A Campaign Architected To Maintain The Internet, Not Break It
Renaissance, a new film by Beyoncé will be headed to theaters in December. Consistently known for her innovative multimedia album release rollouts, the timing of when and why Renaissance will be released is a shift from how Beyoncé’s music has gone to market historically. And it's a reflection of a changing need in Entertainment marketing broadly, to not just dominate feeds but sustain an audience over a longer period of time.
For context, here's a quick recap of Beyoncé's album releases:
2013: BEYONCÉ dropped without any prior marketing. This tactic was a source of inspiration in and outside of Entertainment marketing for how to win the internet.
2016: Beyoncé teased a mysterious HBO special shortly before releasing Lemonade.
2019: Homecoming was released in tandem with a Netflix special around her Coachella performance.
2022: Renaissance, the album, is released.
The campaign for Renaissance, unlike previous rollouts from the artist, has been architected for longevity, amidst a competing tour, ultimately defying the traditional concept of being in cycle across a tightly connected album release, video component, and tour. "From the start, the rollout of Renaissance has been different — more transparent, more conventional…the album is being positioned for mass consumer awareness and fan excitement. She and her representation are recognizing that things have changed since her last album release," noted the NY Times.
While the pop culture landscape of 2023 has been heavily influenced by both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s tours, the initial US leg of the Eras tour wrapped in August. Beyoncé’s Renaissance film is set to be released on December 1st – a rollout tactic that has the potential to maintain pop momentum while the hype around the Eras tour, and its own accompanying film coming in October, will be in market. Interestingly, and perhaps for the same reasoning, Taylor Swift announced additional US dates for 2024 upon completing the first leg of the US tour. While 2013 may have been the era of “break the internet” marketing, as reflected in the power of a surprise release for BEYONCÉ, it’s clear that the artist's rollout for Renaissance reflects a new era in marketing more focused around the need to retain the internet. The album's campaign will technically stretch to more than 18 months from the initial release to the follow up film, and more.