RESEARCH
Mandy Madison: Rythmakin'
The Adlib-style prompt of a crossover artist's music tour led to the brand development that follows throughout this thesis presentation—a concert tour for Mandy Madison, a classically trained jazz pianist now leading a hip-hop group. The brand's evolution is a journey that resonates deeply with the need determined in the initial stages of the process: Understanding. Felton (2013) described understanding as the need to comprehend, teach, learn, discover patterns, and make connections. This is a journey of nostalgia that leads to a contemporary branding approach.
Messaging
Last year, for the second year in a row, The Rock the Bells Festival sold out, which the president of the organization, James Cuthbert, states "is a testament to the enduring power and impact of this culture and movement that has changed lives and influenced the world" (Rock The Bells, 2023, para. 2).​ The revival of artists of past decades, such as LL COOL J, RUN DMC, and Salt-n-Pepa, in festivals such as Rock the Bells is indicative of the current times. That, coupled with the emphasis on the rich history of the music globally, which people have traveled internationally to experience tours of "the birthplace of hip-hop," NYC (Miles, 2023), gives a sense of nostalgia that has allowed a resurgence of art and culture from decades past. The artists mentioned were shaping their time's music by channeling the music that came before them, as music, art, and culture are very cyclical.
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"Jazz is the mother or father of hip-hop music" (Jazz Night in America, 2017, 00:47), and "It is a relationship that's ancestral (Sound Field, 2021, 00:05)"; hence, the name of Mandy's Tour is Rythmakin'. It is an invented word formed by looking at hip-hop and its origins, primarily jazz. The two genres are rhythmically akin or kin: of similar nature, character, or related. The tour will provide an understanding of the two American music genres on a deeper, more intimate level to melomaniacs and audiophiles who grew up with hip-hop and have the urge to understand and make connections to the music and the pioneers that helped shape the genre. Mandy Madison has the unique opportunity to provide understanding. She can utilize the historical past and reference, pay homage to, or even parody media of the past in a way that informs and entertains (Prange, 2020).
Voice & Tone
The tagline for the brand came about when looking at the music from an all-encompassing view. African American communities used music to cope with the traumas of enslavement, communicating about life, death, spirituality, and emotions. (U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d.). Beyond simply understanding the music from a historical or cultural perspective, making the connections as to the origins is the importance of what understanding does for humanity. Music speaks to most humans profoundly, whether as a form of communication in place of written or simply verbal, versus listening out of enjoyment or as a spiritual community. Hip-hop is even now becoming a viable option in the medical community to treat common woes of human beings, such as depression and anxiety (Mashable, 2023). Hence, the tagline “Evolving Mind and Enriching Soul” speaks directly to the power of music and hip-hop as a genre of music for spiritual and social change (Prange, 2020).
Look & Feel
Hip-hop is not just about music; art and fashion have evolved as a unit (Jenkins, 2015). One necessary attribute of this brand was the inclusion or appearance of street or subway art. The use of this medium in the branding speaks directly to the culture that Mandy is sharing with her audience. Although it went through equal growing pains like its counterpart, rap music, it is now more accepted and revered. Artists now use street art to highlight or pay homage to people or events of significant cultural or sociopolitical meaning. It is a powerful way to shed light on injustice and hopefully plant seeds for a brighter future (Sabino, 2020).
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Recreating the street art look for the branding required several vital components. One thing was the inspiration. One book that helped immensely was Subway Art by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant! Although the images are primarily of just that, Subway art versus Street art, paintings created on concrete or brick, it still gave a critical understanding of the graphic approach to the art. When developing the branding for Mandy Madison, it was essential to utilize brick texture as that was more representative of street art or the powerful murals that have increased in scale and quantity in recent years. Initially, the branding started with brick and concrete, but ultimately, the concrete was cold, stark, and distracting, whereas the brick provided warmth, grit or texture, and a needed pattern. A splendid example of the successful use and acceptance of this art medium on a commercial level is the “Graffiti-Style” Mural commissioned by Hasbro, Inc. to promote their Transformers: Rise of the Beasts film, showcasing the brand in a vital, passionate ‘90s art style.” (aNb Media, 2023, para 2) The branding approach complemented the fictional film, which takes place during the ’90s and “is packed with Hip-Hop classics.” (Ridgely, 2023) that crackle with the grittiness and rawness of a different era.
Continuing this nostalgic trip, another critical piece of imagery in the look and feel of the brand is the organic, free-flowing art representing an ancient art technique, Paper Marbling. The main image used throughout was created digitally using MidJourney, a generative AI program, with a prompt calling out the art process and specifying the colors. Although it is representative of the revival that design and art are experiencing, where old-world printing techniques are on the rise alongside new art and design technologies, it may only partially be as meteoric. Still, it is certainly noteworthy, and younger generations are embracing it. (Falconer Printing, 2020) The “portraits of Mandy” were created through MidJourney as well. Again, it is essential to remember that Mandy herself is fictional, as is artwork created by an algorithm. The importance of the imagery is the way they work together harmoniously to create something, albeit digital, that has the presence of a physical mural.
Messaging
Mandy hopes to reach the audience of enthusiasts and purveyors of vintage goods. Customers are part of the “re-commerce” movement, a trend that increased through COVID-19, where younger shoppers with wealth continue to grow revenue in the secondhand market. (Dickler, 2022) In some cases, they are willing to pay more for the value or exclusivity of the items. Another view of the trend in secondhand or used markets increasing is meaningful commerce. Meaningful commerce can be achieved by supporting small businesses, researching product manufacturing to ensure it aligns with their values, or buying and selling secondhand items. (Morin, 2022) Younger generations are starting to embrace vintage items, but funny enough, one section of commerce where this has been clear for some time is the sale of used records or vinyl. Going back to 2018, the number of record stores was increasing, and in 2022, vinyl record sales reached a 35-year high, pushing the production and sale of records even further (Yusuf, 2023).
The psychographics of the target audience were the driving force behind many of the design decisions. It largely overtook the logo design after weeks of sketching and revising. The logo came from aha moments and the collective research from the previous course, from thinking back to the need, but importantly, thinking of the brand persona. This tour is intended for melomaniacs, audiophiles who voraciously collect vinyl music and indulge in live shows, the history and culture they come steeped in, and a further understanding of where that music came from and where it is headed.
Final Logo
While conceptualizing the logo, exploring, and playing with the font and the individual placement of letters led to something more profound and exploratory, much like jazz album covers through the ’60s and ’70s (Paulo, J., & Wiedemann, J., 2012), allowing the words to flow. Digging back into that nostalgia of a different time allowed a new concept to emerge, more indicative of the music. It speaks to the music that significantly defined the artist and the music the target audience seeks a better understanding of. Jazz, Soul, and funk eventually evolved into one of the most popular forms of music today, Rap. However, more importantly, it showcases the culture that created that music: Hip-Hop. (Ice-T. 2012). Through the exploration done, two letters indicated a form that had yet to be seen through any previous explorations: a needle. That needle, specifically a needle that allows music to be transmitted from a piece of vinyl through a speaker and then to the human ear, is vital for the development of Hip-Hop, and it speaks directly to the target audience of this brand. The rest of the design quite literally formed around it!
Media Assets
These discoveries also led to the realization that the two most essential pieces of media to create were SWAG elements that could either be complimentary for audience members at a show or sold in music retailers or lifestyle specialty retail stores to “kidults.” “As of 2022, they are responsible for one-fourth of all toy sales annually.” (Whitten, 2022, para. 2) A great deal of these purchases are for brands that have always had a great deal of fandom surrounding them, such as Star Wars and Marvel, but that is not to say that companies such as Funko and Super-7 have not had success catering to melomaniacs selling action figures or collectibles of famous musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia. Again, utilizing MidJourney and with the added help of the Adobe Creative Suite, a Mandy Madison Action Figure was born! Moreover, perfectly paired with the doll is a 35mm vinyl record for Mandy’s new album, Rythmakin’.
Look & Feel
The brand's visual success relies on its color palette and typography choices. The initial typography choices were revised after several months, as they needed to fit better with the brand's nostalgic elegance and power. The revised typography choices complemented the overall branding better. Ultimately, the decision was made to utilize fonts from the Tipofili foundry, which specializes in fonts influenced by hand-lettered posters from the early twentieth century (Tipofili • Portofino, n.d.). One of the most excellent features of the header font is how well it works when manipulated to flow, allowing further cohesion with the rest of the imagery.
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The primary color purple works well, not only because of its link to creativity but also wealth. Wealth refers to a wealth of knowledge, the knowledge or, more precisely, wisdom that Mandy and her band are sharing with their audience. The other primary color is blue, specifically dark blue, which also speaks to spirituality, but more importantly, it speaks to intelligence and trustworthiness. This is important as the need for this tour is rooted in understanding and enrichment. The target audience trusts Mandy Madison to guide them on a musical and visual journey that transforms their understanding of the music she is creating (Kramer, 2022; Stanton, 2023).
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The three secondary colors are significant for multiple reasons beyond just complementing and creating contrast with richer colors in the palette. Black is associated with sophistication and power. These are both attributes that can also be associated with understanding as the more the consumer begins to understand a subject, such as music, and more specifically, specific genres of that art form, such as Jazz and Hip-hop, they begin to acquire a level of power or sophistication in their understanding. The goldish or peach orange used speaks to creativity, energy, and boldness, which this tour offers. The muted approach to the color also speaks to the earth itself and nature, where repetition, pattern, and rhythm thrive on both an audible and visual scale that humans continue to discover. It also leans slightly into a metallic or gold shade of orange, which speaks to prosperity and wealth, hinting at wisdom (Kramer, 2022; Stanton, 2023).
Brand Archetype
When working through the branding, simply listening to music provided great inspiration and focus, but certain documentaries were crucial in helping shape the brand's direction. One was How It Feels to Be Free, directed by Yoruba Richen. This film showcased the lives and courage of six African American female artists who all overcame a great deal of adversity. It significantly impacted not only their field but society. Cass (2021) states that The Explorer archetype represents innovation, ambition, and self-discovery. The choice of the Explorer Archetype for Mandy’s brand was vital in speaking to who she is; she is not simply picking up the torch or carrying on the legacy; she is pushing the boundaries of music. She is embarking on new territories and soundscapes not yet discovered, inviting the audience to join her on this journey. It is worth noting that the Archetype chosen differs from the brand’s need: Understanding. Beyond the fact that the Sage Archetype, which represents Understanding, also explores spirituality, both archetypes seek connection for conveying or experiencing something greater than themselves.
REFERENCE:
Felton, G. (2013). Advertising: Concept and copy. W.W. Norton.
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Rock The Bells. (2023, August 29). Rock the bells festival sells out for a second straight year with a celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rock-the-bells-festival-sells-out-for-a-second-straight-year-with-a-celebration-honoring-the-50th-anniversary-of-hip-hop-301912607.html
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Kramer, L. (2022). Color meanings and the art of using color symbolism - 99designs. (n.d.). https://99designs.com/blog/tips/color-meanings/
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