What Drake vs. Kendrick teaches us about marketing

It’s the beef that’s kept us fed for the entirety of this year.

But what can two grown men writing petty songs for each other teach us about marketing?

The explosive feud between Drake and Kendrick has divided hip-hop fans all over the world. The two have been digging up dirt and spitting some serious allegations at one another in the process, making it hard to separate fact from fiction.

The general consensus is that Kendrick won a pyrrhic victory and Drake may be done for good. But let’s be real, when two of the world's greatest rappers tear each other apart in front of their fans, everybody kind of loses.

It’s ugly. It’s egocentric. And, at its core, it’s kind of sad.

However, if anyone can gain anything from this, we marketers can potentially take a W from the pop culture spectacle.

And a win is a win in my eyes.

So, today we're going to look at what marketing insights brands can take away from the most notorious rap beef since Tupac and Biggie.

The first thing we can learn is the importance of brand identity.

Think of your fave rap artists. They all possess a distinctive style and voice. Who would Nicki be without her tell-tale aggressive accents and expressive style of rap (think, 'I’m startin’ to feel like a DUNGEON DRAGON')? We know and love Nicki because of these traits that set her apart from other female artists in the genre.

Having a distinctive brand identity makes you recognisable. It differentiates you from your competitors and fosters trust among your customers.

Hip-hop is not short of infamous rivalries. Nas vs. Jay-Z, Tupac vs. Biggie, 50 Cent vs. practically everybody.

Feuds like these force artists to constantly up their game. They have to improve their writing and craft more innovative beats, working reactively and keeping their eyes on the prize.

If Nas hadn’t been battling Jay-Z, we may have never got ‘Illmatic,' and he never would have pushed the boundaries of storytelling in rap as much as he did.

Analysing the Drake and Kendrick beef tells the same story. Drake is notoriously a 'lover boy' rapper, known for his casual writing and fun style of music. Yet, in his responses to Kendrick, we heard bars we’d never have expected from Drake.

The same goes for brands. A healthy dose of competition forces us to innovate to stay ahead of the curve.

The Apple vs. Samsung rivalry pushes both brands to release better and better products, advancing the smartphone industry.

This ultimately benefits us, the consumer.

And the fact that these feuds get people talking means the brands win, too.

Content creators, in this instance, are amplifiers.

Across platforms like YouTube and TikTok, creators play a crucial role in keeping these feuds front of mind. The more conversation around each phase of the feud, the longer its lifespan and reach.

This is why it’s important for brands to engage with influencers and creators. Provide them with exclusive or early releases of your product or service and encourage deeper narrative exploration. This allows your audience to tap into the lore of your brand, giving them a deeper insight into who you are and what you’re about.

But I’m not talking about just throwing products at influencers and hoping something sticks.

You have to identify those who align with your brand and ensure collaborations feel authentic to your audience.

Take Metro Boomin for example. Amid the Drake and Kendrick beef, the producer dropped the instrumental of the Drake diss track. This created a wave of repurposed content and international engagement.

And let's not forget about the plethora of YouTube creators who spent hours breaking down every past interaction between the two rappers for the fans to indulge on.

I’ve thought about writing this piece for ages, thinking, 'How do I create a link between marketing and a rap beef?'

But here’s the thing: Everything that happens in pop culture relates to us.

Because it’s all part of the world we consume. And, as marketers, we can take lessons from everything.

Even if it’s two grown men publicly bitching at each other.

So, our lessons from Drake and Kendrick:

• Build a strong brand identity. Stand out from the crowd and make yourself memorable.

• Embrace competition, but keep it clean. Let it fuel innovation, not negativity.

• Use content creators as amplifiers. Partnering with influencers and content creators helps you reach new audiences and markets.

-Sophie, Writer