The Science of Pop Icons
In my last post I wondered what parts of the luxury brand I’d take for my model. It’s a good starting point for cultural brand building. In principle, the luxury model provides a means for using branding to engage in cultural commentary. Read that here.
Defining world building in music terms using semiotics.
A phrase that’s stuck with me all year is: “strategy precedes an prepares design. A delicious jolt that’s encouraged me to keep following my curiosities…
World building is a part of the writing process that sets up where your story will take place. I’ve been working to take this concept and turn it into a communications model for cultural brands. It’s stumped me in places (LinkedIn). The music industry offers the closest connection (semiotics > pop icons > music > brand management > marketing).
Semiotics: the study of signs/symbols and what they mean to a group of people (culture)
So, in brand management, using signs, symbols and codes to craft a personal mythology (world building).
Some examples from pop icons/music:
Lyrics (and you could also argue sonic choices developed in personal craftsmanship)
Digital channels (social media, websites)
Music videos
Short films
Objects of design –
Objects of design = artifacts of personal branding
Style is an object of design.
Album art
Stage Sets and Costumes
Digital channels (social media, websites)
Some other things:
Alter Ego
A pop star is defined by excellence in their craft, a very strong alter ego, or sometimes both.
The concept of an alter ego in music is deeply rooted in the idea of performance art, where musicians use character creation as a powerful tool for storytelling, social commentary, and artistic exploration.
Defining brand codes to build a larger culture (world building). Using the example of Prince (LinkedIn), these codes came together to convey larger meaning:
Signature glyph – Love symbol #2
Color – Purple
Swapped whole words for single phenomes
Toyed with the concept of twoness and binaries
Concept albums add larger meaning to the music by adding a layer of narrative (Shatter the Standards 2023). Pulling from the album to tell a larger story, to plan concerts and experiences around, to create visuals for…
Design and strategy working together as a form of world building just as storytelling helps bring worlds to life. Thinking as an independent artist, the concept album creates a basis for all other fan touch points.
