OOH …Here’s One Thing
by Jim Johnsen,
Managing Director, Johnsen, Fretty & Company
“Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
Can’t take the train to the job, there’s a strike at the station
Neon King Kong standin’ on my back
Can’t stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
A midrange migraine, cancered membrane
Sometimes I think I’m going insane
I swear I might hijack a plane”
https://youtu.be/4kjeWGQ175g -I recommend you google the lyrics…they are prolific!
Well, I intended to airmail this in last week but once again those informal Sunday summer barbeques roll around and keep me off the keyboard. So I am a day late and a dollar short on this one, but I could not let the 50th anniversary of hip hop go by without a mention. For those who are sticklers for the details, the actual date was August 11th and the event was a block party in the Bronx hosted by Clive Campbell (DJ Kool Herc) and his sister to celebrate back to school. Something tells me there are some other “founders” who disagree with that kick off, but hey that’s why they call it his-s-tory.
I do have to admit, Hip Hop is not my favorite “genre” and over time (maybe it’s just me) it’s gotten edgier to the point that it would make Andrew Dice Clay blush. But boy some of the early stuff was bomb. And just because I have a hard time getting it down, doesn’t mean it’s not art and doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give the artist their due for reaching the pinnacle of their craft.
I would also take the over with anyone who claims that Hip Hop has not had a profound and growing effect on mainstream popular culture around the world. Piercingly obvious is the fact that it has had a permanent influence on all forms of music. And it’s pretty clear when fashion brands like Gucci, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Givenchy, Balenciaga and Supreme all “curve” their collections to speak to the rapper community, its mainstream. How about the pound handshake and terms like OG, dawg, yo, bra and bling around the office. You betcha.
Okay Johnsen…mildly interesting…but Monday yawn. So lets talk advertising then. The Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z (who also had a run in with Lamar over some ad copy), Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B and Travis Scott, Drake, Kayne West among many others, have all used the medium, deploying great and sometimes controversial copy. The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry…promise I didn’t make that up) estimates that the music industry spends something over $1.7B on marketing. If 30% of that is hip hop, and 10% of that is flowing to outdoor advertising, that’s a potential spend of $51MM from the hip hop. Respect. Time to get busy bra.
p.s. If you ever want to roll back to the early days of rap…I highly recommend the movie Straight Outta Compton. It’s raw but really helps you understand where some of these artists were coming from.
p.s. Hope Tommy Teepell brings his rendition of 50 Cent to the OAAA again this year.
Securities transacted through StillPoint Capital Member firm FINRA/SiPC
Johnsen, Fretty and Co. is an advertiser with OOH Today
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