One of the Coachella’s hottest tickets is the invite-only Revolve Festival which takes place off grounds during Weekend 1. The shindig is held over two days at the swank Merv Griffin Palm Springs estate Revolve’s many A-list performers and DJs entertain 3,000 attendees (including celebrities, artists and other cool people). Last year ASAP Rocky, Snoop Dogg, Kendall Jenner and Chance the Rapper showed up.
To create such an envy-inducing, I-wish-I-was-there experience takes a fierce strategy. Brand New works alongside Revolve's internal talent team to help secure the right performers and ensure that all elements of production and on-site experiences relating to that talent are in top form.
Alyssa Convertini and Kellie Pean are the power force behind Brand New. The former Billboard executives have vast experience spearheading marketing, branded content and music strategy under Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter’s suite of music and entertainment brands. Through Brand New they provide immersive branded content marketing and experiences to artists and brands. They are valued collaborators for both small and large scale businesses and artists. “Our clients span across a multitude of verticals and have a unique approach to how they market their own brands,” explains Convertini. “Therefore our role with each of our clients is vastly different.”
At its foundation Convertini and Pean are marketing strategists who help brands understand how to organically establish their position in culture. They do this by connecting brands to the right lifestyle extensions, partnerships, content creation and experiences. “It’s really taking the time to ask why we are doing something, who is it for and does anyone actually care?,” says Convertini. To successfully answer those questions means being highly in tune with the lifestyle of consumers. “We don’t create content for the sake of making a video or securing an artist just because they’re trending on a chart,” Convertini adds. “Everything we produce is done with intention.”
A decade ago brand partnership alliances were somewhat taboo for artists. By aligning with a brand many musicians believed that they were selling out. “Now, it’s one of the top drivers of revenue for an artist and responsible for over $1.6 billion of reported earnings within the industry,” adds Convertini. Of course conventional methods of brand building continues to include social media or press. “But we believe that the right alliances with brand partners infused with the right aspects of storytelling can really help an artist build their personal brand, shed light on their interests, and connect with their fans in a meaningful way,” says Convertini. That also yields partnerships that are more long term.
Take their recent launch with 1800 Tequila and Pusha T which promoted new artist discovery. They worked alongside the 1800 Tequila brand team and a handful of their agency partners to create an integrated program celebrating rising hip-hop artists, music creation and discovery. The project spanned across talent procurement, live events, content creation, custom merchandise, media and more. “From our perspective, this program is the gold standard of what brands wanting to tap into culture can achieve because 1800 Tequila wasn’t afraid to actually let the artists lead the narrative,” says Convertini. The program matched the brand’s values of hard work, passion, and honesty as it brought together ten rising artists and one hip-hop legend, providing immense resources to change the course of their artistic careers.
A large part of Brand New’s success is that they are rooted in cultural relevance and relatability. “Representation matters. People often only focus on the functional skill sets without critically thinking about the importance of having a team and network that is reflective of your market,” says Pean. “Our network of peers and friends are vast and reflective of the multicultural landscape that comprises our surroundings. We are a direct part of this fabric — always sharing, learning, exploring and seeking what is next.” This approach allows them to work with brands and artists to curate content and experiences in which people have a genuine interest.
When Convertini and Pean established Brand New they were laser focused on the vast opportunities they were creating. “Change often comes with a natural element of fear, but our fear was never centered around failure,” shares Pean of having the courage to branch out beyond their comfort zones. They understood that going out on their own meant taking a huge risk. So they spent about a year planning, challenging themselves and seeking advice. During that time they identified goals, created a business plan and a solid market approach. They also secured a handful of initial clients. “At some point during that process, the fear faded and we were able to move forward with confidence,” says Pean. They also credit their network of friends, family and professional peers who reminded them of their value and capabilities during any doubt.
Also, the women specifically sought to define Brand New as a collective versus an agency. Their vision was to highlight the importance of working with a wide network of experts. “Brand New flips the paradigm on the traditional agency structure, and instead, relies on the ability to have key managers, like ourselves, curate the optimal mix of talent to deliver for our clients,” explains Pean about finding the best team to execute nuanced and diverse programs at the highest level. “We believe that having a 360, we-do-everything agency mentality, can often prevent people from achieving that level of greatness.”
Reflecting on their success the women thought about valuable advice they received along their prospective journeys. Pean’s was crawl before you walk. She received that simple but practical guidance from her uncle right after graduating college as she started her first job at Motorola. "It stays with me to this day. Because throughout my life, especially early on, there have been multiple times when I thought I deserved things that I actually wasn’t ready to receive,” she shares. “Thankfully, the universe kept me going and grounded because the knowledge of patience, humility and understanding that all things come in due time is a matter of fact.”
Convertini’s was don’t ask your employees to complete a task that you cannot do yourself. That advice was offered by one of her first bosses who she particularly admired. At the time Convertini was made responsible to manage a team of eight in her early 20s. “This advice really stayed with me and has come full circle as the co-founder of a start up,” says Convertini. “We really do everything ourselves. I’m grateful I never skipped over the details of how to get the job done.”
