So much of what we do today relies on entertainment to be an integral part of our deliverables. Whether we are looking for a band for a wedding, a guest performer at a fundraiser, or just some talent to be a part of our next video or commercial; artists are fundamental to the completion of most (if not all) creative projects.
But how do you find them?
From sifting through agency profiles, to union pages, to straight-up typing “musician in X area” in Google, the search process is fundamentally flawed and segmented. Simply put, artists – especially those just starting out or looking for their big break – get lost in the noise and sometimes saturated markets. There are only so many results on page 1 of Google to begin with.
The search and access for artists is being fundamentally disrupted. We’ve seen companies like Cameo change how consumers interact with their favourite talent, while generating healthy revenue streams for artists. This was especially important during the pandemic when in-person activities were critically affected.
However, with regions and cities opening up, the demand for live entertainment and in-person connections is once again booming, and ripe to take on the new demand is the Special Guest app.
Co-founded by funny man Damon Wayans Jr. and entrepreneur Kristopher Jones, Special Guest aims to tackle the very process of booking talent for your next gig. It provides an easy platform by which people can find performers – from comedians to musicians – to take part at their next gig or project.
It is as simple as it sounds, but complex in what it is. At its core, Special Guest is a massive database with layers upon layers of filterable criteria. Artists are mapped by location, allowing users to narrow down to those that are around their region, and grouped into 19 different talent categories. What’s unique about the platform is that it provides an easy-to-access database for any artist to take advantage of to get their name out there. Plus, it builds and provides artists with a landing page that talent can link back to and help drive sales/conversions.
I am also excited by the launch of merchbooth.com, an all-service merchandise offering that artists can take advantage of to create special merch for their audiences with zero up-front cost. While there are other platforms in the merchandising game, I like the integration between Special Guest and MerchBooth and the factor that they have the same team and the same end goal of getting artists booked and working. Synergies and like-minded products help artists build their arsenal of tools to help get their brand out there.
While Canada doesn’t seem to be on the location segmentation yet, I hope the platform expands into Canada and provides artists across the country an opportunity to join the platform. With events happening year round that provides artists exposure to mass audiences, platforms like Special Guest will be fundamental in helping artists get repeat business.
Looking forward to seeing this app grow and open up opportunities.
Watch our chat with the two Co-Founders at Collision Conference 2022, seen above.
Cover Photo: Steve Murakami. © The Arts Guild Inc.
