PAC AVE RECORDS

PAC AVE RECORDS IS A STUDENT-RUN RECORD LABEL AT PACIFIC THAT GIVES STUDENTS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WORKING AT A RECORD LABEL. FROM A&R TO MARKETING, STUDENTS DO IT ALL

MARKETING TEAM MEMBER

Pac Ave Records is set up in a controlled, class setting, helping students understand the ways of label work. We started with no set roles, and soon we began to fall into our own pursuits and interests. I naturally fell into the realm of marketing, aiding in social media, event, and album release campaigns. My time at Pac Ave Records developed my early skills in graphic design, social media, event marketing, and website building. Although I primarily took on a marketing role, I also made significant contributions to event planning and coordination. Pac Ave was my stepping stone in multiple areas of the music industry and beyond.

Throughout 2 semesters, Pac Ave planned a total of 6 events, including karaoke nights, artists showcases, a media day for Pac Ave and Pacific musicians, and our annual Grammy watch party. Outside of our Grammy watch party, Pac Ave Records had no experience planning an event beyond that. As a team, we wanted to bring a new, fresh perspective to the label and set guidelines for future classes to follow.

We hosted three artist showcases that provided all of our signed artists with a platform to perform and share their music with a wider student audience. Each showcase featured 5–9 artists across a diverse range of genres, highlighting talent within the label. We accommodated individual artist riders and curated a collaborative, welcoming environment where creatives and listeners could connect and enjoy the experience together. In addition to the showcases, we introduced karaoke as a new event offering. This created a low-pressure, inclusive space for Pacificans to perform while also serving as an organic way for the label to identify and scout potential new talent.

Pac Ave Media Day was also hosted as an opportunity to collect marketing assets for our roster of artists while simultaneously providing each artist with professional content to support their own self-promotion. Although the process was intensive, we successfully produced marketing material for more than 12 different artist groups, creating content that worked both for the label and for the artists themselves.

Along with all of these events, I was able to provide multiple/all marketing assets for them. This was my first time working in the marketing space and my first time utilizing tools like Canva. As a team, we all created a different theme (i.e. beach, chrome, Halloween, etc.), and from there, I was able to encapsulate that vision with the promotional materials.

Event Planning and Marketing

Second Pac Ave Showcase Performer Announcement Cover

Throughout my time at Pac Ave, I participated in two music release campaigns: Best of Pacific 2023 and What Is Beauty? Each project required a distinct marketing approach tailored to different audiences. Best of Pacific 2023, a compilation album composed primarily of classical music, was marketed to appeal to students by positioning it as study/focus music released just in time for finals. For non-student audiences, the album was framed more elegantly, as background music suited for dinner parties and intimate gatherings. An angle reflected in our Instagram marketing materials.

What Is Beauty? by Mostly Blue was presented with a wholesome, emotionally driven brand identity. The EP’s themes of life milestones and personal growth made it naturally marketable to listeners seeking a deeper connection with the artist’s music and image, allowing us to build an authentic and relatable campaign.

Music Marketing

What Is Beauty? - Mostly Blue Instagram Post

Along with my designated campaign assignments, I spent a great deal of time humanizing Pac Ave Records. As we went through with tabling events, we noticed that not a lot of people knew about the label and services, or that it was run by students. Wanting to bring awareness to the program, I redid the website with updated materials and created social media posts educating viewers and posting staff musical picks. This was able to bring back Pac Ave as a label run by students FOR students!

Misc. Marketing/Design

Pac Ave Informational Post