Don’t Say It, Just Rap It

Lately, Pakistani marketers seem to both love and hate rap. The people who love it are the ones who use it in their ads; those who hate it are the ones who are yet to use it. The rationale, it seems, is that rap is a way to connect with Gen Z, the desired target audience of more than a few brands.

In my mind, marketing is similar to rap and I mean no disrespect to rappers.

In rap, the game is all about wordplay and creating bars. A good example of this is Still Dre by Dr. Dre: “Still, I stay close to the heat/And even when I was close to defeat, I rose to my feet/My life’s like a soundtrack I wrote to the beat.”

David Ogilvy, the legendary advertising professional, was a fan of long copy, and in fact, many of the best brands in the world have been created and grown because of the words they used. Good copy or good use of words to communicate a brand’s message is an art. Volkswagen broke perceptions with its Beetle ad titled ‘Lemon’ (slang in the US for a defective foreign car). Volkswagen was competing against well-entrenched American car brands, which were definitely more beautiful and classier. DDB decided to use the ugliness and unattractiveness of the Beetle to market it.

Marketing is all about reaching and connecting with audiences and ultimately moving them. This is something that the best rappers in the world do time and time again. Making an impact is the end goal for rappers and marketers. And in both cases, knowing who you are talking to is very important.

Marketers are always trying to ride trends, if not create them. Some of the best brands in the world have created trends and iconic cultural items. For example, Santa Claus became popular thanks to Coca-Cola in the thirties and the fact that TV dramas eventually became known as ‘soap operas’ because P&G’s brand, Tide, sponsored them. The best rappers in the world use pop culture and trends to their advantage. Throughout his career, Eminem often name-dropped celebrities and referenced current newsworthy events to create resonance and relatability. The rappers who came before him also created trends like wearing baseball hats backwards or the plain white T-shirt and bandana. Coming back to wordplay and creating an impact, Eminem’s hit song Stan popularised the word ‘stan’ which refers to a person who is a fan. Talk about leaving a mark.

In his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady, Eminem has come out guns blazing to take aim at various cohorts, especially Gen Z, who have tried to cancel him. Rappers thrive on controversy and know they can reach a wider audience because of it. Marketing can also do this, but it needs to do so very carefully because it can backfire, especially in current times.

Another trick up the sleeve of both rappers and marketers (especially marketers in Western markets) is beefing with another brand. A smaller or lesser-known performer in rap can try to outsmart or outplay a seasoned professional with a diss track. It’s a sure-shot ticket to fame and notoriety. In marketing, Burger King vs McDonald’s reached epic levels, and many people remember Wendy’s 1984 ad where an elderly woman asks, “Where’s the beef?”

Rap and marketing are all about creativity and one of the best ways to enhance creativity and push the envelope is collaboration and being open to new ideas and methods. Snoop Dogg rose to fame because he was one of the first to use jazzy beats on his track instead of the old-school hard-hitting rap. Will Smith as the Fresh Prince took a satirical route and made funny rap songs that teens could relate to. To be creative, marketers and rappers need to know their essence and to whom they appeal. Having that focus can mean the difference between success and failure.

Now you may be saying, “Hold on, did he just write what I think he did?” Yes, I did. Rap is all about appearing tough and invincible, but as Eminem’s character Rabbit realised in 8 Mile, when you own your flaws and weaknesses, it’s impossible for your competitors to use them against you.

Authenticity and vulnerability are what separate the great from the also-rans, be it rappers, marketers or just people (ask Nelson Mandela). Throughout his career, Eminem never shied away from owning his faults and mistakes, going so far as to apologise to his wife and mom or even questioning himself and his decisions.

It’s about time marketers got down to business and took several leaves out of the rap playbook. That’s a wrap from me for now.

Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo.tyrone.tellis@gmail.com