In a digital age where attention is fragmented and trends shift overnight, even global superstars like Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco must think strategically about how to market music. Their joint album, I Said I Love You First—which dropped March 21, 2025— generated massive buzz ahead of release, not only because of their combined star power, but because of how intentionally the campaign has been crafted.
With a mix of clever social media marketing, emotional storytelling, and smart use of tools like pre-saves and Forever Saves, this rollout provides a blueprint for artists aiming to engage fans in a more meaningful and sustainable way.
Creating a Visual and Emotional Identity Before the Music Drops
The campaign began long before the first track hit streaming platforms. Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez leaned into their real-life romance to deliver a personal, emotionally charged visual identity for the album. Through carefully curated Instagram posts, behind-the-scenes content, and branded imagery, fans got more than a product—they got a love story.
Their posts didn’t just tease music—they set a mood. From artistic cover art to nostalgic photo dumps, the couple's feeds created anticipation around the feeling of the album. This is the kind of storytelling that turns fans into evangelists. By building a narrative before a note was released, they ensured every piece of content had purpose.
Social Media Marketing That Feels Human
Selena Gomez boasts one of the most-followed Instagram accounts in the world. Pair that with Benny Blanco’s quirky, often humorous online presence, and you’ve got a marketing machine that doesn’t feel like one. From Benny’s viral Valentine’s Day video (featuring a bathtub full of nacho cheese) to subtle Instagram comments between the couple, fans were invited into a campaign that felt organic, fun, and authentic.
That’s what makes their social media marketing strategy so effective. Rather than blasting links and calls-to-action, they created moments—personal, entertaining, and sharable. These interactions helped them reach beyond passive scrolls and spark active engagement. The music felt like a natural extension of their lives, not a promotional pitch.
Pre-Saves That Actually Matter
One of the cornerstones of this campaign was its strategic pre-save rollout. Using Spotify for Artists, Selena and Benny launched a coordinated pre-save and countdown campaign for the album. But unlike traditional pre-save pushes, this one came with substance. Fans received personalized reminders, access to album visuals, and even sneak peeks into what the music might sound like.
Pre-saves are powerful not just because they prepare fans for release day, but because they provide critical early engagement data. With platforms like SymphonyOS, those pre-saves can be transformed into actionable insights. Artists can see where fans are most engaged, tailor outreach campaigns, and ensure that release day starts with momentum instead of waiting for it to build.
Forever Saves: The Long Game in Fan Retention
Where pre-saves help build anticipation, Forever Saves help build loyalty. This SymphonyOS feature allows artists to collect and retain fan data well beyond the moment of engagement. For Selena and Benny, this would mean tracking who pre-saved their album, where those fans are located, and how to reach them directly for future drops, tour announcements, or exclusive content.
Forever Saves isn’t just about data—it’s about continuity. It ensures that fans who connect with an artist once don’t slip through the cracks. Instead of starting from scratch with each release, artists build on their past campaigns, creating a compounding effect that strengthens their audience with each interaction.
Planning Smarter with Superfan Insights
SymphonyOS takes things even further with hyper-localized fan data. Selena and Benny could use this to identify which cities or regions had the highest pre-save or streaming activity, allowing them to plan more impactful live events, exclusive listening parties, or localized merch drops. It’s the kind of data that turns passive listeners into super-engaged communities.
Rather than one-size-fits-all marketing, this approach supports precision. It lets artists meet fans where they are—geographically, emotionally, and digitally.
What Emerging Artists Can Learn from Selena & Benny
This campaign proves that meaningful engagement is better than mass reach. It’s not about blasting the most ads or posting the most links—it’s about crafting a journey that fans want to be part of. From visual identity and emotional branding to pre-save campaigns and Forever Saves, every piece of the rollout was designed with intention.
For independent artists and marketers, the lesson is clear: success starts before the release date. With the right mix of creativity and tools like SymphonyOS, artists can build campaigns that not only make an impact but sustain momentum long after the music is out.
