Rihanna has boldly re-imagined what an album launch can be with the release of UNLOCKED, an interactive Facebook app that lets fans uncover the album, Talk That Talk, detail by detail.
The premise behind UNLOCKED is actually pretty simple: Users "Like" the page and then go on "missions" to uncover content released by Rihanna's label, Island Def Jam. For example, fans were asked to submit a certain amount of fake lyrics to earn the lyric sheet for Rihanna's album. Other unlocks so far include Rihanna's new "R" logo, the single "We Found Love," Rihanna's new website, album release date and album cover.
In a sense, it's like a Groupon built specifically for Rihanna's new album. When certain "offers" reach a tipping point, the content becomes available. However, daily deals were not the point, "Its not that we wanted to create a Groupon for Rihanna, but what we did want to do was create a value exchange for Rihanna’s fans," says Alex Morrison, EVP of growth for AgencyNet, which co-created UNLOCKED along with Island Def Jam.
Rihanna's huge social presence is one of the reasons UNLOCKED has been such a success in the first place. Rihanna had the most fans of any celebrity on Facebook and ranked highly on Twitter as well. UNLOCKED requires a certain amount of built-in loyalty and a threshold of participation to work. For example, a small mom-and-pop indie band might have a harder time mobilizing fans than Rihanna's small armada (called the "Rihanna Navy") of fans.
UNLOCKED, however, won't entirely replace traditional advertising. Island Def Jam will still be running Rihanna's music videos through YouTube and VEVO and buying up advertising both in print and online to promote the album. UNLOCKED proves major artists can benefit from social projects. The unlocked content includes standard fare, like new single releases and a website, which would have been released with or without the app. The team behind UNLOCKED realized the real reward was social, rather than physical.
"Any digital asset is going to spread online for an artist like Rihanna," says Jon Vanhala, SVP of digital, brand integration and new business at Island Def Jam and Universal Music. The real reward is not so much unlocking the content as it is being one of the first people to share it out. "There’s social value for sure in getting something cool first and being able to share it," Morrison says.
UNLOCKED is also a smart way to engage Rihanna's fans while she's on tour or taken up with other press engagements. The app lets users feel like they're interacting with Rihanna, by unlocking special content and helping promote her album. It's a model that could be applied not just to other artists but across industries. Morrison says AgencyNet has received interest from publishers and beverage companies looking to implement something similar to the app.
While the model may only work for well-established artist or products, the success of UNLOCKED implies that Island Def Jam and AgencyNet may have a gold rush on their hands.