Billboard Magazine's entry into the Arabian market necessitated a campaign that would resonate deeply with the regional audience. The strategy was to intertwine the profound Middle Eastern connection to the land with the universal language of music. Our objectives were multifold: establish Billboard as a culturally cognizant entity, foster local music production by providing unique sound sources, and engage the audience through shared heritage and innovation. We aspired to create a campaign that wasn't just heard but felt, allowing the landscapes themselves to sing, thereby cementing Billboard’s position as a platform that truly understands and reveres the local culture it serves.

Billboard Arabia’s campaign was inspired by the visual and metaphorical similarity between vinyl record grooves and the Middle Eastern valleys. We materialized this concept by converting the region’s topographies into auditory experiences. By collaborating with geologists and sound engineers, we translated satellite imagery of valleys into physical grooves on vinyl records. These records, encoded with the essence of the land, were distributed to local musicians, encouraging them to integrate these organic rhythms into their compositions. The initiative offered a unique synthesis of geography and sound, inviting artists to explore their connection with their homeland through music, and allowing the audience to experience their heritage in an unprecedented auditory format.

Our strategy centered on data fusion and cultural synergy. We gathered detailed satellite and geographic data, selecting valleys emblematic of the region's diverse landscape. Our target audience included local music producers, DJs, and the wider community, uniting them through a shared heritage expressed in music. The approach was twofold: use technology to capture the land's voice and then invite local artists to interpret these sounds. The call to action was a beckoning to musicians to integrate these soundscapes into their music, thus participating in a collective homage to the land, fostering a creative ecosystem that encourages cultural expression through modern means.

The execution involved meticulous planning and collaboration across disciplines. We commenced with the scientific scanning of the valleys, followed by sound engineering to convert geographic data into vinyl grooves. The records were produced and then provided to artists and DJs within a three-month window. Placement was strategic, targeting recording studios, music festivals, and online platforms to ensure maximum reach and impact. The scale of the project was both local, with tangible records, and global, through digital access to the sounds, allowing Billboard to harmonize local cultural appreciation with its global music platform.

We distributed the samples as a limited-edition vinyl and its digital version to some of the region's biggest producers, DJs, performers, and artists, inviting them to produce their next big hit using the sounds of their land, and they did.

There are currently over 50 original tracks in the making, using samples from different parts of the Arab World, meaning the Sounds Of The Land will be credited for all these songs. By targeting artists, we indirectly reached millions of fans, because what better way to launch Billboard in the Arab world, than potentially turn the land into the next big hit?