Intimate Documentary-Style Commercial Reaches Butch Walker Fans in a Way Snapchat and Instagram Videos Can’t
Butch Walker’s upcoming record, Stay Gold, is available August 26th on Dangerbird Records. And the pre-sale promotion for his new album wins the gold for making most of social media.
Walker is arguably one of the most underrated producers / songwriters of our time. His resume boasts work for industry titans Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Keith Urban, All Time Low, Panic! At the Disco, and Taylor Swift. Yet his own music has flown just under the mainstream radar. Walker started his career performing in a metal band, got his big break when he went punk with his band Marvelous 3, and nowadays hits the stage solo, playing to a cult-like following of devotees who worship every lyric he writes. Those fans want to forge a deeper connection—and he’s giving it to them using YouTube, a social media platform that’s fallen a bit in the shadows.
The YouTube commercial for Stay Gold takes album promotion to new level of intimate. It gives the viewer a personal look into Walker’s world, as told by his young son.
The video opens with a close up of his son’s face, saying, “My name is James Blue Walker.” It cuts to Walker riding a motorcycle as his son narrates, “I think my dad looks cool when he rides motorcycles.” James yawns and says he’s “kinda scared” of motorcycles because he thinks his father is going to fall off. From there, through clips of father and son playing with their dog, the boy reveals that his dad sometimes makes him breakfast and likes to wrestle with him. Nobody would expect this from an album promo, and that’s exactly why it’s so intriguing.
Even people unfamiliar with Walker’s music will be drawn in, as his son continues to tell the story of how his dad goes to the studio to make music, and shares that he plays guitar, drums, piano and “stuff like that.” At this point, the spotlight is on Walker as he’s in the studio and his new songs are front and center of the audio.
As the commercial continues, there’s one more thing Walker’s son wants viewers to know. “When my dad plays music, I think he feels good.” That’s the heart of what music is all about, isn’t it? It’s a simple pleasure of life. Viewer= sold.
The video concludes with James reminding the viewer, “My dad’s name is Butch Walker. The name of my dad’s new record is Stay Gold,” leaving the most important information top-of-mind.
The documentary style commercial isn’t the only YouTube clip Walker is using to promote Stay Gold. He’s also releasing individual songs set to humorous and timely lyric videos, including one for the song “Ludlow Expectations” that pokes fun of presidential nominees Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. Each clip has the potential to go viral.
Walker’s YouTube presence is a reminder that, although new media platforms like Snapchat come along, bands and brands shouldn’t turn their backs on old reliable social networking tools that can make an impact on their fans and sales.
