THE NEW BEAT OF MUSIC DISCOVERY
Liverpool’s successful hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, on behalf of Ukraine, presented an opportunity to deliver a musically charged visitor campaign for Liverpool City Region (LCR).
The impact of the international song contest on the region’s profile was a once in a lifetime opportunity to position the city as the UK’s City of Music. Music and travel are intrinsically linked – the city’s rich musical heritage and emerging contemporary music scenes, to date, have been underutilised as one of the primary reasons for visiting LCR.
It was vital that the campaign strategy incorporated city region wide product and themes to profile the length and breadth of the city region’s offer for visitors. This unique approach devised a diverse campaign that uses music as the hook to drive incentive to explore and discover the city and sub-regions wider offer
The city’s proud history, heritage and inspiration – drawn from the Merseyside musical pioneers of the 1960s, 70s and beyond – form the foundation for the city’s scene and sound today.
The Liverpool music scene is arguably stronger and more diverse now than it has ever been. Rather than a “scene”, it is a collection of many different groups, happenings and movements, all contributing to a buzzing, vibrant culture of creativity and collaboration. It’s also incredibly cosmopolitan, bringing together Merseyside musicians and artists from across the entire city region. This huge melting pot of cultures and ideas is firmly reflected in the sounds and songs of the city.
There’s no question that The Beatles remain one of the most innovative and influential bands of all time, but they’re by no means the only pioneering artists to come out of Liverpool, and the current scene continues the city’s long tradition of producing exciting new sounds.
In a world where music lovers constantly seek new rhythms and experiences, Liverpool stands poised as a destination that offers more than just the usual musical trail. Visit Liverpool’s innovative campaign has redefined the city as a haven for those who dare to discover something distinct in the music world.
Often overshadowed by musical meccas like Berlin or London, Liverpool’s rich musical heritage and vibrant contemporary scene make it a potentially undiscovered gem for explorers of sound. This campaign is a clarion call to those music enthusiasts who yearn to be pioneers, not just followers. It’s about experiencing the thrill of the new and being the first to uncover Liverpool’s unique musical offerings.
‘See Phase’: Unveiling Liverpool’s Beat
Our first phase of the campaign was all about sparking curiosity. Inviting influencers and content creators to Liverpool for a 48-hour musical discovery challenging perceptions and showcasing the city’s diverse musical landscape. Street campaigns added an element of surprise, urging people to consider Liverpool as their next musical journey.
Using the strapline ‘Discover a New Beat’ the intention was to bring Liverpool’s thriving music scene to a new audience, using user generated content that audiences can relate to – the ‘people like me’ element was a fundamental consideration in producing genuine and authentic content that audiences can relate to. Giving Liverpool the competitive edge over rival destinations in the sense of fear of missing out proved inspirational.
Engaging our city region venues, attractions artists and hospitality partners was vital – the success of the campaign rested entirely on being able to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of the offer. As expected, the call to arms was received with encouragement and genuine willingness to get involved and be part of the narrative.
‘Think Phase’: Building Desire
This phase utilised the assets from the first phase to build desire and excitement of a new destination and music scene. The full marketing mix was utilised – out of home, email marketing, paid social, radio campaigns, PR, video and photography – that have created a suite of assets that will continue to be used beyond the life span of the campaign.
The creation of a hero video Discover a new beat encapsulated the spirit of Liverpool’s music scene, aiming to convert attention into desire. The campaign’s narrative extends beyond Liverpool, highlighting the rich musical tapestry of the entire region. A 360-degree film of Liverpool’s music scene against iconic backdrops emphasizes the city’s uniqueness, encouraging viewers to see Liverpool as a world-class music destination. Content, blogs and email marketing around the best things to do in Liverpool, stealing itineraries and generally highlighting all the great music stuff in the city developed a really solid base of assets and intelligence that are authentic and inspiring.
One of my personal highlights is the PR stunt activation activity that involved 4 local artists performing in iconic locations across the city. From a DJ at the Bombed Out Church, to a grime rapper playing to fans at LFC, to Red Rum walking in the shoes of another famous four performing an intimate gig at the Cavern to Michael Aldag busking at Liverpool One. The angle here is how music is on every corner of this city, whether you’re a football fan, culture vulture or love to shop – its unmistakeable and infectious and part of the city’s DNA.
‘Do Phase’: Turning Desire into Action
Here, the focus shifts to practical aspects of visiting Liverpool. Sharing tips on budget-friendly experiences, highlighting hotel and flight deals, and curating targeted itineraries based on data, the campaign ensures that potential visitors see Liverpool as an accessible and appealing choice. Partnerships with platforms like Ticketmaster added credibility and ease to the planning process, highlighting some of the best opportunities for experiencing live music in the city.
Through the paid social activity, the outcomes are mind blowing. We have had 21m video plays, 30m impressions and 69k link clicks, with our top audiences being London, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway and Spain. Putting Liverpool on the map for music was the objective, and search term references have included ‘what’s on in Liverpool’, ‘Liverpool weekend trip’ and ‘Liverpool events’. Hitting and exceeding our campaign targets has been a massive thrill personally, but also brilliant and proud that we delivered exactly what our target audience wanted.
Here is a city that is thriving, our best kept secret is now out of the bag and – in my opinion – we can confidently claim the title of UK City of Music. We have the assets and statistics to prove it!
