Music & Brands with RA*W talent Bianca Lubbers

In each episode, we feature a different talent (from the RA*W community), focusing on their musical influences and connection to brands. How do young talents in the creative industry perceive music and sound in advertising and branding? Which brands do they admire? And, of course, we want to know who their favorite artist is.

In this episode: Bianca Lubbers, Conceptual copy/Art Creative and board Member of We Are RA*W.

Who are you, and what do you do?

Hi, I’m Bianca Lubbers, a conceptual art and copy creative, with a passion for creative production, digital, and cultural projects. I love getting involved in relevant conversations about anything fashion, music, community and pop culture. Through visual research and storytelling, I enjoy bringing people and brands together. Hence, I love connecting with like-minded individuals and sharing their insights and perspective on a bigger stage. Beyond that, I’m also a board member of We Are RA*W. Outside of work, I’m most likely getting lost in exhibitions with music in my ears.

Which brand do you admire and why?

Lego is a brand that I’ve admired since my childhood, particularly for their consistent efforts to seize every opportunity to ignite and inspire creativity, catering not only to children but also to adults. It’s quite remarkable how they have been able to successfully win at every collaboration and yet, the possibilities for Lego seem limitless, over time they continue to remind us in showing off their flexibility. My favorite example is this campaign by Lego x Polaroid, it illustrates how they encourage people to be open minded, creative and explore their imaginations while advertising a non-functioning camera made entirely of Lego bricks. Simply genius’

When you think of your favorite brand – if it had a theme song, what would it be?
“Abusey Junction”, by Kokoroko. Every time I listen to this song I feel like I’m in my next life having a nostalgic moment of this one. It reminds me of life itself —staying present, humble, faithful, and making the most out of every moment. This feeling is also reminiscent of Polaroid’s brand identity: capturing the essence of everyday life as it is with just one click. Encouraging us to focus on the moments that matter, Polaroid reminds us to cherish the beauty in the ordinary.

Which brand (national or international) distinguishes itself by embracing the use of music? Do you have an example of a campaign that demonstrates this?

Easy, TikTok! As social media continues to dominate our world, it’s hard to deny that TikTok has easily become a go-to platform for organically embracing new and old music, simultaneously. The algorithm has been helping us to discover new music, artists, playlists, music curators and more based on our stream of consciousness as we continue to scroll and engage with content we like in the app.

While TikTok isn’t big on creating their own brand ads, it continuously collaborates with brands, especially those with a music focus. An example of a campaign/collaboration is with Eurovision 2023. The campaign titled “Where stars get started”, sheds light on how stars like Sam Ryder, began their journey on tiktok towards becoming an artist.

I believe this campaign is a story that many social media talents could identify with —from posting videos of them working on their passion projects to creating a community and eventually being able to sustain themselves through their efforts.

What is your favorite artist/band? Can you explain why?

I listen to all sorts of music, I think if anyone goes through my liked songs on Spotify you’d get a taste of it. However, my heart beats for anything Afropop, Afrobeats, Afrojazz or Amapiano. If I had to pick an artist for this moment, I’d choose Tems. She is truly an amazing artist. She’s so feminine in her music but so strong. You feel her fearless energy through her words and sound in each song. My current favorite of hers is “Me & You”. In this song she speaks deeply of things. I’m already looking forward to her debut album.

I also love her live performance for Genius, I totally recommend everyone to give it a listen:

Other honorable mentions are Tyla, Arya, Star, and Bloody Civilian. It’s interesting to see this new generation of African Women reshaping Afropop, especially as the industry remains male dominated, these women and many others continue to break boundaries and societal norms in Africa.

When you think of your favorite brand – if it had a theme song, what would it be?
I’d love to see Tems take a dab with Bottega Veneta. They both share a sense of  timelessness.

Which song takes you back to a certain moment in your life? What moment is that, and why is that song so connected?

Definitely ‘Found’ by Tems featuring Brent Fiayaz.

The song is about self-discovery, personal growth and finding oneself amidst the ongoing chaos and noise of the world. I also think it’s challenging not to become increasingly apathetic about everything that’s happening around us while simultaneously finding joy in the little things. This song is a reminder.