FYC: The Secret Ingredient To a Grammy-Winning Campaing
Submitting a Grammy entry is the first step. The real challenge is making sure the Recording Academy remembers it. This is where For Your Consideration (FYC) campaigns come in. These campaigns can be seen in all media, such as emails, invitations, billboards and websites. They remind the Recording Academy about eligible albums, songs, and performances. FYC has been the most memorable part of Grammy season, besides the Grammys.
The Recording Academy has to go through over 20,000 eligible entries and going through many entries it's hard to remember every single one. To stand out, record labels, independent artists, and PR teams create FYC campaigns to catch voters' attention. These ads appear everywhere. We can see them in magazines, digital ads and social media such as Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter. This tactic is used to ensure their music stays in front of the voters until the last ballot is casted.
Nominees use the FYC tactic and design it to help them stand out among their competitors. In the past, FYC used to be more simple and quite text-heavy. With this new generation of designers, we see a lot more impactful works using bold typography, colorful and eye-catching designs. Along with the graphic elements, the use of photography is also seen with unseen album concept photos almost reminding the voters that they have never seen this before. All these elements help the nominees break through the noise and make an impression on the voters.
FYC campaigns are more than marketing strategies. They are key factors in an artist's success. As artists and labels improve their strategies, one question remains: How will artists push the boundaries next?
Diana Steffany
Diana Steffany is a senior at CSUN majoring in Communication Design. Inspired by pop culture and bold graphics, she is the co-president of SAGA, CSUN’s communication design club, and a member of IntersectLA (IXLA), the Center for Creative Collaboration on campus. Her goal is to work in the beauty industry creating playful designs. When she’s not designing, she enjoys collecting blind boxes and adding to her Sanrio collection.