Karma

TLDR: This is how I designed a social media campaign that got my friends band's first EP over 1.5 Million streams on Spotify

Overview

While completing my Master’s in Digital Social Media, my friend Riley Owens reached out for guidance on branding and releasing his band Stillwater Sound’s first EP, Karma. While Riley was confident in the band’s musical talent, he recognized that without a clear visual identity and brand presence, their debut risked getting lost in the noise of social media and endless stream of new music.

Riley needed my help translating their sound and personality into a cohesive brand presence that could introduce their music to new listeners and lay the groundwork for future releases.

SERVICES: Creative Strategy, Brand Strategy, Brand Identity Design, Social Media
INDUSTRY: Music
Stillwater Sound · Karma

The Challenge

Stillwater Sound had no established visual identity, messaging system, or social media presence to introduce the band to an audience. This would definitely need to be addressed before entering into a saturated industry where attention is the real bottleneck.

I needed a system to showcase Stillwater Sound as a band distinct from your typical garage band, and weave a story around that identity that people would want to follow. This could then be used as a vehicle to drive traffic to listen towards their new single on Spotify


The Goals

  • Establish a clear brand identity and voice for Stillwater Sound
  • Create a recognizable visual and messaging system across social media
  • Drive traffic and listeners to the band’s debut EP, Karma, on Spotify

The Solution

  1. 1. Brand Identity Design

    • Design a foundational logo for Stillwater Sound
    • A brand playbook defining the band’s visual identity voice that could be applied consistently across social media and streaming platforms
    • Cover artwork and creative brief for the EP Karma to support a cohesive release campaign.

  2. 2. Creative Strategy

    • Create content that highlighting the band’s unique personality, culture, and creative process
    • A 3 week social media campaign to introduce the band and tout their debut EP

The Process

  1. 1. Research & Discovery

    • Cultural Insights: I joined the band in Joshua Tree (songwriting) and studio sessions (production) to capture the "soul" of the music.
    • Platform Strategy: I identified Instagram and Facebook as the primary hubs for the band’s core demographic.

  2. 2. Design Execution

    • Visual Identity: I developed a "Coastal/Classic Rock" aesthetic (think Rolling Stones meets John Mayer).
    • Key Assets: I designed a vinyl-sun logo and a visual language of warm gradients and Polaroid photography to match the nostalgic sound of

  3. 3. Creative Strategy

    • The 3-Week Rollout: I sequenced two weeks of "behind-the-scenes" teasers to build anticipation, followed by a high-energy launch week to drive streaming momentum.
    • Community Growth: I used targeted hashtags and active engagement with niche artists to turn potential competitors into collaborators.
    • Micro-Influencer Strategy: I leveraged individual band members’ personal accounts to sync posts, creating a "coordinated moment" of attention.

The Outcome

  1. 1. Cohesive Brand Identity

    • The new visual identity elevated the band’s image beyond "garage band" status, creating fan demand for branded merchandise and additional revenue.

  2. 2. Increased Engagement and Awareness

    • Using each band member as a micro-influencer Leveraged band members as micro-influencers to trigger organic resharing, multiplying the reach of campaign and amplifying the launch of the EP.

  3. 3. Streaming Success

    • The organic traffic propelled Karma to a spot on Spotify’s Release Radar, hitting 100k streams in week one and surpassing 1.5 million total streams to date.

  4. 4. Real-World Momentum

    • Stillwater sound sold-out their single release show at The Peppermint Club and successfully attracted inquiries from Warner Music Group via the Instagram rollout.

Post Mortem
in the Age of AI

If I were running this campaign today, modern AI tools would significantly accelerate research, content ideation, and performance analysis.


  1. 1. Brand Positioning & Audience Research

    • I would first use Google Gemini in browser to assist in analyzing trends in Instagram and TikToK feeds in the niches in the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara music scene to identify high performing content formats and areas to differentiate ourselves.
    • This research would inform hashtag selection, content formats, and positioning within the broader music conversation online

  2. 2. Custom GPT as Central Brand Guide

    • With a brand position in mind, I would then equip a custom GPT with documents on Stillwater’s culture and influences, such as transcripts from interviews with Stillwater Sound and interviews from artists who influenced their music such as The Rolling Stones and John Mayer.

  3. 3. AI-Assisted Content Creation

    • Next I’d equip the custom GPT with my brand strategy playbook and content frameworks could help brainstorm hooks, scripts, and content ideas aligned with the band’s identity.
    • I would expand the campaign into Tiktok, and incorporate more short-form video and carousel content alongside the photography.

  4. 4. Performance Analysis

    • After the campaign, I would compile engagement data into a spreadsheet including data such as the content type, reach, shares, saves, watch time, hook rate, and follower growth for each post in the campaign.
    • I’d use Chat GPT to identify which formats and themes performed best and analyze any correlations between different metrics (such as content type and shares, or formats and hook rate) in order to identify top performers to reuse for future content.
BACK HOME