The Score Magazine March 2024 issue! | Page 12

As the Marketing Director , how do you approach promoting The NAMM Show , and what strategies have been particularly effective in generating excitement and engagement ?
So , our approach to NAMM Show in terms of Marketing is that we always try to invoke the feeling one would get when you come to The NAMM Show , you see the signage , you walk into the hall and see all of the gear , we want our Marketing to reflect that ! We always want people to see our marketing and re-feel what they felt earlier . And for people who haven ’ t been to the show , we want them to get a sense of what they may feel if they get here .
We are a trade show , although we believe it ’ s more of an experience . The cycle of buying and selling has changed over the last decade . So , we just call it a show and it is all about the products and the inspiration you find here . It ’ s a time and a place to come and be ahead of the latest technology . You can experience the future of what our industry is going to be doing .
Over the last few years , we also have become more casual in our speech and want to come across with a language that is comfortable with our audience . When one lands on our web page or sees our marketing materials , you need to see and feel what you would feel if you were at The NAMM Show .
Considering the dynamic nature of the music industry , how do you tailor marketing efforts to reach a diverse audience , including professionals , artists , and music enthusiasts ? So , in our new campaign , we have a base statement that says “ Music begins here ” but because our audience is so diverse and we are speaking to so many different communities , we have to come up with a campaign that allows us to speak to these communities in a way that they want to be spoken to . We are very cognitive of that ! We reach out to our other Marketing partners who can help us language to these groups in a particular way that they like to be spoken to .
For instance , our base headline says “ Music behind here ” but if we talk to guitar people , our tagline says “ Amps crank here ” and if we talk to Pro Audio people , we say “ Showbiz begins here ”. So we have designed a tagline that can identify with each of these communities . Our NAMM audience is very diverse and the way to talk to one group is different from another and it can be a challenge . I think our team has done a great job of giving us a platform to address that so can can get really specific with these particular markets .
Given the break , what has been the response to the marketing campaign for the Winter NAMM Show , and how have you ensured a strong comeback for the event ?
So , the response has been good and the first time people get to see it after a while . We are hearing good feedback so far . People like the colour palette and the vibrancy of the show . I think Marketing ’ s job is to just amplify the things that are going on . To think about it , NAMM is a reflection of this industry and is made up of its members . My job is to amplify that message . That is our guiding light !
As long as the industry continues to move forward , we will too ! We will all come together and continue to grow !
How does digital marketing play a role in enhancing the visibility and accessibility of The NAMM Show , especially for those who may not physically attend ?
When it comes to digital marketing , this is an area where we can reach folks we don ’ t normally reach or can ’ t have access to The NAMM Show . In the last couple of years , we built a platform called The NAMM Show Plus App that ’ s designed to get people from all over the world to get access to our show . We understand it ’ s not always easy to come to the show but we are trying to give you a glimpse through the app . NAMM is doing a lot more in digital marketing to figure out what resonates with the communities . It helps give us a lot of data that tells us a story .
Community engagement is crucial . How does your marketing team foster a sense of community leading up to and during The NAMM Show ?
We are made up of communities and that ’ s what NAMM is made of . You will see that in our marketing , we have community pages that have specifically designed content for these different communities . For example , if you are in the Pro Audio space , we have got information for you and we share stories and best practices that have happened . As our President mentioned in his session , we are not an industry for products but an industry for people and these people make up all these different communities .
In terms of social media , what platforms are most effective for engaging with your audience , and how do you leverage them to create a buzz around the event ?
I have to admit that NAMM has been a little behind when it comes to catching up on social media . I think for so long , people didn ’ t think of social media as a marketing tool and we have seen the change happen radically .
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