GrowthStory partnered with SoundCloud to create an invite-only live music showcase for Ireland’s advertising industry. The objective was to address the gap between SoundCloud’s popularity among Irish listeners and the level of advertising investment from Irish brands.
Hosted at Curveball in The Button Factory, Dublin, the events featured live performances from SHEE and F3miii in 2025, followed by KhakiKid in 2026. Each artist took part in a live Q&A with SoundCloud A&R – Ree Sewell, speaking candidly about their careers to date
Although SoundCloud was widely recognised as a platform for discovering new music, many agencies had little awareness of its advertising offering.
Rather than delivering a traditional sales event, GrowthStory created an experience that demonstrated SoundCloud’s value through the artists who had built audiences on the platform. The goal was to build stronger relationships with agency decision-makers while showcasing SoundCloud’s role in supporting emerging Irish talent.
Objectives
GrowthStory managed every aspect of the activation, from strategy and logistics to creative production and guest communications.
The invite-only showcase sold out to capacity, bringing together professionals from Dublin’s marketing industry for an evening of live music, artist conversations and networking.
To extend the campaign beyond the event, GrowthStory commissioned and managed on-site photography and videography, producing:
Executing the campaign required careful coordination across artists, venue, production crews and multiple stakeholders within a tight production timeline.
The showcase proved that experiential marketing can be an effective way to introduce a platform to a B2B audience. By putting artists and their stories at the centre of the experience, SoundCloud demonstrated its cultural value in a way that resonated with marketing professionals.
Following the success of the inaugural event, the showcase returned in 2026 with KhakiKid, establishing it as an annual activation. Both events sold out, and the campaign contributed to increased advertising revenue for SoundCloud after each showcase.
