The FADER — Digital Music Festival and Content

Digitalizing The FADER’s annual SXSW musical showcase in the age of COVID-19

Organization: The FADER
Role: Strategy Director

Ask

Reimagine FADER Fort - an annual music showcase that spotlights emerging music at SXSW - for the age of social distancing, all while supporting artist communities that have been affected by COVID-19 closures.

Challenge

Upon learning that SXSW would be cancelling its annual festival in Austin on March 6, 2020, we were faced with two incredibly difficult questions: (1) how can we bring people together during Fader Fort for our 17th year without compromising the health and safety or artists, staff, etc. & (2) give back to the artist community in Austin that has been by our sides for nearly two decades?

Strategic Approach

With just under two weeks to pivot our showcase, we decided to do away with the lines and exclusivity that traditionally comes with Fort and bring it into the digital sphere. As an antidote to dreary COVID-19 and related economic fallout news, we sought to position Fort as the musical care package that brings much needed financial relief to artists and entertainment relief to fans.

Creative Solution

We launched our very first Digital FORT in collaboration with 100 artists from across the world, bringing the festival from no line at SXSW to online in everyone’s homes. Taking place over two days across The FADER ecosystem — namely .com and social — we curated a 10am-7pm continuous digital broadcast of interviews, performances, behind-the-scenes of songs, and even COVID-19 PSAs. Each piece of content lived within our ecosystem for exactly 24 hours before disappearing.

Results

Not only did we raise over $25k in under 48 hours for COVID-19, our online music care package also became the talk of the internet with a ton of press (from Adweek to Billboard) and 400% Increase in site visits, 88% increase in time on site, 542M+ earned media impressions, and 145M social impressions.