The learnings from the pilot event were absorbed and applied, most notably the implications for social media and messaging. Relationships were nurtured with record labels to secure up and coming talent, to enhance the sense of discoverability and ensure that T Mobile was seen to be creating trends, not following.
The theme involved of identifying unique intimate locations with relevance to the band – reflecting a dimension of their past, a mood, an album theme. Invitations to each gig were limited to 250 maximum, often much fewer, subject to location. The Natural History Museum, the London Lighthouse, even a chip shop became venues for the night. The pop-up nature of the event delivered immense talkability and the intimacy and uniqueness of the venues permitted extraordinary imagery.
One season turned to three seasons, and T Mobile Street Gigs became a part of the annual music calendar, anticipated by the music press and in year three the subject of their own C4 broadcast. Guests included the Editors, Fratellis, Mika (in a mini big top in Berkeley Square), The Streets, Pharrell, Maximo Park, the Strokes and many more.
The brand results were almost too good to be true, with changes in key brand attributes of between 50 and 60%. T Mobile went from a commodity brand to almost an exclusive and the concept, open only to active T Mobile customers, prefigured much competitor activity, notably Vodafone’s me-too musical series. As they say, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery!
