The brief
Crystal Tides were preparing for a major album release and needed a creative pre-release strategy that would build momentum, engage fans early, and generate meaningful chart impact ahead of release day.
What we delivered
Crystal Tides partnered with Serenade to sell a limited smart tour poster featuring Serenade stickers, launched three months before the album's official release date. The early campaign gave fans an exclusive way to connect with the album campaign while it was still building, driving pre-orders and downloads ahead of release. The results were exceptional: the album debuted in the Top 40 of the overall charts and reached number one in the download charts. Serenade accounted for 50% of all downloads - a remarkable contribution that demonstrated the direct commercial impact of pairing smart physical products with a well-timed pre-release strategy.
Results
Top 40 overall charts
#1 download charts
50% of all downloads
Technology
Serenade Smart Stickers
Tour Poster
Pre-Release Campaign
Download Drive
What is a Smart Format?
Smart Formats are collectible physical items that can unlock digital chart eligible music and bonus content with a simple tap of the phone.
These items could be a sticker on a poster, a lanyard, a keychain, a wristband or anything in between that give fans an integrated physical-digital experience.
Does Serenade custom design my Smart Formats?
Once an order is placed, if your Smart Format requires custom design work, we can either provide simple templates for your design team or support you directly with the design process.
Similar to a vinyl record, CD, or cassette, the core structure of each Smart Format is fixed, but many can be personalised with your own artwork, colours, and fonts.
What digital content can be included in Smart Formats?
Your Smart Format can include photos, videos, audio, and other file types such as PDFs or ZIPs. This might be backstage images and videos, demos, voice notes, high-quality audio files, or anything in between.
If you’re aiming for chart accreditation, the general rule is that any content directly related to the album or EP being sold is permitted.
For further guidance, see our article Chart Accreditation and Chart Rules.
What is the lead time from purchase to delivery?
Smart Formats that require no custom design work like our stickers and clothing tags are posted in 1-3 days from purchase, meaning you can place an order and list your products for sale within the week. Custom products have lead times varying from 2-6 weeks. All items are posted from London UK to the world, so please bear this in mind when setting expectations.
Are Smart Formats chart eligible?
Smart Formats can count towards the OCC Chart in the United Kingdom and Ireland; GfK in Germany, Austria, Belgium and Netherlands; and ARIA in Australia and New Zealand. Rules apply to each territory, see here for more information.
Serenade is accountable for reporting all sales of Smart Formats, reporting a sale once a fan taps a Smart Format on their phone and redeems the digital product contained within.