In 2024, Genius and Rabanne Million Gold elevated Open Mic in its fourth year, transforming it into an immersive brand experience that reimagined luxury for today’s diverse audiences. Focused on becoming more aspirational and premium—and on generating awareness while keeping Rabanne 1M Gold top-of-mind during key gifting periods among Black and Gen-Z consumers—we crafted two distinct visual worlds that seamlessly blend music, fashion, and storytelling. The Leon Thomas episode, in particular, transported viewers into a fully realized artistic vision where his song, custom set, and natural charisma perfectly embodied the premium allure of Rabanne 1M Gold. With custom annotation graphics dropping insights into the creative process and a minimalist aesthetic defined by a single high-beam light, a white staircase, and monochromatic outfits with black and gold accents, the campaign delivered a visually striking, culturally resonant moment. Additionally, a social video exploring his "Fresh Perspective" before the performance, along with editorial and social extensions, drove purchase consideration during the holidays—cementing Rabanne 1M Gold’s elevated status in today’s modern cultural landscape.
In true Genius fashion, we built a campaign that marries high art with high fashion, using music as our common language. Central to our strategy was a visually arresting video that seamlessly integrates Rabanne Million Gold into every frame. We achieved this by designing a set that builds on the stark, modern look from our previous campaign—only now, we’ve dialed up the drama. A single high-beam light illuminates the artist standing in a void of darkness, creating a powerful focal point that draws the viewer’s eye. A white staircase adds depth and texture to the scene, serving as a dynamic counterpoint to the metallic gold of the Rabanne 1M Gold bottle, which is showcased with impeccable clarity.
Custom annotation graphics drop nuggets of music knowledge throughout the video—providing insights into the artist’s creative process and the making of the song. This not only reinforces our reputation as the ultimate music authority but also educates and entertains our audience in an approachable way. The artist’s monochromatic outfit—featuring neutral tones with black and gold accents—contrasts perfectly with the beam of light and highlights the luxurious detail of Rabanne 1M Gold’s signature metallic finish.
Our approach was meticulously planned to ensure brand integration was both organic and impactful. From pre-production alignment calls with key stakeholders to detailed creative treatments that outlined every product placement, we locked in every detail early on. This proactive coordination allowed us to maintain a cohesive narrative without last-minute adjustments, ensuring the integrity of both the creative vision and the Rabanne 1M Gold brand message. We managed on-set access and decision-making with precision, pushing back on any unplanned changes to keep the focus on our pre-approved, innovative concept.
By blending our deep music insights with high-end visual storytelling, we crafted an experience that speaks directly to the modern, style-savvy consumer. This campaign isn’t just about showcasing a product—it’s about igniting ambition, inspiring creativity, and redefining what it means to be premium in today’s cultural landscape.
The Rabanne 1M Gold campaign featuring Leon Thomas and Ryan Trey exceeded expectations, delivering exceptional performance across key metrics. The campaign generated 69.4M+ total impressions, surpassing the 46.8M contracted goal, and engaged 9.8M+ social users through custom content. Custom videos performed exceptionally well, with Leon Thomas's Mutt Open Mic performance emerging as a standout driver of views and engagement. Additionally, his Fresh Perspective social video became Genius’ most engaging branded content video of the year on Instagram and TikTok.
Video views was particularly strong, garnering 1.7M+ custom video views vs 850k. Rabanne 1M Gold also saw a significant brand media impact, achieving 59.6M+ impressions, well above the 42.97M contracted benchmark.
To measure the campaign’s impact, Genius partnered with Comscore for a brand lift study, which found:
