Branding for Musicians.

Know Yourself. Tell Your Story.

Dr. Mark Samples

Naming your core artistic values and acting on them consistently.

The heart of branding for musicians.

What is core?

Branding for Musicians

What Is Core?

Absurdly exclusive.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die Chip and Dan Heath

Chip and Dan Heath

Finding the core means stripping an idea down to its critical essence. To get to the core, we’ve got to weed out superfluous and tangential elements…

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Chip and Dan Heath

…But that’s the easy part. The hard part is weeding out ideas that may be really important but aren’t the most important.”

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What Is Core?

Absurdly exclusive.

What Is Core?

Absurdly exclusive. Proverb-worthy.

The Golden RuleProverb-Worthy

The proverbial sweet spot.

Compact Core

What Is Core?

Absurdly exclusive. Proverb-worthy.

What Is Core?

Absurdly exclusive. Proverb-worthy. The “Top Three.”

Examples of The Top Three”

Branding for Musicians

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The Fourth Wall

The Fourth Wall Ensemble

1. Hybrid performing arts ensemble. 2. Break the fourth wall. 3. Commissioning of new works.

Music Fit Academy

1. Enthusiastic and fun. 2. Brass lessons. 3. Music training re-imagined as athletic training.

Core

Branding for Musicians Dr. Mark Samples

Mystery Ensemble

1. Fearless musical exploration. 2. Continual re-imagining of the string quartet experience. 3. Promotion of new music through collaboration.

Kronos Quartet

Mystery Ensemble

1. Fearless exploration of the limits of rock music. 2. Uncompromising live music experience. 3. Continual re-imagination of all aspects of the music industry.

Radiohead

Mystery Ensemble

1. Limitless collective. 2. Bridging the world’s musical neighborhoods. 3. Personal musical expression of musicians in a family atmosphere.

Silkroad Ensemble

Mystery Performer

1. Musician and comedian. 2. Improvises on the spot. 3. Using only voice and a looping machine.

Reggie Watts

Core

Branding for Musicians Dr. Mark Samples

Principles of Core

Branding for Musicians

GenerativePrinciples of Core

ObservablePrinciples of Core

AspirationalPrinciples of Core

Limiting, FreeingPrinciples of Core

Orson Welles

The absence of limitations is the enemy of art.”

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Principles of Core

Generative Observable Aspirational Limiting and Freeing

Principles of Core

G O A L

Core

Branding for Musicians Dr. Mark Samples

Find Your Core.

Branding for Musicians

Three Strategies

1. What’s your top three? Find Your Core

Defer judgment. Encourage wild ideas. Build on the ideas of others. Stay focused on topic. One conversation at a time. Be visual. Go for quantity.

Brainstorming Rules Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit

2. Value Statement Find Your Core

• I am a [professional identity]. • I help [your target audience], • do/understand [your unique solution], • so that they can [promised

transformation].

Value Proposition Statement (Michael Hyatt)

• I am a musician, scholar, and teacher. • I help overwhelmed professional

musicians, • understand their core artistic identities, • so that they can share their music with

more people and get back to doing what they love: making music.

Value Proposition Statement (Michael Hyatt)

3. The High-Concept PitchFind Your Core

Jaws in space.

One sentence. Established building blocks. Define your target. Juxtapose at varying distances.

High-Concept Pitch

Radiohead of country.

Rodeohead©Zack Ploen

Reggie Watts of classical music.

http://stricklersigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/welcome-to-las-vegas-sign-at-dusk.jpg

Las Vegas of music the music industry.

http://freckletown.com/katy/images/TOMS-logo-with-mission.jpg

Toms Shoes of music.

Find your core.

Find Your Top Three. Value Statement. The High-Concept Pitch.

Branding for Musicians.

Know Yourself. Tell Your Story.

Dr. Mark Samples mark@mark-samples.com www.mark-samples.com