Marketing the Music

Overview

This engaging 50-minute lesson is designed for Year 10 students (11-12 years old) and focuses on key elements of the UK National Curriculum for Music, specifically involving creativity, understanding of the music industry, and cross-disciplinary skills such as business and marketing. It introduces students to the concept of developing a marketing plan and business presentation for a musician and music video, encouraging analytical problem-solving and entrepreneurial thinking.

Curriculum Area and Level:
This lesson addresses the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum for Music by developing students’ understanding of the wider role of music in society and culture. It also ties into personal development areas such as critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand how musicians market themselves and their music videos in the industry.
2. Develop collaborative skills by working in small groups to design a marketing concept.
3. Use creative thinking to align a video’s theme with an artist's image and target audience.
4. Present and communicate their ideas effectively in a concise business presentation.

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (5 mins)

Objective: Spark curiosity and introduce the real-world application of marketing in the music industry.

1. Play a short clip from a popular artist’s music video (e.g., Adele, Stormzy, or Harry Styles).
2. Ask:
   • “What do you notice about how their image is presented in this music video?
   • “Who do you think the video is targeted at (age group, gender, etc.), and why?”
3. Write three ideas from students on the board to encourage participation.

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Core Activity 1: The Basics of Music Marketing (10 mins)

Objective: Familiarise students with the essentials of marketing a musician and music video.

1. Use a quick PowerPoint presentation or whiteboard discussion to explain:

   • Branding: What image the artist portrays.
   • Target Audience: Age, demographic, and interests of the people who consume the music.
   • Promotion: How music and video are advertised (e.g., social media, posters, live events).

2. Show a few examples of musicians (diverse in genres and styles) with contrasting marketing approaches. Ask students to classify their marketing strategies.

Key Discussion Questions:

• What does their brand tell us about their personality and music?
• How would you change their plan to reach a younger or older audience?

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Core Activity 2: Group Task – Build a Marketing Plan (25 mins)

Objective: Engage students in applying what they’ve learned to a real-world scenario.

1. Divide the class into 6 groups of 5 students. Provide each group with the following materials:

   • A fictional musician profile (e.g., genre, style, imagery)
   • A brief description of their latest music video (e.g., mood, visuals, storyline)
   • Flipchart paper and markers (or laptops if available for quick designs).

2. Assign groups the task of creating a 4-part marketing plan:

   • 1 Sentence Brand Statement: What do they stand for as an artist?
   • Target Audience Description: Who is the music video aimed at?
   • 3 Marketing Campaign Ideas: How will you promote both the artist and the video? Examples might include short TikTok challenges, collaborations with influencers, or viral hashtag campaigns.
   • Mock Tagline or Slogan: A catchy phrase for the campaign.

3. Encourage innovative ideas—what would they do to make this musician a household name?

4. Circulate the room to support and prompt groups as they brainstorm their plans.

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Core Activity 3: Mini-Class Presentations (10 mins)

Objective: Develop soft skills in communication and teamwork.

1. Each group presents their plan in 2 minutes to the rest of the class (teacher acts as the ‘potential investor’).

2. After each presentation, briefly discuss:

   • Does the marketing plan fit the artist’s branding?
   • Would this campaign appeal to its target audience?

3. Highlight creative or particularly insightful ideas from the class as examples of excellent work.

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Plenary: The Power of Marketing (5 mins)

1. Reinforce the learning outcomes by linking them back to real-world opportunities:

   • How music branding connects to building careers.
   • How marketing skills can be used in other fields as well.

2. Ask students one reflective question:

   • “What was the biggest challenge today, and how did your group work through it?”

Encourage students to see their potential future roles not only as musicians but as part of the larger music industry.

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Extension Task for Homework

Ask students to pick one of their favourite musicians and come prepared with a short analysis for the next lesson covering:

• Why do they follow this artist?
• What marketing strategies have they noticed being used?
• How could those strategies be improved?

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Teacher Prep Checklist

1. Prepare a PowerPoint or written notes with basic marketing definitions and musician examples.
2. Select pre-approved music video clips to show (appropriate for age group).
3. Print and cut out fictional musician profiles.
4. Gather or distribute materials like flipchart paper and markers.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Informal observation during group work to assess collaboration and creativity.
• Capture student understanding through mini-presentations.
• Quick reflective plenary responses to gauge individual insights.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Struggling Learners: Provide key prompts and guiding questions, or create mixed-ability groups for support.
• For High-Achievers: Challenge these students to incorporate more complex marketing strategies, such as analysing competitors or exploring niche marketing options.
• Inclusive Practice: Ensure featured examples and fictional artists are culturally diverse and gender-inclusive.

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This lesson plan delivers cross-curricular benefits by weaving together music, business, and communication. It’s not only age-appropriate and highly engaging but also prepares students for the creativity and marketing savvy required in real-world industries.