Manifesto for Jager Music Awards

Underdog Agency not only revived the Jager Music Awards for independent music but also created a resounding manifesto from the Ukrainian music community with the slogan «Let’s craft a loud culture.» As part of the project, an identity was developed and a video manifesto for the Jager Music Awards was created.

Since 2018, Jägermeister has annually conducted an independent music award in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia, the award has not been fully conducted. However, in 2024, the decision was made to fully restore the award and communicate that Jägermeister is the number one brand associated with Ukrainian music. During the idea formulation, we understood that we needed to loudly announce the JMA, considering the wartime context. Moreover, we considered the general societal trend of reinventing and restoring our culture and identity on various levels.

Thus, we decided this would not just be a return of the music award but a loud manifesto from the Ukrainian music community and a message to society and young musicians. Hence, the slogan «Let’s craft a loud culture» was born.

An important component of our idea’s manifestation is the key visuals. The reference for visual elements was the previously widespread culture of self-publishing, craft creation of Ukrainian book covers, and music albums.

The team reimagined the principles and style of the work of Ukrainian artist-illustrator Grigory Narbut, adding modernity and underground to them.

A special emphasis was on the fusion of graphic elements, where objects of Ukrainian tradition are combined with musical images, creating a unified whole. Traditional necklaces made of picks, mixer-funiculars, embroidery patterns made of plugs and musical cables – all this can be seen on the main posters displayed in large Ukrainian cities.

The video manifesto also emphasizes Ukrainian cultural heritage and the craftsmanship of creation, showcasing the process of birthing future cultural heritage.

«Everything starts with silence…» – any idea is born from nothing and gains colors with each subsequent development step: the loudest sound, the strongest track, the brightest path.

The video used sound design to create this very symphony of «crafting». Snippets from rehearsal bases, studios, parties – everything that conveys emotion, mood, and the moment of the birth of something great…