Reimagining 88risings website experience for fans to engage with their favourite artists and stay informed.
CONTRIBUTION
Art Direction, UI Designer , Researcher, Decision Maker, Facilitator
CREDITS
Justin Yu, Luke Do, Terrence Xu, Claret Egwim-Nwagbara
Project Overview
88rising stands as a multimedia record label committed to bridging the cultural gap between the East and West. Through the promotion of Asian and Asian American culture across diverse media platforms, the company aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation. This redesigned 88rising website serves as a touchpoint for fans, offering an enhanced experience to explore details about their cherished artists, while also extending support to lesser-known talents, thereby expanding their influence.
I was responsible for conducting user research, content strategy, visuals, and interaction, while also facilitating a design sprint.
For Asians and Asian Americans and just Asian youth globally, there’s no real home on the Internet, or a company consistently putting out things that either include Asian talent or Asian viewpoints in stories.
Sean Miyashiro, CEO & Founder of 88rising
Research + Framing: Business Opportunity
Despite a successful debut, they have struggled to maintain momentum, losing over 2.6 billion viewerships in the past 4 years. To find the root of the problem the team conducted user interviews and surveys involving 89 respondents spanning from casual to die-hard fans, we aimed to delve into the core issues surrounding music-sharing habits and perceptions of 88rising and its roster of artists.
Research + Framing: Uncovering Engagement Gaps
Our findings revealed a notable lack of engagement attributed to a substantial awareness gap, as 62% of respondents were unaware of 88rising’s monthly releases. Despite the consensus uncovered by user surveys regarding a decline in popularity, 41% of casual fans linked it to perceived low engagement from the brand.These fans expressed interest in discovering new talents and experiencing the signature sounds associated with 88rising.
The big names seem stagnant, while many new artists lack exposure, creating an opportunity for more variety. This introduces people to different sounds beyond the usual big names, providing something new to discover and listen to.
Survey Respondent - Research Conducted by the team
Research + Framing: Framing the Problem
From a business perspective, my team and I identified that 88rising fans were struggling to engage with the diverse roster and collaborative content scattered across various platforms. We proposed an intervention leveraging 88rising’s unique Asian American identity and diverse artists to enhance fan discovery, connection, and provide visibility to artists who were previously overlooked.
Result: The New Fan Experience
This intervention invite fans to explore and delve deeper into artists they may not have encountered previously. It also introduces fans to the latest album releases, fostering a dynamic environment for continuous discovery and appreciation of diverse musical experiences.
Result: Cultural Familiarity
Offering a point of departure and attracting casual audiences unfamiliar with where to start, the incorporation of various languages aids in introducing fans to new artists by establishing relatable connections rooted in asian language and culture.
Result: Renewed Emphasis on Collaboration
88rising’s artists bring together unique voices and styles, making them stand out from the crowd. On our artist pages, we’ve ditched the usual static grid layout to give fans a more lively and exciting experience. The contrasting movements represent a fresh clash of cultures.
Result: Unique Artist Personalities
On each artist’s page, fans will find stacks of images that neatly organize a ton of relatable and personal content from various platforms onto one screen. This design makes it easy for casual fans to dive into the world of artists they find interesting.
Stakeholder Value
(Business) 88rising
Fostering a loyal fan base through increasing song engagements and merch sales. Highlighting lesser known artists to deepen their talent pool all while further promoting Asian American media to mainstream global audiences.
(Consumer) Fans
Helps create a more diverse music & artists range through enhanced discoverability and deeper artists engagement. Fans gain an appreciation of the artist’s creativity, influences and personal experiences.
Lessons Learned
My key learning from this project was learning to effectively frame a problem, taking into account not only the fans perspective but also considering the business side. I came to the realization that an issue like post-concert depression is applicable to any company, not just specific to 88rising itself. Consequently, it took us 3-4 weeks to pinpoint the problem space, as my team and I aimed for perfection rather than settling for “good enough.” This pursuit extended the timeline until the final three weeks when we focused on sprints, creating and refining the design.
I am grateful to both my team and the teaching staff who helped me stay grounded during the challenging weeks. :)