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Hip-Hop Brand Strategy
By Joseph Anthony - Whereas it was once seen as an urban phenomenon, hip-hop culture among the 12 to 34 year-old demographic now crosses political and ideological lines from the cornfields of Iowa to the streets of New York City. It is the one uniform force in the American marketplace. Formerly perceived as a niche strategy, some of today's most successful brands realize that the term "urban marketing" now expands across this entire youth demographic.
Hip Hop's Crossover: A Geographic Shift - At its core, hip hop sprang from the inner cities. From Run-DMC in Hollis, Queens, to NWA from South Central Los Angeles, the music grew from economic inequality and socio-cultural frustrations. However, what started as a New York/Los Angeles/Philadelphia art spread to artists from all corners of America. Being exposed to the music not only allows local artists to take this sound and regionalize it (the "Chopped n Screwed" trend coming out of the South typifies this), but more importantly, expand the culture, making it a palatable strategy for corporations across the country.
Sales from companies using hip-hop culture as a marketing tool aren't driven by New York, Chicago and Los Angeles; they are driven by Middle America becoming fully integrated to the culture. While politically we are a nation split among "red states" and "blue states," for youth, hip hop is the unifying force that corporations are calling on to drive sales.
Ahorre September 13, 2005 12:21 AM