Post-Concert Depression is an Extreme Form of Brand Loyalty

Wednesday 13 November 2013 § 0

October is prime time for gigs and shows. It’s why it’s been aptly referred to as Rocktober (by me [and at least other person, come on!]). If you’ve ever been to a really memorable show, you’ve probably experienced Post-Concert Depression, or PCD. PCD involves going home elated and then waking up the next day sulking and listening to the band’s album on repeat for a week (or six). I equate PCD to an extreme form of brand loyalty (and also withdrawal).

Despite the masses of brooding fans, bands get a lot out of PCD:

  • Bands often see a growth in social media followers consisting of fans who just discovered them. This is especially true for new or smaller bands that open for headliners.
  •  A live event re/ignites a fan’s loyalty to the band. PCD may result in sharing (or spamming) one’s facebook/twitter page with videos, tracks, or recommending (or forcing) your friends to listen to the band’s music.
  • Bands get a peak in their social media engagement after every show. From people saying “Thanks for coming to Vancouver! You guys killed it tonight!” to Instagram photos of their performance, every show puts them in the social media spotlight.
  • Posting customized content about each city before and/or after a show is extremely powerful. We all know the importance of customizing content to different social mediums and audiences, but bands have been customizing their between-song banter to different cities for years! “Hellllooooooooo WISCONSIN!” But now, with social media, bands can further customize messages so that the PCD really hits home: “That was fun Vancouver"

But the process of becoming a brand advocate and being a fan of a band isn’t exactly the same. Finding a band and listening to them is a more organic process. You fall into a soundcloud discovery hole and then two years later the band finally makes it big enough to go on tour and play your city. So how can brands generate something close to PCD?
A recent study done by Momentum Worldwide looked at the positive WOM generated from the most common types of brand interactions, from simply visiting their Facebook page to going to a branded event. What they found was that attending a live, branded event was the most effective means of driving (65% of) people to recommend brands and driving (59% of) them to buy the brand at a retail store. A branded live event even trumped a friend’s and a trusted influencer’s recommendation – the traditional drivers of WOM.


A branded live event can be anything from a concert, to a sports game, to a food festival. The more interactive and memorable the brand experience, the more buzz the brand creates for itself. 93% of people who attended branded events were likely to talk about the event.





 Furthermore, a live music event resulted in more positive affect about the brand. What this means is that brands can leverage the PCD or its sports- or (food- [I was like a Bieber fan at Eat! Vancouver watching Chuck Hughes do a demo on cooking with kale. So yes, it’s possible.]) equivalent by sponsoring live events. 




Not only will their brand be attached to a memorable event, but they gain a host of other benefits (using a concert example):

  • Musical tastes can be so subjective that they in themselves are psychographic measure. This can allow brands to tune into certain demographics and target these fans by attaching their brand image to the music they love most.
    Source: Forrester Research
    • Everybody likes music, and hosting free events can grow a brand’s target audience. I don’t drive, but a free You Say Party show hosted by Scion? Sure, why not.
    • Your brand can become embedded in the band’s existing culture, or at least gain some residual cool. Assuming you’ve done your research and the band’s brand image aligns with yours (or your ideal), by being attached to the band, you’ll inevitably earn some cool points. In essence, you get to say, “I’m with the band.”
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