Playing 3 Dimensional Marketing Chess with Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Saddle The F Up, my fellow marketing mavericks,  because the marketing game just got a dose of Beyonce and Jay-Z's genius, in advance of the release of Queen Bey’s highly-anticipated country album "Renaissance-Act II". While the world fixated on Taylor Swift sightings at Super Bowl LVIII, Hov, Bey and team were playing three-dimensional marketing and promotional chess for future success and I'm here to break it down for you. But before we dive in, I have a bold prediction:

PREDICTION: Beyonce will win a Grammy and a CMA for Album of the Year in 2025 for "Act II” and, in the ultimate example of life imitating art,  Bey’s foray will have a “Halo” effect on all of country music and on black artists in the genre, in particular.

The set-up is in place and Hov and Bey have orchestrated this symphony by conducting a series of under-the-Radar marketing maneuvers that come together like an OVO production on a Drake song. But before we unravel Bey’s “Blueprint,” let's acknowledge the overall resistance she is up against in the country music category, exemplified by radio stations like KCKC refusing to play "Texas Hold ’Em,'' one of two joints Bey dropped on Super Bowl Sunday. Oh, how quickly the world has forgotten that country music is a genre that has black music at its roots. A reality black country artists know all too well.

Now let’s explore the low-key power moves made by Destiny’s favorite child that showcase why she’s a grandmaster:

QUEEN'S GAMBIT: Pawn to e4 – Craft new music that amplifies her appeal and aligns with Grammy voters, a demographic predominantly white and 40+, just like the majority of country music fans.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Pawn to d4 – Spark a wildfire as Jay-Z accepts the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2024 GRAMMYs and highlights Bey's notable absence from the Album of the Year category. A subtle move positioning Queen B for the award in 2025.

BREAK MY SOUL: Knight to f3 – Turn a Super Bowl spot for Verizon into Bey’s big stage, as she tries to “break the internet” by teasing new music

BEY’S A HUSTLER BABY: Bishop to c4 - Get Verizon to pay a rumored $30 mil for the SB spot, as Bey promotes her album to 123 million viewers

THE TAKEOVER: Castle kingside (0-0) – Send shockwaves across social media with the announcement of a new country album and drop two singles to continue the buzz

RUN THE WORLD: Queen to d2 – Make history by becoming the FIRST black female artist to top the Apple Music US Country chart, occupying both the first and second positions simultaneously.

Beyoncé, Jay-Z have crafted a marketing masterpiece, playing a game of three-dimensional chess in a world fixated on checkers. Each subtle move contributes to a symphony of brilliance, leading to an inevitable crescendo on the Grammy stage in 2025. While Bey walks away with her 33rd Grammy; we walk away with a lesson in cultural intelligence and the unmatched power of marketing played by true maestros. Keep watching; the Rodeo is far from over.