DOTS LABS collaborated with Mboa Urban Music to create an identity for the startup. As the relationship grew, the Dotters were entrusted with the company's launch campaign as well. Our collaboration resulted in an innovative transmedia experience that engineered a community centered around the culture of the company.
Mboa Urban Music · M.U.M was facing a strong competition from well established brands in the segment. Beside the competition, the bigger question was how to sell or promote music in an industry where piracy reigns king and content is scarce. We had two problems to deal with: Piracy and lack of quality content.
Cameroonians like most of African millenials, spend their time on their cellphones and tablets. If we were to engage them it was important to activate the conversation in their usual touch points. We studied the Cameroonian millennial to understand where conversations happened, their hot topics and most importantly their lingo.
In order to preview the content that would be available on the M.U.M platform, we wanted to give a mixtape for free to create a conversation while the platform was under construction. Thus solving problem both problems at once. When M.U.M turned to the Dotters for a name, it was a no brainer: “Mboatape”.
We developed a transmedia solution and activated it in 3 simple steps. First we identified and contacted taste makers. Team MUM had compiled a list of influencers and we invited them to listen to the tape exclusively. Then we launched a mini site and introduced the Hashtag #Mboatape as the unique and central point of any and every conversation around the tape. We invited the early listeners to come share their emotions and impressions about the tape on twitter with us to spark interest.
Bangando et Va dire à tes potos ! RT @esta__: Ceux qui ont reçu #MboaTape en preview.. Quel est votre morceau préféré? cc @MboaUrbanMusic_
— PAOLA AUDREY. (@PaolaAudrey) May 24, 2013
Les 14 sons, le logo, la com'. Tout propre. Félicitation @esta__ pour le travail. Le meilleur est à venir @MboaUrbanMusic_ #MboaTape
— Syd F. (@Solambey) May 18, 2013
Welcome to newborn @MboaUrbanMusic_ ! Congrats on the mixtape #MboaTape ! Great move !
— Celine V. Fotso (@CelineFotso) June 10, 2013
The Campaign was well received.
Mboa Urban Music's #MboaTapeVol1 platform is pretty solid & it looks v.good on mobile. @Team_Dots murked it. Kudos http://t.co/duc1aq5yv9
— Manyi Arrey W.T. (@WilliamTakor) June 9, 2013
Thanks RT @PaolaAudrey:Il faudrait aussi saluer le travail de @Team_Dots pour la #MboaTape.Une agence Média et Créa qui fait du BON travail!
— DOTS LABS (@team_dots) June 11, 2013
The mini site helped the brand get traction towards all their social media channels (twitter and Facebook). At the same time, the mini site was the only place where the Mboatape was available.
Our Cameroonian peeps got a Mixtape #MboaTape. Even got some joints to Azonto to! Check it http://t.co/kjaNWg1HVs via @afroziky
— Azonto Tweets (@TweetAzonto) June 10, 2013
At this point, we had successfully created a community of brand evangelists advocating for the brand. We decided to move the conversation offline.
The last and final step was offline activation. Our insights showed that not all millennials in Cameroon had steady internet access. To solve the issue and make the tape available to people we invited artists featured on the tape to tour local radio stations, creating offline engagement through airplay and interviews. Radio personalities and listeners took the conversation back online through social media, bringing it to a full circle.
#MboaTape Promo Radio RT @DarealBlueMagic Ton boy Dareal & @ZayoxMusic . FM 94 pic.twitter.com/AldpDAcFE2
— ESTA (@esta__) June 14, 2013
à la radio on ne parle ke de sa #MBOATAPE
— NKWEÏ MireilleOrphée (@OrpheeMimi) June 12, 2013
@esta__on se fait une grosse émission avec TOUS les protagonistes de la #MboaTape.
— Brice Albin (@BriceAlbin1) June 15, 2013
[Pics] @DarealBlueMagic (#JackPot) X @ZayoxMusic X Venum (#BangandoStar) à Mo' Radio 89.5 FM - #PromoRadio #MboaTape https://t.co/I7ayyOTIFA
— Mboa Urban Music (@MboaUrbanMusic_) June 13, 2013
Our innovative work doesn’t just improve sales, or create visibility. We provide brands with Social currency. Creating communities and engineering cultures. Looking for an innovative, agile and refreshing team?