Stephen Green launches new digital arm with Cara Anderson [exclusive]

The SGC Group today announced the launch of a new division, For The Record Digital. 

Complementing existing businesses SGC Media, Title Track, Collision Course and Radio Monitor, the new division is being headed up by Cara Anderson, with strategic support from SGC managing director Stephen Green. 

For The Record will specialise in music releases and tours and festivals, with bespoke marketing campaigns using platforms including Facebook, Spotify, Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube and premium blogs to amplify campaigns for campaigns of all budgets.

“With our first campaigns showing massive results, its clear that investing in getting your music or live news out there with PR is one thing, but moving into the new decade, if you’re just leaving it to the media to reach your audience natively, you’re not really capitalizing on the value of the media that you’re achieving,” said Anderson. 

Anderson has been with the SGC Group for four years, working full-time on building its unique online advertising and engagement strategies over the last eighteen months leading up to the launch of FTR.

Working alongside bands, labels and festivals including Cub Sport, BMG, Quandamooka Festival, Reside and more, Anderson has created long and short term strategies with results including selling out US and UK shows, selling out festivals and creating release-day campaigns for local acts, increasing their PR campaign reach in some cases by over 800%. 

“To create For The Record, we wanted to throw out the notion of what a digital agency should do, and what digital PR means and create a system that works for 2020. We’re not interested in working with the local takeaway or motel, we’re about what works for music,” Anderson added.

“The media landscape is completely different now than ten years ago, and what needs to happen in a modern campaign is so much more than just taking it to radio or getting some press.

“The unique insight and creativity that the rest of the SGC businesses brings in their leadership in music PR and radio plugging coupled with our relationships, special arrangements for the best possible rates on the key platforms, and knowledge in building online communities, creates a solution that’s not only unique but that will continue to evolve.”

The SCG Group team on Aus Music T-Shirt Day

With a cheeky tag line of ‘More digital, Less Bullsh*t’, For The Record is taking a unique approach to things, claiming to demystify digital and make it more accessible and accountable. 

“We wanted to offer an option in the market specializing in digital that cuts through the jargon so clients know exactly what the results and goals are in campaigns,” said Green. “I believe clients want things explained so they understand how digital can work with their campaigns, not made to seem like it’s a code that only we know how to crack.

“Being more engaging on social media and having content plans is certainly important, but evangelizing what people SHOULD be doing is not effective if it’s the wrong fit for the client.

“If you can’t answer the question ‘how much is it costing’ and ‘how many more people heard my music’ or ‘how many tickets did I sell because of it’, then it’s not a campaign, it’s a TAFE course you didn’t necessarily want to take.”

Green said the new business would create a necessary evolution for SGC’s PR businesses as the ecosystem of music publications continues to evolve and radio playlists become even tighter. 

“PR will always be important, because getting authentic artist messages heard will always be at the centre of what we do, but engaging your audience can be so much more sophisticated than simply how many likes you’ve got and how many people on your email list.

“It’s more than just boosting a post and the methods and systems that For The Record have built are very exciting as we move into our second decade.”

Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2020, and Green’s 20th year in music PR, Brisbane’s SGC Group have had a big few years, with artist successes including Sheppard, Gurrumul, Cub Sport, Adrian Eagle, Lauv, John Butler Trio and many more, while taking on live events like BIGSOUND, The Australian Music Prize, Queensland Music Festival and MJR Touring.

SGC have also launched Radio Monitor in the Australian and New Zealand markets, recently working with The Music Network to rebirth Australia’s official airplay charts including the TMN Hot 100 and Country Hot 50, as well as to create more robust data solutions for labels and radio stations. 

For The Record will be available to all clients of the SGC Group as well as taking on new digital-only clients looking for creative marketing options to augment their internal PR and plugging efforts.