific things like colours and typefaces we felt represented us as a group. By having a distinct image and tone, and a consistent posting schedule, I was able to increase our reach and engagement!
What were some of the challenges you faced in executing the marketing plan for the WMN 2019 showcase and how did you overcome them?
The marketing plan for the Women Musician’s Network showcase was really successful, and we saw a great turnout! This show, in particular, focussed on having an extremely diverse line-up of performers from all over the world, playing in multiple different genres. Having such a wide range of performers from Japanese Taiko drumming to Flamenco violin meant we had to focus our marketing efforts to multiple different communities. While we executed our own marketing plans, we also had the performers advertise to their own fanbases, which vastly contributed to a diverse range of attendees.
How do you tailor your marketing approaches for different artists or events?
When marketing a particular artist or event, it’s crucial to look at who your target customer is. Once you can create a profile of who will be the most interested in your product, you can brainstorm the ideal marketing campaign from their point of view. What will interest them? What will make your product stand out from others? By relating to your target customer, you’ll be able to figure out what approach is the most effective.
In your opinion, what are the key elements of a successful digital marketing campaign in the music industry?
I think one of the most effective ways to market a product is to make it engaging. Last year, I arranged Laufey’s songbook for her album “Everything I Know About Love,” and her marketing campaign was both effective and unique. Before the album came out, she went to various book stores and hid pages of the sheet music inside certain novels. This had tons of people running around the city, desperately looking for the sheet music so they could go home and try to figure out how the unreleased songs sounded. Additionally, it encouraged people to post about the challenge online, even recording covers of the songs before they were out.
Can you share an example of a marketing campaign you led that didn’t go as planned? How did you adjust and what did you learn from that experience?
Often, campaigns have to be adjusted based on how the content is resonating with the audience. It’s essential to have a plan beforehand, but it’s also necessary to be flexible!
Social media keeps shifting and changing. How do you keep up and use it effectively in your marketing?
I spend a lot of time on various social media platforms, which gives me a great indication of how people are using those spaces. It’s true, social media changes so rapidly, and if you step away for just a week, you can miss a ton. In order to stay ahead, I do a lot of research on how algorithms work and how they change. I also like to have conversations with others who work in social media. One of my interns this summer even gave me a secret tip on how to effectively “train” your TikTok algorithm, which has really helped me with my work!
How has your background in music and understanding of the industry influenced your approach to marketing artists and events?
I grew up playing music since the age of 3, and I attended music school at Berklee in Boston. Being around so many musicians growing up and befriending and working with so many incredible musicians in university allowed me to approach marketing from an artist’s perspective.
Additionally, I’m a huge music fan myself and am really involved in the live music industry, specifically as a former tour manager! Spending so much time with music lovers has allowed me to approach marketing from a fan’s perspective as well! By bridging this gap, I’ve found creating campaigns to be much easier.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming artists or music event organizers about marketing and promotion in today’s digital landscape?
One of the best things I’ve learned about marketing is that people engage with content or a product because it “makes them feel better about themselves.” It’s true! It’s why I buy the clothes I wear or listen to certain music.
For up-and-coming artists, this definitely applies when marketing yourself. Why will your fans care about you? Does your music and/or visual persona make them feel better about themselves? Once you can identify what exactly it is that will draw in a fanbase in this way, you can use it to your advantage. That being said, authenticity is key! Make sure what you are putting out into the world is completely genuine.
