How Influential Are Music Videos on Beauty & Style? 3 Key Insights For Beauty and Apparel Brands

How Influential Are Music Videos on Beauty & Style? 3 Key Insights For Beauty and Apparel Brands

INTRO Music videos are visually striking and endlessly creative. It s no surprise that for many fans, music videos are a powerful source of beauty and style inspiration. The apparel worn in music videos defines trends of the moment, from Beyoncé s kale sweatshirt (39 million views to date for 7/11 ) to Drake s Moncler puffer jacket (1.1 billion views and counting for Hotline Bling ). The looks worn by artists demonstrate how style is an intrinsic part of music videos and even immortal. After all, how can you think about Michael Jackson s Thriller and not envision his iconic red leather jacket? Or Miley Cyrus Dr. Martens boots from Wrecking Ball? Meanwhile, beauty also plays a defining role in an artist s signature look, from Adele s winged eyeliner (5.5 billion views across her videos), to Taylor Swift s vintage red lipstick (10.7 billion views across her videos). Artists like Madonna, Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Lady Gaga are regularly pushing the envelope and creating videos that exercise their style chops. These videos make a mark on pop culture that reaches a large audience, and in turn creates an opportunity for brands that want to connect with their key consumers. So how can brands focused on style and beauty win among an audience that is most passionate about music?

GROWING AD SPEND MEANS SMARTER AD SPEND In mid-2016, it was forecasted that CPG spending which includes spending on beauty would reach nearly $6 billion in digital advertising, a growth of 18% over 2015. Unsurprisingly, the biggest advertisers in this space would also move towards allocating more budget towards digital 1. Similarly, reports for retail spending, which is inclusive of spending for apparel, would reach $15.09 billion in advertising spend in 2016. Although retail ad spend growth is less rapid compared to beauty, it is still expected to grow to $23.04 billion by 2020 2. This growth in digital spend only means that we can expect brands to get more strategic and savvy with mobile, programmatic, and digital video advertising to better target audiences. CONNECTING WITH AUDIENCES IN A POWERFUL WAY For brands to better connect with their audience through music videos, we need to understand foremost why professional musicians are good influencers for products. In a general population study, when asked what stars made the best trendsetters for products, musicians were at the top of the list. WHAT STARS ARE GOOD INFLUENCERS FOR PRODUCTS? TOTAL POP Professional Musicians 62% TV/Movie Celebrities 56% Social Media Stars 52% Star Athletes 50% Source: Vevo 2016 Music Audience Report

We drilled down on why, and discovered three core criteria: RELATABILITY, EXPRESSION, AUTHENTICITY. MUSICIANS OUTSHINE OTHER CELEBRITY TYPES AS GOOD INFLUENCERS FOR PRODUCTS 3 : MUSICIANS CELEBRITIES FROM TV/MOVIES SOCIAL MEDIA STARS STAR ATHLETES They do it in a fun and entertaining way 33% 23% 23% 18% They re more believable 29% 18% 18% 14% I trust them more 29% 16% 16% 12% It seems more personal 28% 20% 20% 14% They speak my language 28% 20% 20% 13% They re more choosy about the products they promote 25% 15% 15% 18% They understand me better 24% 18% 18% 10% They re more like a friend 24% 19% 19% 11% They ll tell me the good and the bad 23% 20% 20% 13% They ll show me product details that matter 22% 18% 18% 13% Source: Vevo 2016 Music Audience Report Let s take a closer look at the music video s relevancy amongst its key audiences, and what those audiences do after they watch. What opportunities are there for brands to interact with this audience at any phase in this process? Would brands find value in integrating, or is the biggest opportunity actually after the video has ended? Understanding audience behavior towards music will provide beauty and apparel brands what they need to know in order to win with this audience.

1 KEY LEARNING MUSICIANS ARE THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF STYLE Media and entertainment influence so much of pop culture, from the latest TV shows to the latest must have style trends. However, amongst many types of inspiration, music remains the biggest source of style inspiration for both males and females 4 : SOURCES VEVO USERS TURN TO FOR STYLE INSPIRATION: FEMALES MALES INSPIRATION Musicians 75% 62% Actors/Actresses 72% 55% Social Media 72% 50% Magazines 69% 48% Movies/TV 62% 59% YouTubers/Beauty Bloggers 61% 29% Professional athletes 28% 39% Source: Vevo Soundboard, Music and Style Study, August 2016 69% In fact, of respondents (both male and female) felt that musicians styles are very, or at least somewhat, influential to their overall sense of personal style.

77% of Vevo users agree that musicians are good spokespeople for style brands. This yields an enormous opportunity, and many brands have used artists in all types of creative collaborations. We ve seen it with Estee Lauder and Britney Spears whose fragrance has seen success for over a decade 5 to product collaborations like Rihanna and Puma, whose Fenty Puma by Rihanna collection sold out in record time and involved the artist taking the helm as Creative Director within the brand. Even without a direct artist relationship, seeking out music platforms that surround these artists creates a powerful alignment. No one can deny the strength of music as part of a brand strategy. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Making musicians a part of your digital strategy is key. Brands can make themselves relevant and accessible by finding ways to align with artists, whether it s integrating a product into a music video, sponsoring a music video, or creating interview or docu-style content around the artist, to be a part of the conversation.

VERBATIM: FANS FEEL INSPIRED BY VEVO STARS It s kind of a mix of everyone I see, and I pick and choose what I like about one over another. I love Gwen Stefani s makeup (even though I can t really pull it off) but I also like Rihanna s shoes and Beyoncé has great hair and fashion. Everyone is inspiring, you just choose what s right for you. females mentioned Rihanna, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani males mentioned Usher, Diddy, 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, Niall Horan...When asked about what musicians inspire their style. Source: Vevo Soundboard, Music and Style Study, August 2016

2 KEY LEARNING VIEWERS ARE DRIVEN BY MUSIC VIDEOS TO CREATE LOOKS OF THEIR OWN The styles in music videos can generate awareness of the brands featured. 77% of Vevo users are aware of clothing brands used in music videos, while a quarter will take a step further in looking up the brands to find out more info after viewing. However, the majority don t typically do this research. Although the desire to investigate further may not be present, the inspiration leaves an impact, with half very or somewhat likely to share style ideas from music videos with their friends. Artists and their inspirations in general are just as important. 66% of Vevo users want to know more about their favorite artist s style inspirations and this percentage rose to 72% when looking just at females users. Learning about beauty and style regimens of artists is also important in terms of this get-the-look impulse. 70% of females 13-34 wanted to learn more about their favorite artist s beauty and style routines. This desire drives audiences to consider the influences of not just the music they hear, but also artists they see. Brands can position themselves to be a part of this discovery.

VERBATIM: FANS MAKE STYLE INSPIRATIONS THEIR OWN I really love Lana Del Rey s sexy, yet comfortable style, and I like to mimic her style with edgier pieces and a lot of leather. Jhene Aiko is a free spirit and you can definitely see that through her clothing. She is very boho-chic with her flowy skirts, feathers in her hair, and crop top shirts with flowers on them. I absolutely love her style and this influences most of my summer looks. I quite like Fergie s style. She has basic pieces but creates interest with different patterns and textures. Each piece looks worn as if she s had it for years (similar to my wardrobe) which makes it unique to the individual. Layered comfort. Taylor Swift - her makeup is always on point. Lately, Ariana Grande. A simple winged liner, lashes, and neutral to bold lip. But I also get inspiration from artists like Rihanna and Beyoncé if I want a more detailed eye. I would say Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj, and Selena Gomez really inspire my makeup style the most. They all do the very popular winged eyeliner that I wear everyday of my life. I love all of their glam and natural looks, so I try to glam it up on the weekends while doing a more natural look like them during school, or a weekday. When I think about makeup style, I try to replicate any one of their makeup styles. Source: Vevo Soundboard, Music and Style Study, August 2016

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Be a part of the inspiration. Brands can align with an inspiring experience. For example, we partnered with Clean & Clear and helped create a memorable experience for a young fan to interview Shawn Mendes and ask him for tips on being confident. Creating custom how-to content on Vevo is also a powerful way to connect with the audience. This is demonstrated in the 9-episode custom series Style Mix Designed by Nordstrom, where artists like Hailee Steinfeld, Vic Mensa, and more are interviewed about their style and inspiration, then viewers are given a how-to on authentically achieving the look using products available at Nordstrom. Brands can also take part in opportunities to be integrated in music videos to be a part of the story. Vevo partnered with Lexus to integrate a custom car in British artist Dua Lipa s video for Be The One and was able to construct a dramatic storyline that was both bold and impressive.

3 KEY LEARNING KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE AND THEIR STYLE PREFERENCES How much are artists involved in defining their own style and having control over what they wear? 68% of Vevo users aged 13-34 agreed that musicians are in control of their own style and the brands they use or wear. Their sentiment demonstrates a belief in artist authenticity with not just their music, but also with their image. Perhaps that authenticity is also why 60% of 13-34 year olds like to buy or use the same style brands that their favorite musicians use. A third of respondents felt that they were more interested in style brands that are sponsored by famous musicians. The top two reasons why musicians were named as good trendsetters for products in this age group is because they do it in a fun and entertaining way and because they re more believable. Furthermore, younger users might feel more attuned to artists, thanks to the connection social media gives. Almost half of all 13-34 year olds say they follow or like musicians on social media more so than any other celebrity group with the majority doing so on at least two different social platforms. They tend to use Facebook (63%), YouTube (48%), and Instagram (43%) as their go-to platforms. It s also interesting to look at how Vevo users describe their personal style as well as where they made their beauty and style purchases and how this varied across the age groups. Across all age breaks and genders surveyed, Vevo users described their style most as comfortable, and department stores seemed to be the go-to destination for beauty and style purchases across all age breaks.

CHECK OUT HOW DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS DEFINED THEIR PERSONAL STYLE AND WHERE THEY HEAD TO MAKE THEIR STYLE PURCHASES: 13-24 year olds are more likely to describe their style as comfortable (82% of them, in fact, making up the highest percentage), followed by classic and trendy. They typically shop at department stores and branded apparel stores. Most 25-34 year olds are more likely to define their personal style as comfortable, followed by classic and unique, and turn to online retailers and branded apparel stores to do their style-related shopping. 35-49 year olds described their style as comfortable foremost, then classic and thrifty. They typically hit department stores, branded apparel stores, and online retailers for their style and beauty purchases. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Authenticity is key when speaking to your audience. It s important to know your audience and how to successfully reach and engage them. Choose content and artists carefully based off of what resonates with each demographic and find experts and research that can support those decisions. Gender, age, generation and fan engagement should all play into your artist alignment and branded content and strategy.

CONCLUSION It s no surprise that style and music fit together both represent creativity at heart. Style is not just about clothes, accessories, and makeup, but rather it s the emotions and confidence that they create. As shared by one Vevo user, I tried to recreate a style from this music video because it was a totally new look I have never seen before. For me personally, I like to switch up my style every once in a while so I m not boring. So, when I saw a girl wearing buns in her hair like Miley Cyrus, a crop top with overalls, I just had to try it out. The person in the music video looked absolutely remarkable even though it was such a simple outfit I have never tried before. The girl looked confident, stylish, and ready to take on the world. I wanted to be just like her. That feeling is exciting. You can bet that Kanye fans who watched Wolves were inspired by the looks in the video just as much as the viewers who counted Taylor Swift s outfit changes in Blank Space. Vevo s monthly reach of 97 million unique viewers across mobile and desktop reflects the massive relevance and influence of music videos, and marketers representing beauty and apparel brands can stay top of mind when they can truly connect with a music strategy that is rooted where it counts - in video.

VEVO ADVERTISING hq.vevo.com/advertising advertising@vevo.com The Vevo Soundboard is composed of Vevo viewers in the U.K. and U.S. opting to participate in an online research community. The panel is weighted to reflect the age, gender, and location of the overall Vevo user audience. The Vevo Music Audience Report is an annual survey of the U.S. general population ages 13-54, weighted to match the U.S. Census. SOURCES: 1. emarketer The US CPG and Consumer Products Industry 2016: Digital Ad Spending Forecast and Trends. May 31, 2016. http://www.emarketer.com/article/cpg-advertisers-spend-nearly-6-billion-on-digital-advertising-this-year/1014012. 2. emarketer Retail Will Continue to Outspend Other Industries on Digital Advertising. May 16, 2016. https://www.emarketer.com/article/retail-will- Continue-Outspend-Other-Industries-on-Digital-Advertising/1013958. 3. Vevo 2016 Music Audience Report. 4. Vevo Soundboard, Music and Style Study, August 2016. 5. Billboard. How Fashion Became Music s New Income Stream. September 11, 2015. http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6693279/ fashion-music-clothing-brands-style-income-business.