boAt and Digitas India partner to celebrate World Music Day

World Music Day is celebrated on June 21, a day that recognizes the joy that music brings to everyone’s lives.

boAt, India’s favourite audio-wearables brand wanted to celebrate World Music Day on June 21. A day that recognizes the joy that music brings to everyone’s lives. But social listening showed how ad-breaks were a gripe amongst streaming users. boAt’s objective therefore was to find a way to celebrate and connect with its audience without interrupting their music on the day it mattered most to them.

Presenting The Unheard Break - a true, purpose-driven gift from boAt to India on World Music Day. boAt partnered with Digitas India and blocked all peak time ad space on Gaana - the popular OTT music streaming platform - on June 21. So, no brand could run an ad, not even boAt. Instead, 15 million Gaana listeners were surprised with a one-of-a-kind experience. Thanks to clever programming, everyone, including all free subscribers got to enjoy their favourite songs one after the other without the usual ad-breaks that interrupted their listening. So popular was the event, that celebrities and influencers took to Twitter to request boAt to extend the session.

Speaking on the initiative, Sushant Sharma, brand manager, boAt said: "We are one of the most conversational brands in the country today, thanks to our topical campaigns that reflect the brand's roots, its purpose and its values. We wanted to do something more meaningful this year on World Music Day. At boAt, we design every experience around our audience. And nothing excites us more than ideas that help us connect with them outside the confines of a conventional marketing communication approach. The Unheard Break not only solved a genuine pain point for so many music lovers by offering an ad-free listening experience, but also expanded the brand’s fan base across India.”

Highlighting the uniquness of the initiative, Abraham Varughese, CCO, Digitas India said: “Right from the outset we were clear that we had to do something special for World Music Day, especially given boAt’s origins in audio-wearables. We found the answer in an innovative and clever use of media, to help the brand connect with its audience in a way that conventional advertising wouldn’t be able to do. The Unheard Break is a rare manifestation of purpose guiding the collective thinking. An idea that was designed to deliver a memorable user experience and endeared the brand to millions of music fans across India.”

The teaser and launch campaign were rolled out on the following platforms: Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Gaana, Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon and Snapchat.