Hotline Bling Video Analysis

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The partnership between Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Apple Music, and Nike’s Jordan line continue to demonstrate why they are leading the social media marketing era (Grow; Hampp). The latest example of their millennial targeted branding triumph was the release of Drake’s highly anticipated video for his hit single "Hotline Bling." Debuting on Apple Music, the Director X helmed video opens up with an office full of phone sex operators discussing G-rated fetishes before the action shifts its focus to Drake. The remaining duration of the video serves as a primary showcase of Drake as the focal point. One in which he performs a variety of flamboyant dance steps in an array of sparsely decorated interiors. Varying pastel colors illuminate the futuristic …show more content…

Most music videos in the Hip Hop genre are usually a montage of fast or jump cuts. These film techniques are less then three seconds in length and are used to simultaneously disorientate and involve the viewer (Evans, “A Guide to Montage Editing”). “Hotline Bling” diverges from this routinely effective method. Throughout the video, there are over a dozen scenes with lengths of five seconds or longer with Drake and his mannerisms serving as the principle focus. Where as traditional hip-hop videos with quick transitional cuts and busy backgrounds do not provide adequate material for gif designers without significant efforts; “Hotline Bling’s” use of blank space and lengthy camera edits lend itself perfectly for content …show more content…

Its intent was to target meme and gif authors to create content for social media utilizing the video as a source. Ultimately, with viral distribution through memes and gifs this would promote brand awareness for Apple, Air Jordan, and OVO in the minds of consumers. “Hotline Bling” effectively achieved this by providing an alluring template for meme and gif creators. Firstly, through the video’s minimalistic approach of its backdrop and colour uses it was able to provide a malleable canvas for easy editing. In addition, the length of time in multiple camera shots allowed gif creators access to plenty of valuable content for source material. Furthermore, the strategic placement of corporate logos on Drake’s clothing and imposed on the screen are evidence of the video’s principle focus to create a template for advertising. Most importantly to “Hotline Blings” achievement however, was in its instinct that a collage of over-exaggerated dance moves by Drake would inevitably stimulate the content creators to act and the social media masses to share. With the viral spectacle “Hotline Bling” became it could be stated that marketing in the twenty-first century is taking the phrase “Any publicity is good publicity” quite

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