CASE STUDY:
#WEAREFEARLESS
LABEL CAMPAIGN
When I started at indie record labels, music was in a different place. There was a feeling of togetherness, of picking up the people beside you if they fell down. Between artists, fans and industry, that sense of community was something I felt had waned in past years. As everyone scrambled for relevancy and ascension when traditional gatekeepers had been replaced in a new climate of music discovery and consumption, the business of music had become more selfish. As head of a record label I’d spent the past ten years helping grow, we were ushering in a new era. But the spirit of everything that came before, the reason the good ones were there in the first place, was still at it’s heart. We needed a mission statement, and while I wrote it in one sitting, what followed was the entire point in its creation. It defined us as an entity. Our artists took it and ran with it. Fans rallied round it and industry folk reached out with a new understanding of a heartening vision, reminding them why they too had once ditched the concept of a well-paid sensible vocation to pursue a passion for music.
With the #WEAREFEARLESS tagline I wanted to empower and instill those seeing it with a sense of inclusion. You are not alone. Something even those not familiar with the brand could rally around. The impression created needed to have an impact and be meaningful.
In the culmination of a series of experiential activations tagging #WEAREFEARLESS we created a brick and mortar record store, a space for bands and fans to interact with live podcasts and performances to tie in with the launch of a new Fearless merch line. In downtown LA over Grammy weekend 2020 the physical embodiment of the Call To Arms was alive.
FEARLESS 25TH 7” SERIES
Fearless Records turned 25 in 2019, and to commemorate I created a 7” series where we pulled some of Fearless’ most beloved tracks, previously unreleased B-sides, live, acoustic versions and brand new tracks and released a new piece of vinyl on the 25th of each month, with a corresponding digital release. Showcasing both current and alumni artists, it boosted back catalog and was an effective reminder of the history and breadth of Fearless roster.
FEARLESS 25TH ANNIVERSARY ACTIVATIONS
We created memorable activations at some of the biggest music events in 2019, to allow direct reach to new fans in a creative way:
THE FEARLESS ARMS - a British Pub Experience at Slam Dunk Festival, Leeds & Hatfield, UK - the seven artists we had performing at the show did signings and performances from the pub roof, while crowds were waiting between sets.
FEARLESS MERCHARCADE- Sonic Temple Festival, Columbus - we built out an arcade / merch and record store in a shipping container for festival goers to interact with the Fearless brand.
FEARLESS x MANIC PANIC Dye Bar - Vans Warped Tour, final weekends in Mountain View, CA and Long Island, NY - we partnered with Manic Panic to offer fans at the final weekends of the legendary traveling punk rock festival free hair coloring in our custom salon on site.
Fans once cared about what record label the bands they loved were a part of. I discovered some of my favorite artists just because they shared the same imprint as other music I knew, and it was that that drew me to working at an indie label in the first place - a way of paying it forward, of sorts.
Being at the helm of one of the remaining labels to still have a vast and active community to tap into, I wanted to bring some of that sentiment back, and revive the interest of the valuable and dedicated fans in our scene. From ad campaigns featuring my handwritten words, to the Fearless Pin Club with a new enamel pin released each month,. Events bringing together the rock community over Grammy weekend, a ridiculous icicle tricycle helping us stand out in a parking lot of punters at Warped Tour delivering Punk Goes Popcicles named after our infamous compilation series, and a dedication to helping our artists and fans be heard, it was important to continually find creative ways of connecting our artists and fans in meaningful ways, to harness the fond nostalgia to reemphasize Fearless’ prevailing dedication to keeping that spirit alive. To serve as a reminder that the folks behind the artists were people that really gave a sh*t about what they did on a daily basis, to elevate and expose artists with only one hope - that with our help, today you might just discover your new favorite band.
