The car insurance industry in America competes on big budgets to do things like sponsoring the Super Bowl, spending billions on tv commercials, etc. With a fraction of the budget of the big insurance players, The General needed a media strategy to break through. What started as a professional-grade studio inspired by TikTok behavior soon became a large-scale music career program. With a dedicated team, top-tier producers, and collaboration with a record label, The General enabled up-and-coming musicians to achieve the impossible, like Reyna Roberts, a Sound Studio participant, who was later featured in two tracks on Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter."

In the past, musicians followed a predictable path from amateur to professional, often starting with gigs in bars and hoping to be noticed. While TikTok has expanded opportunities for musicians, it's still not sufficient to propel truly talented people to the recognition they deserve. Additionally, many musicians cannot afford professional studio time, making it challenging to produce high-quality work. As a result, many turn to singing in their cars, a popular behavior on TikTok. This shift in how Gen-Z utilizes their cars suggests that insurance businesses should adapt to accommodate these changing needs. Inspired by this TikTok behavior and the evolving needs of new drivers, the Sound Studio project was born to bridge the gap and provide a platform for aspiring musicians to create professional-quality recordings.

The General is a 60-year-old car insurance brand that wanted to connect with a new generation of drivers and move beyond its campy, late-night TV commercial past. But in a highly competitive category filled with deep-pocketed competitors pouring millions of dollars into flashy TV campaigns, celebrity spokespeople, and high-profile sponsorships, The General needed a different approach.

For Gen Z, cars have become the new recording studio, with a growing number of today's artists trying to get their big break from recording music in their cars and sharing it on TikTok. However, entering the music industry is an impossible dream for most. The General saw an opportunity to go beyond car insurance and create a platform where TikTok artists finally have the tools needed to start a music career.

Historically, The General focused media investment on awareness driving TV. But in early 2023, we focus on a new multi-media creative campaign to reach a multicultural, Millennial NSA audience who have trouble getting insurance.

Since it has become increasingly difficult to reach and engage our audience using traditional mass reach channels like TV, The General needed a way to meet them in social media platforms where they spend more time. TikTok is particularly important because our audience spends an average of nearly an hour per day in-app, and it heavily influences culture. It’s also where many people complain about insurance, sharing negative experiences or bad reviews.

In partnership with Epic Records, The General developed a professional-grade recording studio and put it inside a car. We invited TikTok artists across the US to take part in the project. Each recording session was helmed by platinum record producer Hilton Wright, who transformed the car-based demos into world-class singles. The artists were given access to photographers and a design team to build their individual brand identities, while Epic's A&R team provided mentorship and facilitated access to top industry executives. Utilizing The General's media budget and Epic's social channels, these emerging artists gained significant visibility, launching their music careers. Artists like Reyna Roberts, a Sound Studio participant who was later featured on two tracks of Beyoncé’s recent album "Cowboy Carter."

After the Sound Studio, The General blew up in a good way: over 700% increase in TikTok reach, over 900 million impressions, and a 32.5% rise in positive sentiment among Gen-Z. Quote inquiries nearly tripled, and doubled sales on social media. It was the most successful campaign in the General’s 60-year-history. The impact was equally impressive for the artists involved. Following their debut, Sound Studio artists hit stages across the US. The campaign generated 360 million views for emerging artists and millions of streams. Incredible achievements included singer appearing on national television, a duo opening for Tyler, the Creator, another artist sharing the stage with Grammy-nominated Tobe Ngwie at the Clean Culture Festival in Atlanta, and another artist performing at Lollapalooza. The highlight was Reyna Roberts being featured in two songs on Beyoncé's groundbreaking new album, "Cowboy Carter." The General's initiative brought these artists from their cars into the spotlight.

The Sound Studio idea was rooted in a TikTok behavior - aspiring musicians were utilizing their cars as makeshift recording studios. Many Gen-Z musicians, especially those starting out, lack access to traditional recording studios due to cost constraints. As a result, they turned to their cars as an accessible and acoustically favorable alternative. The Sound Studio initiative tapped into a cultural shift where music creation and sharing have become more democratized and grassroots, with everyday settings like cars serving as creative spaces. By providing a professional-grade recording environment inside a car, we aimed to empower and support emerging artists.