I must confess ,when I first read about Falz, I gave him zero chance of survival.May be part of my challenge was that I thought he desires to ride on the fame and influence his dad already has, to create a formidable music career.
Amazingly,the dude has a masterstroke he is harnessing to get the attention he craves for.Truth be told,Falz isn’t the best of singers.If the music industry were to be a Reality TV Show,he might not make it to the finals.He however makes up for it, with his witty lyrics,dramatic song writing and an engaging social media persona .It is interesting that the dude has been able to create massive buzz for his music through the power of humour and engagement. You might ask :“What is the connection between being funny and your music being acceptable.”?
Just take a chill pill
According to a study by the Journal of Marketing, humor is the one kind of marketing message that tends to stand out. Just so long as the content was appropriate and didn’t fall flat, humor aided product recall and influenced purchase decisions among consumers.
Six months after its release, Marry Me video by Falz featuring Yemi Alade and Poe, has crossed the 1m view mark on YouTube.How did it make this happen? Its not just because of the music is rich in melody, but also because of the hilarity in the lyrics and the fact that its dramatic.When what you do becomes memorable and gives people a positive feeling, they will always want to associate with you.Its one of the secret weapons of Falz.
In the entertainment industry it’s a heroic task getting the attention of your fan and sustaining that attention.One of the tools for gaining maximum attention within minimum period is humor .An expert puts it this way: “People commit witty and entertaining language, illustrations, and occurrences to memory and they share them with others. They want to be witty, too, so will gather all the funny narratives they can manage in order to be a hit in their own social circles. If your brand is supplying some of that narrative, you will be talked about in new circles – circles that are likely to include at least a few of your ideal clients. Can you think of a better plan, or a more enjoyable method, for building a brand?”
In an interview with Pulse Tv, Falz reveals the inspiration behind the #ElloBae series: “Humour has always been in my music.It is harder to make people hear that that element is in your music and that’s what differentiates me from everyone else.I decided to bring out the character.I decided to show the character more via my social media platforms.I created an #ElloBae series on Instargram which people loved.This inspired me to create a song around ElloBae.My comedic self is embedded in my musical self”
Also of note is the power of engagement.According to John Rampton: “Did you know that there are over 1.82 billion social network users worldwide? That number is expected to increase to approximately 2.33 by 2017. Needless to say, being active on social media is an essential part of your marketing plan.”
Unlike other celebs, who just posts pictures of themselves on Instagram,clad in a glamourous outfit or showing off their new toy,Falz actually engages his fans.His followership grew in leaps when he initiated the #ElloBae competition. The viral competition began on January 31, 2015 and in the space of two weeks, hundreds of hilarious entries were received. The rule of the competition states that the individual with the funniest clip will emerge as the winner and will get to hangout with Falz.Organizing a competition or a giveaway boosts engagement on the social media.Don jazzy has also learnt the art of engaging his fans on social media.He asks questions, posts funny video clips or simply says something funny.
I have finally accepted the fact that Falz isn’t a flash in the pan.I am currently eating my humble pie and I have shared these lessons with you so you can apply it to your own Ellobae kind of brand.Dont be surprised when you see me wear an ElloBaeteeshirt.I have been infected with the Falz fever! With over 75,000 followers on Instagram, an endorsement deal and a thriving music career,I have finally concluded that Falz isn’t here to joke.
Kehinde Ajose is the CEO of Move Media a public relations and content development company, a sought after journalist and the author of Donjazzyfied.Follow him on Twitter-@splendidkenny.http:// Kennisplace.com