소리 Soli
Edward Skeletrix and Museum Music
Edward Skeletrix’s Museum Music campaign exemplifies a strategic fusion of owned, earned, and paid media, each contributing to a cohesive narrative that challenges conventional marketing approaches.
Skeletrix didn’t just release this album—he turned it into an event, one of the most creative album rollouts I’ve seen in years. This essay will explore Edward’s brand and creative vision and examine how his team successfully executed an integrated media campaign. We will evaluate the campaign's effectiveness and overall impact by analyzing all three components: owned, paid, and earned media.
Owned Media
Edward Skeletrix’s online presence is captivating—he feels like a character in Elden Ring, shrouded in mystery, unpredictability, and larger-than-life, drawing fans into his world with an almost mythical aura. This aura extends across his Instagram and website, where most posts feature him in his own clothing brand or cryptic imagery. Notably, he generated massive attention on TikTok with a bizarre aesthetic that blends lo-fi artificial intelligence with the platform’s algorithm-driven chaos.
Edwards’ Instagram page
While most AI-generated art tries to overcome its uncanny valley attributes, Skeletrix embraced the medium’s blatant unreality. His eerie “Skeletrix Island” memes quickly went viral as a precursor to the CGI-gore visuals popularized by emerging videographers like paintingdemons. Paired with snippets of his cryptic music, these memes gained traction, particularly among fanbases of Bladee, Playboi Carti, and Ken Carson, cementing his place in the underground digital zeitgeist.
Skeletrix Island Single Cover (showcases the use of ai)
On his website, Edward Skeletrix is a creative force beyond music. Through his brand, Syckli, he designs clothing and furniture and explores photography, painting, and videography. The site also serves as a hub for fan interaction, featuring a phone number where fans can text him for updates—essentially a direct sign-up for all things Skeletrix.
Edward wearing Syckli
His music videos are equally immersive, offering a glimpse into his overstimulating yet meticulously crafted visual world. This is arguably where he shines the most. His video for Congratulations, for instance, is shot like a Honda commercial but cleverly subverts its polished aesthetic to align with his album’s anti-consumerist themes.
One of the most striking elements of Edward Skeletrix’s album rollout was his pop-up event in New York City. The art gallery showcased AI-generated meme works by frequent collaborator Brennan Jones and Chinese rapper Jack Zebra. Skeletrix himself was also an exhibit, encased in an acrylic box—a performance echoing Marina Abramović’s 1974 piece, Rhythm 0. Fans interacted with him, even dousing him in water to provoke a reaction. While Abramović examined human relationships, Skeletrix’s performance dissected the entertainment industry’s culture of entitlement, shaped by his experiences in rap, fashion, and modern art. The museum concept was a fitting and provocative extension of his album, Museum Music
I Went to Edward Skeletrix’s Museum
Edward Skeletrix effectively controls his brand narrative through these owned media channels, engaging his audience with a multifaceted, immersive experience transcending traditional music promotion.
Paid Media
Edward Skeletrix’s use of paid media is subtle yet impactful. Notably, he invested in a billboard in New York City during his pop-up event. The billboard featured a cryptic image of himself accompanied by the phrase “Life is a Joke.” This aligns with his track “Life’s So Funny,” where he raps, “Life’s so funny, it gotta be a joke.” This strategic placement promoted his album and reinforced its anti-consumerist themes. Overall, Skeletrix’s approach to paid media complements his organic online presence, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for his audience.
Earned Media
Edward Skeletrix’s album Museum Music garnered significant attention across various media outlets, reflecting a blend of praise and critique that amplified his presence in the music industry. Pitchfork described the album as “one big, cryptic troll job,” noting that while the concept was intriguing, the execution left something to be desired. The Fader provided a more in-depth analysis, highlighting Skeletrix’s innovative promotional strategies, particularly his New York City pop-up art gallery, and emphasized how this performance art piece dissected the entertainment industry’s culture of entitlement. HotNewHipHop recognized Skeletrix as a “master of self-promotion,” noting his use of AI memes and the creation of his alter ego, Hubert Skeletrix, which has been prominently featured across various platforms. Additionally, Museum Music was listed among notable new album releases in The Guardian’s entertainment guide, indicating its recognition in broader cultural discussions. These varied media coverages, encompassing both acclaim and critique, significantly enhanced the visibility of Museum Music, contributing to its impact and reach within the music community.
Campaign Analysis & Results
The campaign successfully generated substantial buzz and positioned Skeletrix as an innovative and provocative artist. His strategic use of various media channels amplified his reach and reinforced his brand’s enigmatic and avant-garde image.
Success and Failure of Each Component
Owned Media: Skeletrix’s personal platforms, including his Instagram and website, were instrumental in cultivating his unique brand identity. The direct communication channel via his website’s phone number further personalized fan engagement, enhancing loyalty and anticipation. However, this deliberate cultivation of mystery surrounding his online presence while reinforcing his avant-garde persona may inadvertently limit his visibility to mainstream audiences.
Earned Media: The pop-up art gallery in New York City garnered significant media attention, with coverage from outlets like The Fader, highlighting his innovative promotional strategies and performance art. This event amplified his visibility and sparked discussions about his critique of the entertainment industry’s culture. However, some reviews, such as Pitchfork’s, offered mixed critiques of the album itself, suggesting that while the promotional tactics were adequate, the musical content received varied receptions.
Paid Media: The cryptic billboard in NYC physically manifested his album’s themes and successfully intrigued the public. While this approach aligned with his brand’s mysterious persona, the limited use of paid advertising could be seen as a missed opportunity to reach a broader audience. More paid media could have been implemented.