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MTV x Beats x LIT!
From Viral Moment to Cultural Platform
Turning dance culture into brand participation and growth
Context
As dance culture flourished across social platforms, choreography moved beyond studios into global communities—shared in real time through tutorials, performances, and behind-the-scenes process. Viacom Velocity, MTV’s branded content studio, partnered with Beats by Dr. Dre to extend the impact of Beats’ Above the Noise campaign by spotlighting the creators driving the movement.
Building on the viral momentum of N.E.R.D.’s Lemon and its #LemonDanceChallenge, the collaboration centered on Mette Towley and the choreography behind the phenomenon. Rather than treating the moment as a fleeting trend, the partnership engaged dance culture at its source—through craft, process, and the voices shaping it.
CAPABILITIES:
Strategic Content Partnership
Co-Marketing
Brand Integration
Social Monetisation
Growth Strategy
PARTNERS:
Beats by Dre
Mette Towley
JaQuel Knight (Choreographer)
Tanisha Scott (Host)
CURFEW (Production)
Stacey Lee (Director)
The Partnership Had To
Challenge
Beats needed genuine participation in the culture it celebrated.
Dance wasn’t an ad vehicle—it was a living community with its own rules and credibility.
The brand had to support that culture from the inside, not borrow it from the outside.
Strategic Approach
Beats was positioned as a cultural amplifier, not a sponsor—showing up inside the creative process rather than around it. The story centered on the choreographers, performers, and craft behind the movement. The brand appeared where creativity actually happens—rehearsal, collaboration, training, mastery—so product integration felt earned, not staged.
The strategy was guided by a clear set of principles: center the creators shaping dance culture, reveal the craft behind choreography, and integrate Beats authentically into the creative process. Content was designed natively for each platform, ensuring the story traveled naturally across channels without interrupting culture or community.
Execution
The strategy came to life through a premium, platform-native content experience built for dance communities—not advertising breaks.
A premium edition of MTV’s LIT! series, hosted by choreographer Tanisha Scott, explored the story behind N.E.R.D.’s Lemon and its viral dance challenge—spotlighting Mette Towley and choreographer JaQuel Knight.
What Made It Work
Beats integrated only in authentic creative moments
Interviews spotlighted the meaning and process behind choreography
30+ platform-native content pieces produced for YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and talent channels
A sequenced rollout designed to drive anticipation and sharing
Beats didn't borrow culture; it empowered it.
Outcome & Impact
The partnership strengthened Beats’ Above the Noise positioning through authentic cultural participation. It became a benchmark for MTV’s social monetisation strategy and won a Silver Clio Award for Co-Branded Content (2018).