It’s not an exaggeration to say that Marshmello is the best branded artist of our generation. With a simple mask and (at first) anonymous identity, the idea that Marshmello could be anyone was expanded to “anyone can be Marshmello.” As Rolling Stone points out, his iconic white helmet was the “best-selling Halloween costume at Spirit Halloween Stores last year.” And unlike 99% of EDM artists, 40% of the audience on his YouTube channel is under the age of 13.
Because his audience is so young and can’t attend his shows, or maybe it was the plan all along, Marshmello’s branding is so much more than just his music. It’s his whole identity… or lack thereof.
Expanding his branded empire, today he “debuted Mellodees, a new YouTube animated series about a singing robot, aimed at kids between two and six years old. Marshmello himself may only make a cameo or two, but he created the setting and all the music,” writes Rolling Stone.
‘Mellodees’ is another example of how his influence reaches beyond just himself, his identity, or his music. It’s his brand. And branding is something that many artists struggle with, for good reason. It’s a bizarrely abstract concept that encompasses both your personal and artist identity, and recognizing how those two differ, along with everything your brand represents.
Marshmello, like his music or not, has always stood for positivity and togetherness. His music reflects this in its bubbly synth sounds and his logo, a simple marshmallow, is something many of us can connect with from when we were children — or even now, if you still indulge in s’mores every once in a while.
A branded children’s show was just the clear next step. The Rolling Stone feature delves more into how The Shalizi Group implemented the branding from the beginning, and you can read it here.
Photo via Rukes.com
