Over the past decade-plus, few artists have become as creative, cultural and financial a force in the entertainment industry at large as Tyler, the Creator. Emerging from hip-hop-meets-everything collective Odd Future, he's continued to innovate and push the boundaries of his career every year, whether it's in fashion, festivals, or the kind of music he puts out into the world — with accolades and accolades galore , coming his way as a result.
But these past two weeks have surpassed even that. With the release of his latest album, COLOR COPIES — which was released on Monday, Oct. 28, beating the industry standard for a Friday — Tyler earned the biggest debut week of his career, with 299,500 equivalent album units earned — even more impressive given that it was achieved in just four days of tracking week . Now, he's atop the Billboard 200 for a second week in a row, with another 160,000 equivalent album units — the first time he's spent back-to-back weeks at No. 1 on the album chart in his career. And that success helps Columbia Records' marketing manager Victoria White-Mason win his title Bulletin board's Executive of the Week.
Here, White-Mason discusses the strategy that led to the release — including Monday's much-talked-about debut — and how Tyler has been able to grow so effectively as an artist and entrepreneur over the years. “It's clear that Tyler is truly an artist in every sense of the word, and he extends his taste level and ingenuity to all the verticals he touches,” says White-Mason. “Whether it's fashion, business or film, it will bring a perspective shaped by curiosity and an abiding sense of wonder.”
This week, Tyler, the Creator COLOR COPIES spent its second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after debuting at the spot last week, making it his third album to top the chart. What key decision did you make to help make this happen?
My job as chief marketing officer was to amplify, scale and make the world tangible COLOR COPIESwhich started with COLOR COPIES truck activation that started alongside the album announcement. We knew these shipping containers would be a central element of the overall creative and it sparked the idea to use them as animated billboards hailing from Tyler, Texas, with pitstops in multiple markets.
The activation was an ambitious endeavor made possible by tremendous collaboration between our teams — from complex routes and logistics to daily social touchpoints alongside truck movements and designing fan experiences along the way. The payoff was clear almost immediately after launch as the trucks became a traffic generator for us.
Most notably, Tyler originally released the album on a Monday, instead of a Friday, meaning he missed three days of the chart week in its debut week. How did this affect the marketing strategy? And how important was the first day in your planning?
With the best debut of his career, the numbers show that Tyler didn't miss much! His intention for a Monday release was to get listeners started on their week COLOR COPIESon their commutes to work or school. By encouraging you to listen as part of your physical routine at the beginning of the week, we hope you will become an active listener in the process.
Of course, shortening the release week isn't a natural instinct in today's market, but it's hard to overstate how remarkable a job Tyler has done to build that awareness through visual trailers, tour announcements, live events and more.
With 299,500 equivalent album units, the first week was the biggest of Tyler's career and the sixth biggest debut of the year so far. How did you set it up differently from his other projects?
Tyler has always been a world-leading manufacturer, constantly innovating and transforming, and consistently making himself better in the process. With COLOR COPIESI think we have an album and a campaign that is almost cumulative in nature. It bursts with vulnerability, maturity, supreme creativity, and a pristine level of coherence to it all.
COLOR COPIESHis success is not an anomaly, it is the result of all the ground work he has done to get to this point. That said, we've had a perfect storm of an artist who is heard, fully committed, a fan base that's equally committed and dedicated, and an overwhelming desire from fans to feed.
With 66,000 vinyl sales in its first week, the album was also the third-biggest vinyl hip-hop album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991. How vinyl — and physical product in general — played a role, given the six-set of with CD in this album campaign?
There is an obvious and huge demand for physical product for this artist and we were fortunate to be able to make it available immediately thanks to the tireless efforts of our Merchandising and Release Planning teams. The partnership between Golf Wang, Ceremony of Roses and Columbia Records is as strong as ever. We took all our experience to date from its previous releases and planned the best way to make the strongest impact. Tyler's standard of exceptional quality and creative consistency was instrumental in creating the demand.
How did Tyler's career outside of recorded music grow and evolve to the point where you were able to set these benchmarks in just four days of release?
Tyler the Creator is a genius and a generational talent. I don't say that lightly or with the slightest exaggeration, and I think it's starting to be recognized massively. His ability to envision and, more importantly, manifest the worlds and characters that live within his mind is truly unparalleled. It's clear that Tyler is truly an artist in every sense of the word and extends his taste level and ingenuity to all the verticals he touches. Whether it's fashion, business, or movies, he'll bring a perspective shaped by curiosity and an abiding sense of wonder.
The album has already spent a second week at No. 1 now. How do you keep the momentum going from here?
Before I had the chance to work with Tyler, I came across an interview he did where he talked about the importance of promoting your work. He told the aspiring artists to be proud of the work they did and to never stop being passionate advocates of your art. Tyler's conviction and honesty have always stuck with me, and now, years later, it's truly inspiring to witness his commitment to his craft first hand.
COLOR COPIESIts momentum will continue to be supported by this commitment. Look at Tyler's activity in the 11 days since release and you'll see that he's promoting the project authentically through his connection with his fans. What it encourages is an ongoing conversation around the emotions this music evokes and the connection it helps create. Plus you have a massive world tour that will continue to expand his world COLOR COPIES.
