Ahhh Trinidad & Tobago Carnival!! Truly the Greatest Show on Earth.

Locals will get it, but for the few of you who have not yet experienced the sights and sounds of the season you are indeed missing out on something spectacular.

While the liming (local slag for social gathering) and partying starts weeks prior, the real event to usher in the long weekend is The International Soca Monarch Finals held on what we call ‘Fantastic Friday Night’.  This is the night where the best of the best showcase their talent and perform their soca hits to the crowd in hopes to be crowned champion for the season. For those of you who have never heard of soca music, I urge you to download music from Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Faye Ann Lyons-Alvarez, Kes just to name a few – I guarantee you’ll be hooked!!!

Personally, I love soca music because the rhythm can touch your soul and take away any frustration or stress you might feel. It’s the tool I use to keep me motivated and present while working. So you can imagine I would not be one to miss the soca show of shows for the season. The talent showcased in the program is second to none and this year, Aaron St Louis aka The Voice won for the third time in a row, a feat that has never been achieved by a single artist (without a tie) in the history of the event.

It was a perfect win……. but it was also marketing. If you know me, you’d know that I look for the marketing in everything, it’s just how my mind works. So in the midst of singing, jumping and waving, my mind is saying ‘this is such a great marketing story’

Allow me to show you, from a marketing perspective how The Voice was able to retain his crown for the third consecutive time.

 

Firstly, he gave the people what they wanted. That is as basic as you could get in marketing. Once you know your audience and give them what they crave, you cannot loose. Carnival time is a time where people throw their cares away and good music can help do just that. A powerful song with a catchy beat is what people yearn for so they can jump, wine and sing along as they forget their troubles for just a little while. Voice had a monster hit that really hit the heart of the public. His song Year for Love spoke about getting rid of the evil elements in society and truly living in peace. His hook ‘fyah go bun dem’ really resonated with the masses because, after a tumultuous few months, we need to show and experience love as a nation. It is an incredible song with powerful lyrics and a fantastic beat that people can relate to. While some of his counterparts sung great songs, they were not as powerful, and in some cases unknown to the public. The worst thing you can do in the finals is to perform a song that the crowd cannot relate or sing along to. The Voice understood what the masses wanted……and he delivered.

Secondly, he came out to win. He was the only artist who took a full ten minutes to set up his props onstage and when the lights came on, he did not disappoint. Structures of hearts and the peace signs decorated the stage, while fire burned in the background…..because ‘fyah go bun dem’. He appeared in his red and gold costume, the perfect color to showcase this passion for the lyrical content.  His back up dancers adorned red and white with ‘fire man’ hats on and danced in sync to the rhythm of the music. The attention to detail was superb. His presentation was nothing short of magnificent. He decided he was going to put in the necessary work to ensure that the judges took notice of him. Only a few of his counterparts took this step, choosing to focus on just performing their song but not the overall presentation. Voice understood that how you put yourself out there is the key to getting noticed by the right people…..and he delivered.

Lastly, he decided before hand that he was going to win. He knew he was up against some stiff competition, especially as 2018 was indeed a great year for soca music with every single artist coming out with a hit song. He had no idea what his counterparts had up their sleeves, but he did not let that deter him. He came out strong, positive and confident. After winning he thanked all the persons who assisted him, and gave him advice so you knew that sought the help of previous winners of the title. That is called research and that gave that little edge over his competition. His onstage presentation showed the viewers that made up his mind that he came to win……..and win he did.

 

Personally I believe it was a well deserved with a foundation rooted in effective marketing. I offer The Voice a hearty congrats on retaining the crown and look forward to him growing as an artist.

For those of you who have not yet seen it, you can view it here:

International Soca Monarch 2018 Finals

Voice Year for love 

, or better yet, come down and experience a real ‘Trini’ carnival with good food, good music and good vibes. Trust me, your will be changed for the better, forever!!!

Now I know there are some of you who may not agree with the results and I would love to hear your take on the competition. Also leave a comment if you agree with my breakdown of the event, I would love to know your thoughts.

I want to take this moment to personally invite you to connect with me on my Facebook business page at Carli Communications if you’re interested in keeping up with Carli for all the marketing training and advice you need. (Don’t forget to click the follow button and set your notifications so you don’t miss a thing)
 

Photo courtesy socanews.com