Early in 2006, a client brought an idea to us. His concept was to build a web-based platform that would change the way music is created and consumed. He wanted to create a new industry structure and put the put the power currently held by record labels into the hands of fans and artists.
We’ve worked closely with David Courtier-Dutton to develop a business model that puts bands directly in touch with fans and allows them to raise funds in order to launch their music careers.
By working as partners from concept to launch and beyond, we’ve been involved in every step of the process.
We worked together to develop a business model which was tested via a major programme of market research. Having validated the plan, GraphicoDMG’s information architects scoped the project.
GraphicoDMG acted as brand consultants, developing the brand’s name, its logo, look and feel, and even its personality and voice. We have created a highly immersive online application which has brought the client’s vision to life. The Slicethepie website sits at the core of the proposition. At all stages we’ve undertaken vigorous user testing of the site.
Now launched, the website takes bands and fans through three simple steps:
- 'The Scout Room' - where unsigned artists load three tracks to be reviewed by the fan community. The most highly rated then progress to:
- 'The Showcase' - where artists have two weeks to secure financial support from their fans. Once they’ve achieved a minimum of £15,000, artists receive the money to launch their careers and ‘contracts’ are issued to investors, who can then move to:
- 'The Trading Exchange' - to be traded in the exchange. Fans, artists and speculators can trade in, gamble on, and take a ‘slice’ of the commercial success of bands.
Slicethepie democratises the music business.
Due to the unique nature of Slicethepie.com it was proposed and agreed for some time that an ‘above the line’ advertising approach was not appropriate for the brand at this early stage. Instead a pre-launch word of mouth marketing programme was used to recruit bands. Key to this approach was getting bands involved in the development of the site, so that they had real input and a sense of ownership early on.
Key to this approach was the use of sophisticated influence tracking software to identify those who were influential in the music world and opened a direct conversation with them to explain the Slicethepie concept. The concept was also introduced to YouTube viewers with several user testing videos, as part of the WOMM programme.
Upon launch a heavy-weight PR campaign heralded the launch of the website and kicked off an ongoing WOMM campaign to draw bands and fans into the site. We have also created a suite of digital collateral for bands to use to promote themselves. As an example, a band can send e-cards to fans, with offers of free ringtones or wallpapers. Bands can also upload banners and logos onto their own websites or onto MySpace.
Response rates in excess of 40% were achieved from the WOMM pre-launch campaign that targeted key music influencers (a typical online advertising campaign might see response rates in the region of 0.1%). When the website launched there were 800 pre-registered bands. This converted into 1300 bands signed in the first two weeks. Two bands raised the minimum finance in the first week of the site going live. Slicethepie remains in its early phases and more results will follow. However, the site is already a multi-award winner having taken the BIMA for Best Innovation, a BT DMA, a W3 for design and creativity and was recently named Best Website at the Revolution Awards 2008 and was Highly Commended in the B2C category.
What we’ve developed isn’t a social network – it’s purely about the music. We’re also clear that Slicethepie is not a record label. It is something completely new.
Smart features of www.slicethepie.com. include the ability for scouts to earn ‘promotion’ moving up the scout star rating as they gain experience and demonstrate their ability to spot emerging music talent. This means they earn more per review. As a safeguard, all tracks are streamed for a minimum of 90 seconds before a review can be written and posted.
Scouts can also earn ‘tips’ with which they can flag a band they identify as a potential star of the future. If their hunch is correct, and the band gains funding, the scout will earn more ‘Slicethepie currency’ - maybe a ‘back stage pass’ - raising both their earnings and their status.
Those scouts who earn back stage passes will receive a free download of their band’s first album, direct ‘fan to band’ communication as well as the opportunity to buy band contracts at launch price as they enter the trading exchange.
In November 2008 we launched the second iteration of the site and it wasn't just a reskin! We rescoped the site to include further business processes and included fresh IA and specification. We followed that with a new site design, build and a thorough testing programme prior to its launch. We also integrated functions with third party providers for audio streaming and payment processes.
The site topped the 2 million review mark in December 2008, recently launched a new Scout Room with Gibson Guitars and has just announced a strategic partnership with Bebo, the world's largest 'social media' network.