MUMBAI: Like most of its campaigns, lifestyle and fashion brand for the youth -American Swan, launched a digital first campaign aimed at its target audience, through a music video. Promoted on YouTube and aired on television, the ad features Sidharth Malhotra and Kriti Sanon, and has been able to garner good response. The brand now hopes to make the video available on new platforms.

Commenting on the TVC, American Swan director and CEO Anurag Rajpal said, “Our core audience is the 20-something fashion lover, and American Swan wants to establish a connect by giving them the content they want in fashion, music, movies and dance among others. The music video and ad was conceived as a content format that is high on engagement, entertainment and aspiration."

The ad was first made available on YouTube. Rajpal said, "American Swan has always followed a digital-first approach in all its campaigns. The music video was launched three weeks before the TV campaign and received a thumping response. The music video on YouTube garnered over 1.5 million views within 2-3 weeks of its launch and trended twice on Twitter. This is a clear indicator that the music video, as content and campaign, has really worked for us." The campaign was first launched through a full length YouTube musical video in March and features fresh collections by the brand.

Radio and print are the two medium that American Swan has not reached out to for its campaign. When asked if they plan to explore that medium Rajpal said, "One of the key intents of the music video was to showcase collections like apparel, footwear and accessories. With radio we will not achieve that objective. Furthermore, we believe that the urban youth lead digital lives. The youth consumes and communicates through social and mobile platforms, so our focus is to amplify digital and social media for the music video."

Revealing the brand's television plans which was strategised with the agency- Maxus, he said, “The TV ad will run for about five weeks with clutter-breaking integrations on shows like Nach Baliye 7.”

Rajpal also revealed that the brand plans to increase the "longevity for the music video and song across channels and media. The digital campaign is an ongoing one in phases where we are looking to engage with the audience through content, contests and UGC (User-generated content); right from mash-ups, remixes and so on. There are some social media campaigns in the pipeline as well.”

The lifestyle brand partnered with digital agency Ignitee for coordination and execution of the music centred ad. The song is composed by Meet Bros. and Benny Dayal has lent his voice to the song, while Remo D'Souza and his team have choreographed it. American Swan plans to place the song on music sites like Gaana and Saavn.

The last popular association American Swan had was with Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh in 2014 for a digital contest. Commenting on it, Rajpal revealed, "Our association with Yo Yo Honey Singh had to unfortunately be terminated since he was unwell and was not available for a few months."

Further commenting on the brand and its music association, Rajpal said, "As a youth brand, the focus is always on strengthening our connect with the core audience and music is a natural fit."

In the near future, American Swan has plans to partner with music bands at both, school and college levels, to co-create original content.