Independent Label Case Study: Lab Records
Indie label – How does being independent affect the product and the artists they own?
Year founded: Lab records was founded in 2007.
Owner: The owner of Lab Records is Mark Orr and Nathan Mcvittie.
Country of origin: Lab Records country of origin is the United Kingdom.
Website: The website for lab records is http://labrecs.com/
10 artists signed to the label: Ten artists signed to Lab Records are:
Adam Barnes
William Beckett
Katie Sky
Anavae
Cartel
The Lafontaine’s
Charlie Drew
Young Kato
Skies
Fort Hope
Background to the label: What was the ethos behind the label and how was it set up?
Lab Records is based in Manchester, UK. It is a pop rock record label which was founded in 2007. This label set its goal to find and develop young talent. Lab Records has a reputation of enhacing carrers consistently. Lab records has existsed for the past eight years. Lab Records is continuously improving as there artists are creating platforms for themselves and are on some of the most influential music mediums. In 2011 Lab Records decided to move to a brand, new office in Northen Manchester.
Name of Artist: The Lafointaines
Genre of music: Rap rock, hip hop, Alternative rock, pop.
Target Audience: Gender: Females And Males
Ethnicity: White Caucasian, British
Aged between 17-25
Country: UK
Media consumption and interests: The target audiences are frequent users of social media networking sites such as Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and Facebook. Rock and Indie music.
Evidence to support your target audience
The Lafontaine’s are a Scottish group. The band consists of all males dominating different instruments.
They are a Scottish group. There roots of music are rap rock, hip hop and pop which are the genres that predominantly appeals to their audience.
The Lafontaine’s would appeal to their target audience as they are all males that females would be attracted to from the age range of 17 to 25. The Lafontaine’s produce music that suit many different genres such as rap rock and hip widen their target audience.
There influences are from Rock and Indie music.
The Lafontaine’s also appeal to a Scottish and UK audience as they are signed to a Manchester based, UK label and he has performed at a number of UK festivals. There most memorable performance was T in the Park in 2014. Their most recent appearance was at O2 ABC Glasgow on October 31, 2014.
How is the audience marketed to? Find three different ways.
Means of marketing
How does this appeal to his audience?
Public appearances
The Lafontaine’s have made public appearances in their career as they have performed at many shows. They have performed in the UK and Europe. Festival appearances made were t in the park in 2014, they joined artist George Watsky on his whole European tour in September and October 2014, they performed in New York city as a part of Scotland week and at O2 ABC Glasgow on October 31 2014. Making appearances with well-established artist also gives the Lafontaine’s more exposure. Many more appearances were made in Glasgow. This use of marketing appeals to there audience as they are able to see there favourite celebrity live and get a firsthand musical experience in reality rather than streaming there music or listening to it on social media. Their fans are being appealed to because making public appearances shows their work ethic and lets their audience know that there music is aimed at them. Their audience are being appealed to in Europe as well as the New York, United States targeting their Scottish/UK and in another continent and also establishing an American fan base. Majority of there public appearances are based in Scotland, England and Manchester.
Social media
The Lafontaine’s uses various social media networking sites Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Through these networking sites his audience are able to listen to his music, keep updated with his various projects and ventures and also interact with him. The Lafontaine’s has used social media to market themselves as artists as well as their music. This will appeal to his audience as majority of people are up to date with technology and are apart of interacting through social media. This is an easy way for his audience to keep updated with the Lafontaine’s.
Merchandise
The Lafontaine’s have marketed himself through merchandise on there website. They have made their signed CD’s and signed posters available for purchase for the audience. This way of marketing themselves appeals to there audience as they attract them more to visit the website more and get exclusive merchandise they can not receive elsewhere.
Other form of media the artist is involved in: The Lafontaine’s are not involved in other forms of music.
Does the label have any subsidiaries?
“LAB Records have a creative and distribution division called Lab exposure, as well as a New York based management company, LAB Partners. Lab records also have a worldwide distribution deal with IN grooves Fontana. LAB now incorporates the label, a management company (LAB Partners) and publishing enterprise, which are called LAB Songs.”
