Creative Corner with Nick Harvey | Creative Commission

Nick Harvey is currently a Marketing Director for Atlantic Records, working on many of the company’s priority alternative projects including Portugal. The Man, Matt Maeson, Absofacto, Atlantic Chill, Fred again.., and more.

He’s been with the company for 10 years, starting out as an intern before joining the label full-time in the Touring & Artist Development department. He also enjoyed a stint in Digital Marketing before moving onto his current role. Nick has previously worked on campaigns for a wide variety of artists, including Lizzo, Shelley FKA DRAM, The Front Bottoms, Anderson East, and more.

Our recent chat with Nick discusses his favourite campaigns and talks about the overlaps between visual creativity and music.

In the pandemic I started the Adventure Guys Podcast with my dear friend Eric Daino from The Holophonics. Each week we discuss an episode of Adventure Time, going in no specific order. It’s been so fun to do, and I’m stoked to keep doing it for weeks and weeks to come!

I also just completed a mix of my ultimate BBQ jams that I’m super proud of haha. Basically, if it were the 4th of July weekend, and you passed me the aux, this is what I’m throwing on.

I'M LOVING

Like so many others, Bo Burnham’s latest special Inside completely floored me. In the span of a week I watched it 3 times & listened to the album 10+ times. To pontificate publicly about it would actually put me at odds with much of what he’s talking about in the special. BUT, let’s just say it’s a super unique, inventive, emotional, and timely piece of art that I think people will remember for quite some time.

Also, I just discovered the 90s art-rock band Brainiac, and wowee were those guys living in the future. They deserve much more of a legacy than they currently have. I recommend starting off with Bonsai Superstar!

FAVOURITE VIDEO

My all-time favourite music video is Weezer's Undone – The Sweater Song.

As a marketing director, one of my main objectives is to figure out an artist or band’s identity and use it as the basis to build a brand. Who is this band? What’s their style, aesthetic, and personality? What sets them apart, what’s the color palette, what are the themes of the record, who are their influences? The questions go on and on.

You throw this video on and it just snaps into place. You know who Weezer is. And it’s a god damn blast. The Blue Album is one of the greatest rock albums ever made and Spike Jonze is one of the best to ever do it. Yeah, I stand by this choice.

BEST ARTWORK

I’ve always loved the album art for Rx Bandits' …And The Battle Begun.

Tons of classic ones out there, but wanted to take the opportunity to shine light on one of my favorites that other folks might not bring up. The painting is by Aaron Nagel and does a wonderful job at communicating what you’re about to hear on the record. The band records everything live to tape and without a click track so to do a life-like painting feels appropriate. BUT, to then push it into slightly surreal territory matches right up with the journey this band takes you on. Listen to the title track and you’ll see what I mean.

I’ve long played with getting one of those vacuum tubes tattooed on my left arm. God damn it, maybe I should just do it.

RECENT CAMPAIGN

We just launched the campaign for this amazing Nashville based band Arlie and top to bottom it’s been a blast to work on. First off, the music is just incredible. They’re using the timeless pop of the 1960s as a launch pad to make forward thinking alt/rock music for 2021. Their taste, sense of aesthetics and personality are exciting and endearing. We’ve also got a set of great themes to explore and an impactful story to tell. I really believe in this one.

Sam Boyette is directing the music videos for the campaign and absolutely nailed the video for our first single karma and the next video he’s working on is looking incredible. Gabe Ruckus has been taking photos, helping with styling, and making fun content for their socials. Andrew Evan nailed the single art. Sophia Matinazad also helped create some initial artwork concepts & took the photo used as the basis for the karma single artwork. Everyone on the team at Atlantic is fired up. It’s the best kind of project.

BRAND COLLAB

I saw these Anderson .Paak Vans on IG and immediately hit the button to purchase ‘em haha. A great unique artist-specific product that makes perfect sense culturally for both Vans and Anderson .Paak. What you want from a brand collab!

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

It was the year of Phoebe! The I Know The End video was the highlight of the whole campaign for me. Its already my favorite song on the album - gives me the chills each listen – but the striking symbols, camera movement, casting, the whole thing, just make it hit even harder.