Building a global platform with local soul.
Championing Grass roots Music Communities
Monkey Shoulder wanted to connect with new audiences globally by supporting grass roots music scenes such as independent record venues to community radio stations. To do so we needed to build a scalable global platform that felt authentic to local communities and music fans, while staying true to the brand’s playful spirit and cultural credibility.
We launched Studio Monkey Shoulder, a global initiative dedicated to empowering grassroots music collectives. In partnership with Gilles Peterson and his independent radio station Worldwide FM, we spotlighted five trailblazing communities across four continents — from Lagos to Taipei, Sheffield to Miami, and even the tribal villages of Assam. Each collective received funding and support to develop projects that reflected their local music culture and legacy
A true cultural movement, the campaign pressed vinyl in Nigeria, launched new club spaces in Sheffield, birthed festivals in Taipei, and built sound systems in India. The platform celebrated innovation beyond genre or geography, with Gilles Peterson hosting a global broadcast to showcase each project and interview the creators.
Splendid worked as an extension of Monkey Shoulder’s global team, collaborating with local markets to ensure every activation was culturally grounded and creatively aligned. From radio broadcasts and vinyl drops to immersive events and content creation, every touchpoint reinforced the brand’s commitment to mixing things up; just like its whiskey.
Studio Monkey Shoulder enabled us to lay the foundations for a long-term global brand platform in year one, becoming a credible voice in global music culture, with stories told through films, events, and radio. Year two saw us take the platform to new markets, such as Germany, with even more cultural exchanges, scale-driving activity, and rich storytelling building buzz in key cities and deepening brand affinity among discerning music fans globally.
