Why Branding is SO Important in the Entertainment Industry

Think of your favorite band, artist, or actor. What makes them so compelling? 

• Is it their music? 
• Their attitude? 
• Their unique perspective on the world? 

Or is it the controversy? The tabloid moments that are too chaotic to look away from?

In the entertainment industry, the talent they may possess is never the full story. What audiences connect with is the story built around the artist.

• Their image
• Their visual identity
• Their communication style
• Their social media presence
• The wider narrative of their personality that shapes their public perception

Every album rollout, every movie release, every interview, every aesthetic choice and every era is a part of a larger story being shared with the public. Sometimes, the story is intentional, and sometimes it’s not. 

This story the artist tells, and the story the public receives, is exactly where entertainment public relations lives.

This story not only influences public perception, but it also:

• influences mainstream success
• influences audience engagement and loyalty
• influences the artist’s position in a cultural movement
• influences their legacy

All in all, entertainment isn’t entertaining without the branding. It’s the not-so-secret ingredient to being an unforgettable artist with a legacy that persists after they’re gone.

Why Does This Blog exist?

Session Notes exists to dive deep into the intersection of music, media and entertainment public relations.

This blog will explore:

• The influence of branding and visual identity on the public perception of artists and projects
• Audience engagement’s impact on the mainstream success of artists and projects
• Media-built narratives and the cultural reactions to those narratives

Session Notes is a place to explore the entertainment industry using knowledge from academic study, industry observation and professional experience. It provides a fresh insight into the role public relations plays in legacy, narrative, and perception in entertainment.

What Can Readers Expect from This Blog?

Readers should expect Session Notes to be a creative space for commentary and analysis in the entertainment industry. Posts readers find will focus on:

• Analysis on album and movie release strategies
• Creative direction and artist branding from a public relations perspective
• Analysis on media coverage and media narratives
• Analysis of the role fandoms have on audience engagement
• Exploration of case studies in legacy and newcoming artists and media

Each post is intended to be informative, educational, and structured on analysis from a public relations standpoint. Additionally, it’s intended to offer readers educational and professional insight into entertainment public relations.

What Makes Entertainment Public Relations Important?

Entertainment helps add color to the otherwise monotonous nature of life is without music, movies and other kinds of entertainment.

Entertainment relations:

• Help promote the commercial success of a person or project
• Bridges the gap between creativity and strategic communication
• Dictates audience perception and engagement with a person or project
• Builds the long-term legacy of the creative media

Public relations is not being a “spin doctor” to improve the narrative of a celebrity. It is the foundation to what makes them special to human culture.

Experience and Perspective Behind This Blog

The perspective behind Session Notes is rooted in:

• A passion for the entertainment industry
• Studies in audience exhibition and engagement
• Media and cultural analysis
• Studies in research in public relations strategies and theory
• Media business practices and media ethics
• Studies in narrative production, visual storytelling and branding

These foundations justify the blog to approach the entertainment industry as a complex system built from communication strategies, modern culture, audience engagement and participation.

Looking Ahead

Session Notes operates as both a learning space and a space to develop a professional writing portfolio. It’s intended to ask readers to think about:

• How does the public meet the artist?
• Who benefits from telling certain narratives?
• What happens when the brand and artist align with integrity and authenticity?
• What happens when it doesn’t?

In entertainment, the stories that create the artist lie in the strategy behind the scenes.