This project was based about creating a political campaign based around a subject of my choice, using whatever methods I deemed necessary. To that end, I decided to base mine around the pop music industry, and create an awareness campaign centred around the toxic underbelly that often exists underneath all the glitz and glamour.
I accomplished this by creating a fictional record label, Cowbell Records Inc.
Named after a famous SNL sketch featuring actor Christopher Walken, Cowbell Records is a satirical record label founded by fictional music producers Richard Head and Jack Schitt, and their company ethos is essentially to create overnight pop music sensations (usually from the likes of child stars and talent show contestants), and reap them for profit.
I accomplished this by creating a fictional record label, Cowbell Records Inc.
Named after a famous SNL sketch featuring actor Christopher Walken, Cowbell Records is a satirical record label founded by fictional music producers Richard Head and Jack Schitt, and their company ethos is essentially to create overnight pop music sensations (usually from the likes of child stars and talent show contestants), and reap them for profit.
To create Cowbell Records Inc., I created a website, https://thearmageddonist.wixsite.com/cowbellrecords, and included various elements that a real-life record label would normally have:
For music artists, I create a range of fictional singers, bands and musicians that parody modern-day pop stars, and also encapsulate some of the toxic issues that take place in the pop music industry. For example:
- A roster of music artists with whom they work with.
- Music albums that they have produced and distributed.
- Social media profiles, particularly on Facebook and Instagram.
- Advertising campaigns promoting their artists and upcoming concerts (usually on billboards).
For music artists, I create a range of fictional singers, bands and musicians that parody modern-day pop stars, and also encapsulate some of the toxic issues that take place in the pop music industry. For example:
- The Youngsters - a One Direction-esque boy band who behave like The Young Ones. They represent the talent show contestants who get transformed into stars, regardless of whether they are truly talented or not. Their albums are based off actual albums from One Direction, but tweaked to highlight disreputable behaviour that can sometimes be prevalent among big boy bands.
- Bailey Schwift - a Taylor Swift-esque country singer-turned-pop star. She represents the singer who starts out as a country musician, before delving into the pop genre, and eventually selling out for profit. Her albums are also reminiscent of Taylor Swift albums, with her latest album, B.S. 2018, not only parodying Swift's 1989 album, but also showing how far Schwift has devolved as a musician.
Alongside the music artists and albums, I also created mockups of social media pages for Cowbell Records on Facebook and Instagram, and also mockups for advertising, shown in the form of posters and billboards promoting their artists and their latest concerts.
