Don’t Blend In – Be a Brat: What We’ve Learnt from Charli XCX’s Viral Album Campaign.
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Welcome to the season of ‘Brat’. Leave your ‘clean girl’ aesthetic at the door, don’t bother with that pilates class, and push away the kale salad. It’s time to embrace your unapologetic chaos-causing self. For the past little while, Charli XCX’s latest album, ‘Brat,’ has flooded our feeds, and dominated our conversations, leaving a vivid, neon-green imprint on our collective consciousness.
If you haven’t been swept up in the Brat blitz, let’s catch you up. This June, pop star Charli XCX’s sixth album rollout exploded onto the music scene, capturing critical acclaim and mainstream success, all with a rebellious, stick-it-to-the-industry attitude. So how did Charli XCX, a singer who has remained on the fringe of mainstream success for over ten years, break through today’s heavily saturated music market? One word: authenticity.
GO AHEAD, JUDGE THIS ALBUM BY THE COVER
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If you were to envision a successful album cover, few would imagine an aggressively neon-green backdrop with a single word in faint, blurred text. Yet, Brat’s lo-fi, eye-catching cover has quickly reached icon status in the music industry. Defying expectations and conventions, Charli XCX’s bold design choice makes a statement that is as striking and unforgettable as the music it represents. It’s a visual punch that perfectly complements the album’s rebellious spirit and chaotic energy. It’s fun to be a Brat.
Whilst the market is awash with meticulously groomed, picture-perfect album covers like Dua Lipa’s ‘Radical Optimism’ or Billie Eilish’s ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft,’ Charli XCX boldly takes a different tack, stating -— “I wanted to go with an offensive, off-trend shade of green to trigger the idea of something being wrong. I’m not doing things to be nice,” in an interview with Vogue Singapore.
And she was right. Its simplicity and boldness made it easily replicable, allowing social media to participate instantly. Armed with a ‘Brat album generator,’ everyone and anyone from Australia’s political parties, celebrities, and big brands adopted the acid-green format, inspired by Charli’s rebellious, authentic attitude.
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SPEAKING TO FANS? LIKE SPEAKING TO A WALL
To extend the conversation of the album’s release (and armed with a bucket of acid green paint), Charli XCX birthed the now-landmark-status Brat Wall, first erected in New York. Serving as a love letter to her fanbase, the wall drew crowds eager to create content and catch Charli’s latest updates firsthand. Since then, ‘Brat walls’ have started to multiply, with the neon monuments sprouting up internationally, with locations including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Content regarding the Brat Wall has exploded on TikTok, with fans christening the monuments with their interpretations of Charli’s ‘Apple’ Dance in tribute to the artist.
@xcx.archive charli played 360 at the brat wall pop up in new york city today! #charlixcx #xcx6 #360 #angel #xcxarchive ♬ original sound – xcx archive 💚
The Brat Wall strikes a chord with Gen Z audiences who appreciate authenticity from their artists. Similar to the surge of “employee-generated” and “behind-the-scenes” content, social media is rewarding those who ditch perfectly polished looks for transparency and content that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
“I used to never think about Billboard. But now, I’ve started thinking again. Wondering ’bout whether I think I deserve commercial success,” she said frankly in the song ‘Rewind’.
@charlixcxStream good ones tho !♬ didnt want to be here – TheBaldestBitch
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY (AND MARKETING STRATEGY)
Charli XCX embraces the business of show business without pretence. Her social media offers an unfiltered glimpse into her life, treating fans like close friends. While other artists play coy with charts, treating endless variants of deluxe albums as groundbreaking new releases (cough, cough, Tortured Poets Department)—Charli kicks back on these thinly veiled strategies, with an approach that can only be seen as a jab at the music industry’s greed.
Her deluxe album was simple and straight to the point.
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Charli stripped the album down to its bare essence. She approached it with a refreshing directness, playfully mocking the ostentatious deluxe album editions released by her peers.
The even simpler, more lo-fi album cover beckoned everyone who missed out on replicating the album the first time to jump right in.
The off-putting green has now become instantly recognisable, owing to Brat’s bold, brash ethos. And now, with this new repackaged album release, the internet has new opportunities to extend the conversation of this iconic album.
@ismoloove♬ 365 – Charli xcx
SO WHAT CAN BRANDS LEARN FROM THIS?
Younger audiences love being in on the joke.
With Brat’s transparently self-aware lyrics, stereotypically ‘ugly’ cover and NSFW advertising, Charli XCX has created an exclusive community where Gen Z can proudly declare: “You either get it or you don’t.”
Wanting to ‘Bratify’ your brand? Our team is ready to infuse your socials with the authenticity that audiences crave.
Click here to get in touch with our team.
