Nue Agency Founder Jesse Kirshbaum Says Brands Should Pay Attention to Music Culture
With Naked Agency and its accompanying weekly newsletter Beats + bytesMusic marketer and talent agent Jesse Kirshbaum explores the intersection of music, technology and brand marketing.
Kirshbaum released the agency’s first Beats + Bytes 2024 Trends Recap on Tuesday, December 17, including newsletter archives and the top cultural trends at the center of these sectors.
“Understanding trends and what’s happening in music is valuable for all marketers,” he said.
Founded in 2007 by Kirshbaum, Nue Agency is a creative music agency that builds brand partnerships in the music and entertainment industries. It also produces CRWNa live interview series hosted by hip-hop journalist Elliott Wilson.
Kirshbaum shared with ADWEEK his findings from the past year and what brands can take away for the future.
“It’s another era”
In his report, Kirshbaum highlighted the creator economy as the main driver of last year’s cultural trends.
He identified macro trends like elections and inflation as well as micro trends like Brat and Charli XCX. “very wise, very attentive” who has seen marks like Hellman’s, Duolingo, H&Mand Verizon adapting its marketing campaigns to each cultural moment.
“There are so many opportunities in this creator economy,” he said. “This is where new brands appear.
When it comes to marketing, content and commerce, Kirshbaum believes that creator-focused platforms like newsletters, podcasts and TikTok are where brands have the most leverage.
Chaos marketing was also popular, he said, because “every brand is unique.” [and] personalized” with new AI and technology tools that facilitate brand messaging.
“It’s a different time,” he said. “In the era of the gig economy, the media [and] blogs. It was [a] the era of digital information, but it was still traditionally won while today, everything revolves around owned media [and] disintermediated content creators.
In the music industry specifically, Kirshbaum says this shift could lead to more direct-to-consumer or direct-to-consumer strategies, especially as music fandom evolves and becomes more communal.
“These fans are creating user-generated content to spread the message,” he said.
According to Luminate Mid-Year 2024 Music Report released in July, 76% of music listeners watched short videos in the United States, while 22% participated and posted on short video platforms.
Brand Marketing Takeaways
While it’s difficult to predict the next viral moment, Kirshbaum wants brands to know that music is a “huge passion topic for consumers.”
As AI and technology become more advanced, excitement around live events may also grow, creating opportunities for brands to activate around concerts and festivals as well as marquee events like SXSW, the Met Gala and the Grammy Awards, allowing brands to stay in the know. and be part of the culture.
According to Luminate, live music events accounted for 64% of Americans’ monthly music-related spending in the first half of the year.
It’s also important to pay attention to digital trends such as algorithmic changes on social media apps, he said, because they provide opportunities for brands to expand their marketing strategies.
