SITUATION
WHEN SOUND IS GOLDEN
Native DSD Music stumbled on a gold mine and approached us because they needed help with how to harness all that gold. They found a way to capture the highest resolution form of sound and a way to make it readily accessible to the public. The quality of the file format (DSD) is so high, that it feels like you’re in the studio where the song was recorded. Insane isn’t it?
OPPORTUNITY
WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THAT GOLD?
We researched into trends and purchasing behavior for music content. The success of subscription models like Spotify, Pandora and even Netflix, which led us to believe that there was a shift in demand from downloads to streaming services. A quick competitive analysis pointed us to a blank space where Native DSD could be best positioned within the music category. ‘The first company to offer a DSD streaming service’.
TARGET
An Audiophile’s listening room
Who would be interested in streaming music in DSD format? Why will they care? How can we appeal to them? Can they afford it? These were questions that drove our research and pointed us to an interesting subculture driven by a love for purity of sound.
AUDIOPHILES!
Music isn’t just something they listen to. Music is something they experience. This experience is shaped by the subtle nuances within sound. They crave to hear fingers, as they strum on the guitar, or how crisp the notes on the violin are delivered. Audiophiles obsess so much about pure sound that they are willing to spend whatever it takes to purchase the right equipment and software to get sound in its purest form. Their preferred musical genre is ‘classical music’ due to it’s rich instrumental quality.
STRATEGY
Become a curator of sound
When you want something in its purest form… you go to the source. We want audiophiles to see native DSD as a source of pure sound.
CREATIVE EXECUTION
To uphold the new strategy, we had to first re-brand Native DSD by giving it a new name and logo to reflect its new purpose. We decided on the name ‘Epitome’ which means ‘the highest example of a stated quality’. We also redesigned their website to serve the purpose of becoming a streaming service.
New logo
New website look
Brand Essence Video
I created this animated brand essence video for the client to articulate the new brand strategy.
Credits: Animation by Data Oruwari, Art Direction by Sarah Ross
TAKEAWAY
It’s great to have other skills outside an assigned role. Even though I was responsible for strategy, my background in animation with direction from the Art director, was what gave birth to the brand essence video.
Reddit, message boards and Facebook groups are great places to find and understand subcultures when you don’t have access to them in person. I also learnt the hard way that you could get kicked out for posting a survey after being invited to a group. You have to gain their trust first.
TEAM
Creative Strategy – Data Oruwari
Creative Brand Manager – Jake Hargadon
Creative Writer – Richard Beahm
Art Direction – Sarah Ross
Creative Technologist – Emily Reese