Black Friday Edition: 3 Examples of Brand Building Through Giving Back
Yooo. Happy Holidays! We’re gonna keep it super brief this week because, obviously.
Song of the week: J. Cole - Apparently
This is a good vibe to kick off your Friday with & between this track and “Love Yourz” the vibe of gratitude shines bright.
If you’ve never listened to this song or J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive album you’re missing out.
But anyway, let’s get to today’s piece. It’s a Black Friday Edition!
The holidays are when people (and brands) think about giving back the most. Discounts, sweepstakes, special products, you name it.
For those who don’t know, a lot of brands have social responsibility arms that do work in the community around this time of year, and the same goes for a lot rappers.
The thing about giving is that when it’s truly aligned with a brands mission, and core to who they are, it not only benefits the community, it also does wonders for building the brand’s reputation.
So, with that in mind, these are some of my favorite moments where rappers gave back to their fans/communities.
I. 21 SAVAGE’S ‘ISSA BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE’
21 Savage is one of the most prominent rappers of the new generation, and with his star power, he gives back to his community as much as possible.
Every year, his foundation, “Leading By Example,” brings in the school year by hosting a back-to-school drive in the Atlanta area.
But it isn’t just any ol’ back to school drive…
At his annual drive, 21 gives away everything from shoes, to book bags and haircuts. He even includes his brand partners Foot Locker, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Warner Chappell to help get it done.
Because of that, attendees can also get information pertaining to financial literacy and much more.
As of 2022, the program has been running for 7 years.
II. DRAKE": GOD’S PLAN
This campaign is probably the most prevalent in the ad world when talking about rappers giving back while generating buzz.
Here’s The Background…
Drake was working on the follow up to his highly anticipated album “Views,” and it was tense few months.
He was in the middle of a feud with Joe Budden, (and soon Kanye West & Pusha T), and his new project was slated to the last album under his record deal with Cash Money.
Fans were waiting to see what he was going to do next.
Then around January something happened:
Two songs leaked on Twitter, which prompted Drake to drop the first of his “Scary Hours” EPs.
The immediate standout from the two song EP was…
GOD’S PLAN.
And exactly how did Drake reveal God’s plan?
Well. Through the music video, of course.
The official video for God’s Plan actually doubled as a giveaway. Drake went all around Miami giving out close to $1 million in cash ($996,631.90 to be exact) to help fans with everything from bills to college tuition.
He even tapped a young Toronto video director named Karena Evans to direct the video, and help give her career a boost.
“God’s Plan” created tons of earned PR in publications like Billboard, Rolling Stone, and more. Not to mention, the social chatter surrounding his next album went through the roof.
To date it’s Drake’s second most commercially successful single, only surpassed by the infectious Afrobeat jam “One Dance”.
III. YOUNG DOLPH HELPS TWO DUKE STUDENTS ‘GET PAID’
For those who’ve never heard of Young Dolph he was a rapper from Memphis, TN who was known for his witty lyrics, business acumen, and overall message telling artists to ‘boss up’ so they can get paid.
His life was unfortunately cut short two years ago right before Thanksgiving, but in his absence he’s left a ton of teachable lessons for those who continue to listen to his music.
For one, Dolph had a really special relationship with his fans…
In Memphis, he was known for giving back to causes ranging from donations to school sports teams to hosting Mother’s Day brunches to help mothers who were victims of domestic violence.
But one particular giveaway that caught my (and social media’s attention) had to do with two Duke university students working as baristas at the campus coffee shop.
As the story goes…
The barista pair were playing Young Dolph’s music during their shift. The VP of Duke heard the music as he walked in to place and order was offended by what he heard.
He berated the students for the music, and made calls to have them immediately.
It was crazy to hear about in real time.
And again, if you know anything about Dolph, you know that all he wanted was for people to “Get paid”
When Dolph caught wind of what happened not only did he invite the two baristas to his Rolling Loud performance to perform with him, but he also gave them $20k to keep them afloat while they looked for new jobs.
Once social media got a hold of the story, the coffee chain cut ties with Duke University and offered the students employment at one of their other off-campus locations.
So, if nothing else, give Dolph some streams this week because of such a dope gesture. This is my favorite joint by him:
EPILOGUE
And that’s all folks!
Hip-hop does give back & in these instances it had an impact on the strength of the brand.
Moreover, whether we’re talking about social sentiment, streams, or anything in between I’m willing to bet that these gestures by each artist had a tangible & measurable impact on their brand/bottom line.
Keep these campaigns in mind when thinking about how to work with artists/influencers in 2024, especially around the holiday season, because giving back works for all parties involved including the consumer. I think marketers forget that sometimes.
But, marketing aside, just give because everyone can use a helping hand at some point, ya know?
Enjoy the holiday — don’t work too hard.
Peace.