From stage to screen : enhancing musicians' visual identity for social media and streamlined content management
Zapf, Maria (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052716962
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052716962
Tiivistelmä
The entry level into the music industry has significantly lowered in recent years, with social media as one of the most impactful tools on a musician’s path to success. This presents a great opportunity for those who understand how to play the game, but also poses a challenge in a market that becomes more saturated every day. The purpose of this thesis is to gain a deeper and holistic understanding of the dynamics involved in successfully managing a musician’s online presence. Furthermore, this thesis explores the importance of a musician’s visual appearance and the subsequent development of an im-pactful social media strategy, with visual identity functioning as a guiding tool.
It is evident that an engaging social media presence plays a vital role in an artist's success. Furthermore, fan communities continue to play an increasingly important role in online spaces, given their ability to co-create content and sig-nificantly increase visibility. However, many challenges arise with this task, especially during labor-intensive periods, such as touring.
Insights from music marketing, social media management, and sociological studies established the conceptual framework for this thesis. Additionally, per-spectives from industry professionals enhanced the understanding of this niche subject for artists within the metal genre. Collaborating with the metalcore band “Caliban” and their management team, "Monster Artists," re-sulted in a project designed to apply various findings from this research to a practical setting. This comprehensive approach aimed to create a strong foun-dation for streamlined management, led by a clearly defined and effectively executed visual and verbal identity.
The project's results confirmed that the topic is highly complex and requires a comprehensive understanding from those involved, particularly external par-ties like social media managers. However, if this understanding is achieved, content creation and management can occur much more efficiently, helping to shape a coherent and engaging visual identity.
It is evident that an engaging social media presence plays a vital role in an artist's success. Furthermore, fan communities continue to play an increasingly important role in online spaces, given their ability to co-create content and sig-nificantly increase visibility. However, many challenges arise with this task, especially during labor-intensive periods, such as touring.
Insights from music marketing, social media management, and sociological studies established the conceptual framework for this thesis. Additionally, per-spectives from industry professionals enhanced the understanding of this niche subject for artists within the metal genre. Collaborating with the metalcore band “Caliban” and their management team, "Monster Artists," re-sulted in a project designed to apply various findings from this research to a practical setting. This comprehensive approach aimed to create a strong foun-dation for streamlined management, led by a clearly defined and effectively executed visual and verbal identity.
The project's results confirmed that the topic is highly complex and requires a comprehensive understanding from those involved, particularly external par-ties like social media managers. However, if this understanding is achieved, content creation and management can occur much more efficiently, helping to shape a coherent and engaging visual identity.