Why Visual Albums Have Become So Popular and Important

With the recent success of artists like Beyonce and Frank Ocean, visual albums have set a high bar for artists around the globe.

And for companies like us who work with a lot of talented, up-and-coming artists for music videos, visual albums might not be such a bad idea.

When it comes to visual albums, the most important thing (like most other visual mediums) is story. What message will you convey? With music (especially an entire album already completed), your work is already halfway done – your story is clearly laid out for you. Now you’ve just got to create the visuals to complement it.

Here at Key West Video, we work our clients to interpret their vision. Whether it’s branding, creating a video marketing campaign, or creating a music video theme/idea, we work directly with our clients to create artistic bodies of work that mean something.

In 2013, Beyonce broke the internet when she not only released an entire album unannounced but the visuals to go with it. Not necessarily a complete film, the visuals did serve as a continuous music video throughout the album. Then earlier this year, LEMONADE was introduced as an artistic docu-drama filled with music, poetry, compelling visuals and unforgettable transitions that served to take us on an emotional journey of everything from love to hatred to forgiveness.

Photo credit: amsfrank via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Following this same format was experimental R&B artist Frank Ocean who released a dual album (with the first being entirely visual). Also serving the story and overall tone of the album, Frank could be seen building a metaphorical stairway to heaven while angelic vocals played in the background.

We’ve come to a point in entertainment where our consumption needs are much higher than before. Gone are the days when an artist could simply release a 12-track album of mediocrity and forgetfulness. Now, true artists are not only raising the bar in the quality of music production they put out, but also challenging listeners to really experience the sound in new ways.

We at Key West Video totally get that. We work with avant-garde artists who seek to make leave their footprint on the sands of time. For more information on the services we provide (or to check out our portfolio), visit our website today.

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How Secretive Should You Be About Your Marketing Strategy?

Initiating a new marketing strategy can be overwhelming. There’s a lot to consider when deciding on a new launch strategy. Paid advertising. TV commercials. Social media campaigns. Radio spots. The list goes on and on.

For reference’s sake, let’s look at Apple.

Apple has a reputation of fostering a culture of secrecy within its walls and out. Former employees have stated that departments were not allowed to discuss projects with each other lest they collided. Information was received in a top-down method from a single executive group. And employees couldn’t speak to anyone outside of the company on an upcoming project without risking termination.

It’s not difficult to see how this can foster an environment of fear. But thankfully, not every company is Apple.

They’ve mastered the art of tease to build hype before a new release, making it the perfect case study when considering how much (or how little) you should tell the public.

For one, Apple has tapped into word-of-mouth promotion. The best way to gain popularity is to put out a solid product that can speak for itself. In their case, surrounding media says what they as a company don’t need to.

This has its ups and downs. Startups have a lot to prove in the realm of credibility and reliability, and obviously don’t have a breadth of experience to rely on. Knowing your core client base and how your target demographic operates online really helps with promotion.

Another tactic Apple uses is its “scarcity”. We usually hear from external gadget sources that Apple will be releasing it’s new (insert Apple product here). This effect is comparable to Black Friday on a first-come-first-serve basis.

These methods have risked backfire in the past. When avant-garding their entire new product, the Apple Watch, Apple opened itself to risk: competitors who were able to deliver a similar product for a more affordable price.

Part of Apple’s appeal is never really showing what is going on behind the scenes. Only after years of repetition do we have an idea of when the next iPhone will be released. And while this strategy may seem appealing to some, it lacks a sense of responsibility to its customers. There isn’t much of an incentive to remain loyal to a company that never really tells you when your operating system will become obsolete.

In this case, a little transparency might go a long way.

Not only does this ease the minds of a company’s employees, but maintaining a safe environment also helps with the flow of creativity. Living in constant fear of the unknown can be stifling to your company’s creative marketing strategy. And while it’s unlikely that your company would keep its own internal communication under wraps, it is important to determine who this strategy should, if at all, apply to.

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