Case Study:

Rock The Cause Records

Scott Herold avatar
Scott Herold CEO/Founder

Introduction

Rock The Cause logo

Rock the Cause is an award-winning community-focused nonprofit organization and record label distributed by Sony/The Orchard. Known for spotlighting artists with compelling stories that support meaningful causes, Rock The Cause Records has collaborated with a diverse range of musicians, from indie artists on the verge of breaking, to name acts including The Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket, and even Rock and Roll Hall of Famers like Bonnie Raitt, Donovan, and Rickey Medlocke (Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd). The label has generated nearly $1,000,000 for charitable causes globally and has had five viral #1 hits. Scott Herold, CEO and Founder of Rock The Cause Records, plays an instrumental role in securing media opportunities for the roster and also shares his expertise by teaching the business of music and media at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, MN.

Problem Statement

In today's dynamic music industry, independent labels and artists encounter numerous hurdles when promoting their music to journalists and radio programmers. Media representatives are constantly inundated with pitches, making it difficult for labels and publicists to capture the attention of vital media contacts and cultivate lasting relationships. Furthermore, breaking new music to radio stations is difficult, as playlists and stations are hesitant to add new songs.

HAULIX Features

HAULIX’s suite of features including Metrics & Reporting, Customization, Share Links, and HAULIX+, allow Rock The Cause Records to effectively track recipient activity, seamlessly personalize promotional materials, and make informed decisions on follow-up communications that drive success.

  • Metrics & Reporting: HAULIX's metrics and reporting features provide Rock The Cause Records with invaluable insights into their promotional campaigns. They rely on real-time tracking of recipient activity to instantly monitor engagement levels and utilize detailed reporting to analyze the effectiveness of their promotions. This includes identifying who is streaming or downloading their music and who is viewing their releases. Such data empowers them to gauge interest levels and refine their follow-up strategies for optimal outcomes.
HAULIX Metrics screenshot All real time activity in one place
I like that I can see who has actually opened my media kit. If there is someone I really want to get in front of and they opened the media kit but didn’t take action on it, I have the opportunity to follow up and see if they are not digging it, if they are planning on coming back to it, or something else.
  • Share Links: Rock The Cause Records benefits from HAULIX's share links feature, which offers both security and convenience for their promotional efforts. With unique links tailored to each recipient and personal watermarks for added protection, they integrate share links into their follow-up communications, ensuring recipients have easy access to releases with just one click. They also utilize share links for smooth collaboration and material review before distribution, streamlining their workflow.
HAULIX Share Links Unique links for each contact
  • Customization: With HAULIX’s user-friendly interface, Rock The Cause Records effortlessly tailors promo kits and emails, even without advanced technical skills. With the dynamic email designer, they can craft engaging emails that captivate recipients, ensuring pitches stand out and make a lasting impression. The label’s artists have also praised the polished and professional appearance of media kits and promotional materials crafted for them.
Customize promo using our designer screenshot Customize promo using our designer
  • HAULIX+: Rock The Cause Records has achieved remarkable success through their HAULIX+ campaigns, resulting in increased press coverage and interview opportunities, and an expanded international reach. They appreciate HAULIX+’s affordability, efficiency, and effectiveness.
HAULIX+ service media outlet logos We send your music to our contact lists
HAULIX+ has been a really great tool for us. For Rickey Medlocke's campaign, the European media came out in full force and I know that’s because they picked it up through the lists we worked with HAULIX on. We’ve received blog posts from as far as Sweden, and after trying for a long time to get something going with The Wire UK, they posted for us on this release. We were able to get in front of hard rock blogs like Louder and Rock Confidential and received coverage from CUMULUS and iHeart blogs. We’ve also been getting a lot of interviews.

Strategy & Implementation

Rock The Cause Records leverages HAULIX to streamline its pitching process and bolster collaboration. As media releases are created, they undergo a thorough review process that includes input from multiple teams before final approval. This process is streamlined with HAULIX's authorized user and share-link features, allowing for efficient collaboration among team members. When pitching media, share-links are utilized for personalized follow-ups and real-time monitoring of recipient engagement allows for quick outreach after a recipient takes action. This comprehensive approach ensures the development of compelling media releases that optimize coverage opportunities.

Results & Success

With HAULIX, Rock The Cause Records has achieved impressive success, securing coverage and feedback from major outlets like BBC, BET, and Top 40 radio stations. Serving as a vital tool for their promotions, HAULIX helps them connect with key influencers and drive impactful collaborations.

We have been able to use HAULIX to get in front of very serious influencers and make some really great things happen for the artists that we work with. For example, a few years ago Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski made a consent-based version of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside,’ and we were able to use HAULIX to make sure that it was getting out to radio stations across the country. Stations were adding it to their Holiday on-air playlists and it was really cool to see. We’ve also done a few campaigns with three-time Grammy award-winning group Sounds of Blackness and their past few singles have all tracked on MediaBase, receiving airplay on Top 40, Hot AC, Urban, and Gospel stations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, HAULIX has become an essential tool for Rock The Cause Records, transforming their music promotion strategies and delivering impressive results. HAULIX's affordability, ease of use, and effectiveness have warranted it becoming one of their top industry tools.

Companies like HAULIX have made it economically efficient and affordable to service music media and radio stations. When we need to deliver media quickly and succinctly with high impact, HAULIX is always the first start.
*Participants received an Amazon Gift Card for their involvement in this study.