JWT collaborates on The Genomusic Project

The Mumbai-based electronic music group will produce a music album out of the genes of its fans collected through Facebook.

The genetic mystery of music finally appears to have been solved. Mumbai-based electronic music production group BBC (Bay Beat Collective) has announced that it will produce a music album out of the genes of its fans. Conceptualised in partnership with JWT, the global advertising agency, Bay Beat Collective has launched 'The Genomusic Project' in India. The Genomusic Project is an experimental music album, which will have eight tracks made out of the fans' DNA samples.

JWT, along with their digital partners Runtime Solutions, has devised a Facebook application through which users need to identify themselves to a track that best defines him/her as a person, along with the name of the artist. Out of all the responses collected, Bay Beat Collective will shortlist eight candidates and will send them DNA collecting kits.

The collected samples will then be sent to labs specialising in genetics to determine each DNA profile. After the profile is collected, Bay Beat Collective will use a specially designed software to convert each DNA profile into a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) Sample, which will be later converted to a track.

According to Kris Coreya, one of the founders of Bay Beat Collective, each track will have its own distinct sound since no two people have the same DNA profile. Besides, the first 50 to send in the answers will get a mobile ringtone created from his/her DNA by BBC.

Speaking to afaqs! about the mandate behind the activity, Prajato Guha Thakurta, copywriter, JWT says that BBC wanted to connect with its fans on digital and thus The Genomusic Project was conceptualised. "Bay Beat Collective felt that to have 'fans for life', it was not enough to interact with them only during gigs. The musicians wanted an idea that would help themengage with fans on a more regular basis and at a more intimate level. What better way for a band to engage with fans than by collaborating with them on a music album? And, what better platform to do this than on the band's very own Facebook page? Thus was born The Genomusic Project, the world's first music album created from fans' DNA," says Thakurta.

JWT, which is currently collaborating with Bay Beat Collective on this project, has designed the Facebook application and launched it on February 1, 2012. Till the time of filing this report, the app had collected around 1,188 views and according to Thakurta, around 50 per cent of them have sent their responses (https://apps.facebook.com/theGenomusicproject/).

The campaign will be on for around a month and the agency will aggressively promote the activity on Facebook and Twitter. "All promotional activities will aim to direct traffic to the Genomusic Project app on Bay Beat Collective's Facebook page. We've designed posters that will be put up in popular nightclubs, bars and cafes, and the band is doing a series of gigs to promote the project. To engage with their fans on Facebook, Bay Beat Collective will share videos on its Facebook timeline that will give fans weekly updates on The Genomusic Project. We'll also launch a Twitter campaign, #TheGenomusicProject soon," says Sachin Kamble, art director, JWT.

Bay Beat Collective was founded by DJs Kris Correya and Sohail Arora in late 2008. Influenced by bass music artists across the board, BBC has toured with some of the biggest international names in the electronic and bass music circuit, including artists like The Prodigy, LTJ Bukem, Alix Perez, Klute, Nymfo, Concord Dawn, DJ Marky, Jazzsteppa, Asian Dub Foundation, TC1, Brother Culture, Dub FX & Pendulum.