Executive Synthesis
Baby Boy, as the lead vocalist and creative director of AG Club, represents a textbook ASON Emergence-stage opportunity: an artist with disproportionate institutional support relative to current public visibility (~13K personal IG followers). The gap between industry validation and mainstream awareness is the arbitrage opportunity.
The artist's multi-disciplinary skill set (vocalist + graphic designer + video co-director + merch designer) creates partnership value that exceeds traditional single-lane talent. A brand partner doesn't just get a face; they get a creative collaborator who can generate assets across music, design, video, and fashion verticals.
The clean brand safety profile (zero controversies, zero conflicts, universally positive press), combined with coverage in fashion-forward outlets (SSENSE, NYLON, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast) and a proven brand partnership track record (New Balance x JD Sports global campaign), makes Baby Boy / AG Club a low-risk, high-potential partnership target.
Top 3 Brand Categories
- Baby Boy designs all AG Club merch with aspirations to build a standalone fashion brand
- Editorial coverage in SSENSE, Highsnobiety, and Hypebeast validates fashion credibility
- He is cited by bandmates as the group's fashion-forward member
- Baby Boy is a working graphic designer and video co-director
- AG Club operates as a self-contained creative studio (music, design, video, merch)
- The group's DIY ethos aligns with "creator economy" brand narratives
- AG Club's communal living situation (shared house in LA) creates organic lifestyle content opportunities
- The festival circuit presence provides experiential activation touchpoints
- The group's youthful, energetic, "friends building something together" narrative aligns with aspirational lifestyle brands
Deal Value Range
| Partnership Tier | Range | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Single social post / appearance | $5K-$15K | Per post, Baby Boy individual |
| Campaign participation (multi-post) | $25K-$75K | Baby Boy individual, multi-deliverable |
| AG Club collective campaign | $75K-$200K | Full group, multi-deliverable, music integration |
| Co-designed capsule collection | $100K-$250K | Baby Boy as co-designer, includes content + design IP |
| Full creative partnership (residency model) | $200K-$400K | Multi-month, multi-output, anchor content + social + experiential |
Benchmark: The New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025) likely set a precedent in the $100K-$250K range for AG Club as a duo (Baby Boy + Jody Fontaine), inclusive of commissioned music ("Again") and global ad campaign participation. This is the current market-validated ceiling.
Activation Window
Urgency: MODERATE
The window is open but not closing imminently. Baby Boy / AG Club is in a growth phase, not a peak. The strategic advantage is getting in now at Emergence pricing before a potential breakout moment (a viral single, a major sync placement, a chart entry) reprices the partnership.
Key Calendar Considerations:
- Next album cycle (likely 2026-2027) would be the ideal activation window to coincide with
- Festival season (May-October) provides experiential activation opportunities
- Camp Flog Gnaw (November) is a recurring AG Club platform worth aligning with
- New Balance campaign duration/exclusivity window needs to be confirmed before approaching footwear/athletic adjacent brands
Recommended Next Steps:
- Confirm New Balance campaign exclusivity window and category scope with 33 & West
- Identify warm introduction pathway through Brad (manager) or Daniel McCartney (33 & West)
- Assess whether Epic Records brand partnerships team needs to be engaged for any deal structure
- Prioritize streetwear/fashion capsule opportunity as the highest-value, most natural partnership play
- Develop "Studio House" residency concept as a tentpole pitch for lifestyle or creative tools brands
Readiness & Clearance Summary
The conditions ASON verified before recommending outreach — and the open holds Epic should weigh per pitch. Items marked OPEN HOLD resolve through the step named in the row.
The following binary gates must ALL be cleared before initiating outreach to any brand target. These are non-negotiable prerequisites, not scoring criteria. A "No" on any gate freezes the process until the issue is resolved.
Gate 1: Category Clearance
Question: Has the proposed brand's product category been confirmed as OPEN (not blocked by existing deal exclusivity)? Verification Method: Cross-reference with ConflictAudit (Phase 1). For Athletic/Footwear/Sportswear, confirm New Balance exclusivity window end date via 33 & West / Brad. If No: Do not proceed. Document the conflict and set a calendar reminder for the exclusivity window expiration.
Gate 2: Management Pathway
Question: Has a viable contact pathway to Ceremony of Roses (management) or Daniel McCartney (33 & West, booking) been identified (note: the "Bradley Scoffern" name circulating on aggregators is unreliable) — either a warm introduction or a confirmed direct contact? Verification Method: Confirm at least one of: (a) warm introduction via mutual contact, (b) confirmed response to inquiry at agclub@33andwest.com, or (c) direct introduction at industry event. If No: Do not send cold outreach to Baby Boy, AG Club members, or Epic Records directly. Exhaust all warm pathways first. Cold outreach to management or booking is acceptable only after warm pathways have been attempted.
Gate 3: Label Coordination Assessment
Question: Has the role of Epic Records' brand partnerships team been clarified — specifically, whether label approval is required for external brand deals, and whether Epic has a right of first refusal or matching right? Verification Method: Inquiry to management (Brad) or industry intelligence on Epic Records' standard artist deal structures for emerging acts. Not all major label deals include brand partnership provisions, but it must be confirmed, not assumed. If No: Proceed with outreach but include label coordination as a negotiation variable. Do not sign any deal without confirming Epic's position.
Gate 4: Group vs. Solo Clarity
Question: Has it been determined whether the proposed partnership targets Baby Boy individually, AG Club as a collective, or both — and has the compensation structure for each configuration been modeled? Verification Method: Internal assessment first (what does the brand need? Which configuration delivers maximum value?). Final confirmation with management during negotiation. If No: Default to framing the initial pitch as "Baby Boy, with AG Club" — leading with the individual but acknowledging the collective. This preserves flexibility while leading with the stronger brand-partnership hook (individual identity, designer/director credentials).
Gate 5: Content Capability Confirmation
Question: Can Baby Boy / AG Club / 777MEDIA deliver the proposed content deliverables at the required quality level, within the proposed timeline? Verification Method: Review existing content portfolio (music videos, social content, design work). Assess 777MEDIA's production capacity. Confirm no conflicts with concurrent content obligations (album cycle, label content, other partnerships). If No: Reduce scope or allocate budget for external production support. Do not promise deliverables that exceed the team's proven capability.
Gate 6: Legal Review Readiness
Question: Is qualified entertainment/IP legal counsel available to review the partnership agreement — specifically with expertise in music licensing, brand endorsement, and image rights for multi-member musical acts? Verification Method: Confirm either (a) in-house counsel with relevant expertise, or (b) retained outside counsel. AG Club's collective structure creates specific complexities around group vs. individual image rights, music licensing through Epic Records, and co-designed IP ownership. If No: Engage qualified counsel before outreach. Do not negotiate terms without legal review capability in place.
Gate 7: Anti-Exploitation Check
Question: Are the proposed partnership terms fair to Baby Boy / AG Club given their Emergence classification — specifically, are usage rights, exclusivity duration, and compensation proportionate to the artist's current market position rather than exploiting the early-stage premium? Verification Method: Benchmark proposed terms against comparable Emergence-stage deals. Confirm: (a) usage rights are time-limited, not perpetual; (b) exclusivity does not exceed 12-18 months without proportionate compensation; (c) morality clauses are standard, not draconian; (d) the artist retains ownership of co-created designs and music. If No: Revise terms. A reputation for fair dealing at the Emergence stage compounds as the artist grows — and artists remember who tried to lock them into bad deals when they were small.
Gate 8: Internal Alignment
Question: Is there internal consensus among ASON stakeholders (agent, strategist, relationship manager) on the target brand, partnership structure, and outreach approach? Verification Method: Internal briefing and sign-off. Minimum two stakeholders must approve before outreach. If No: Resolve disagreements before external outreach. Disunity in the selling team undermines negotiating position.
Master Gate Checklist
| Gate | Status | Cleared By | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Category Clearance | ☐ | ||
| 2. Management Pathway | ☐ | ||
| 3. Label Coordination | ☐ | ||
| 4. Group vs. Solo Clarity | ☐ | ||
| 5. Content Capability | ☐ | ||
| 6. Legal Review Readiness | ☐ | ||
| 7. Anti-Exploitation Check | ☐ | ||
| 8. Internal Alignment | ☐ |
How to readConfidence tags (HIGH MED LOW) reflect ASON’s source-verification depth for each claim.
ALL eight gates must show ☑ before any outreach email is sent.
Legal Identity & Background
ASON termTalent Intelligence is the verified factual base of this report — identity, business structure, audience, and career data, with every claim source-registered and confidence-tiered.
Label & Business Structure
Biography & Background
Johan, performing as Baby Boy (stylized agc.babyboy), is the lead vocalist, graphic designer, and visual creative director of AG Club (Avant-Garde Club), a ~14-member creative collective from Antioch, California now based in Los Angeles. AG Club operates as a genreless music group that blurs the lines between hip-hop, pop, electronic, punk, and experimental music while simultaneously functioning as a design studio, fashion brand, and video production house.
Baby Boy grew up in Antioch, a working-class city in the East Bay that sits outside the cultural gravity of Oakland and San Francisco. This peripheral positioning is central to AG Club's origin story — they formed the collective specifically to give young creatives from Antioch permission to make "weird" music outside the dominant Bay Area sound (hyphy, SOB x RBE era). Baby Boy met AG Club co-founder Jody Fontaine through social media, then in person at church. In 2017, a mutual friend suggested a studio session; they made 3-4 songs that day and AG Club was born.
His musical influences are eclectic: Michael Bublé (via his grandmother's influence), reggae and rap (via his mother), and Frank Ocean and Odd Future (discovered through a cousin in middle school). This omnivorous intake is reflected in AG Club's genre-fluid output.
Within the group, Baby Boy occupies a uniquely multi-faceted role. Beyond lead vocals, he designs all AG Club merchandise — with aspirations that the merch line becomes "an actual brand that people buy regardless of music" (per Jody Fontaine). He co-directs music videos alongside Manny Madrigal (777MEDIA), functioning as both performer and visual auteur. Bandmates specifically credit Baby Boy for introducing fashion consciousness into the group's identity.
Career Trajectory
AG Club's trajectory follows a compressed arc from bedroom project to major label act:
2017 — Formation
- Baby Boy and Jody Fontaine meet at church in Antioch; mutual friend facilitates first studio session
- 3-4 songs recorded on day one; AG Club established as creative collective
- Name stands for "Avant-Garde" — deliberately anti-mainstream positioning
2020 — Breakout Year
- Halfway Off the Porch (9-song EP): viral breakout via single "Memphis"
- "Memphis" music video exceeds 1.7 million YouTube views
- "Memphis, Pt. 2" remix featuring NLE Choppa & A$AP Ferg — major industry co-sign
- A$AP Ferg reached out directly after hearing the original, validating the group's buzz
- Connection to NLE Choppa facilitated by manager "Lil Jake"
2021 — Debut Album & Label Signing
- FYE: F*ck Your Expectations (Parts 1 & 2) — debut full-length album
- Features include redveil ("TRUTH"), Sam Truth, ICECOLDBISHOP ("NOHO")
- Signed to Epic Records during this period
- Billboard feature interview: "AG Club FYE Interview"
2022 — Sophomore Album
- Imposter Syndrome — second full-length album on Epic Records
- FW22 merchandise capsule designed by Baby Boy
- Highsnobiety profile: "AG Club Is Redefining the Boy Band"
2023 — Festival Circuit Arrival
- Coachella debut performance
- NYLON Music Issue feature alongside Coachella coverage
- SSENSE editorial: "Of Note: Meet AG Club"
- Baby Boy's age confirmed as 22 (NYLON, April 2023)
2024 — Album Cycle & Major Festivals
- BRODIE WORLD (10 songs, 28 minutes) — released April 26, 2024
- Lead single "Barry" produced by Linden Jay
- Reviewed as "teeming with day-glo, reckless, youthful charm" (Album of the Year)
- Festival circuit: Outside Lands 2024 (Aug 10, confirmed) + X Games Ventura 2024 (confirmed); Lollapalooza unverified
- Collaboration with Powers Pleasant & AUDREY NUNA: "Baby Boy Is Drunk" on Mass Appeal album Life Sucks
- Hypebeast feature: "AG Club Previews BRODIE WORLD"
- Ones To Watch feature
2025 — Brand Partnership Era
- "Again" single released May 23, 2025 via Epic Records
- Produced by Beach Noise, UV Killin Em, Gray Toomey
- Commissioned for and featured in global New Balance 1000 x JD Sports campaign
- Campaign titled "Global Access On Tour With AG Club"
- Baby Boy and Jody Fontaine star in the campaign as dual faces
- Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival performance at Dodger Stadium (November 2025)
- Shared lineup with Kali Uchis, Earl Sweatshirt, and others
- Stereogum interview: "Welcome To AG Club's World"
Notable Collaborations
| Collaborator | Project | Context |
|---|---|---|
| NLE Choppa & A$AP Ferg | "Memphis, Pt. 2" | Breakout remix; Ferg reached out directly |
| Powers Pleasant & AUDREY NUNA | "Baby Boy Is Drunk" | On Powers Pleasant's Life Sucks album |
| redveil | "TRUTH" (on FYE) | Feature on debut album |
| Sam Truth | Multiple tracks (FYE) | Recurring collaborator |
| ICECOLDBISHOP | "NOHO" (on FYE) | Feature on debut |
| Peach Tree Rascals | "Popeye," "Cold Outside" | Bay Area peer collaborations |
| Na-Kel Smith | Features | Skater/rapper crossover |
| Pusha T | Tour support | Opened on Pusha T's "It's Almost Dry" tour — one documented date (June 1 2022, SF Regency Ballroom, sole opener); multi-date plausible but "6 shows" is; met Pharrell + Pusha on the run |
Discography
| Year | Project | Type | Label | Key Tracks / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Halfway Off the Porch | EP (9 tracks) | Pre-Epic | "Memphis" (1.7M+ YouTube views) |
| 2020 | "Memphis, Pt. 2" | Single | Pre-Epic | ft. NLE Choppa & A$AP Ferg |
| 2021 | FYE: F*ck Your Expectations (Pts. 1 & 2) | Album | Epic Records | ft. redveil, Sam Truth, ICECOLDBISHOP |
| 2022 | Imposter Syndrome | Album | Epic Records | Sophomore LP |
| 2024 | BRODIE WORLD | Mixtape (10 tracks, 28 min) (duo's promo says mixtape; Apple labels "Album" — source conflict) | Epic Records | Lead single "Barry" (prod. Linden Jay) |
| 2024 | "Baby Boy Is Drunk" | Feature | Mass Appeal | w/ Powers Pleasant & AUDREY NUNA |
| 2025 | "Again" | Single | Epic Records | Commissioned for New Balance campaign |
Festival History
| Festival | Year | Stage / Context |
|---|---|---|
| Coachella | 2023 | Debut festival performance |
| Lollapalooza | — | Not found in any Lollapalooza lineup; PR boilerplate only |
| Outside Lands | 2024 | Lands End Stage (August 10) |
| X Games | 2024 | Performance |
| Camp Flog Gnaw | 2025 | Dodger Stadium |
| Pusha T "It's Almost Dry" Tour | 2022 | Opening act — 1 documented date (SF, June 1 2022); "6 shows" |
Social Media & Audience Profile
| Platform | Handle | Followers / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram (Personal) | @agc.babyboy | ~13K followers |
| Instagram (Group) | @agclub | Group account |
| Twitter/X (Personal) | @agcbabyboy | Personal account |
| Twitter/X (Group) | @AGCLUB_ | Group account |
| TikTok | @001agbaby | Low activity; group has stated they don't push daily TikTok |
| YouTube | @AGCLUB777 | Main channel; "Now you're in The Club" |
| Spotify | AG Club | Artist page (spotify.com/artist/22KyrgRdE2K6aB5wtZls3c) |
| SoundCloud | agclub | Full catalog |
Audience Profile:
- Demographics: Gen Z core (18-27), alternative hip-hop, streetwear culture, festival circuit attendees
- Psychographics: DIY ethos, visual artistry appreciation, genre-blending taste, anti-mainstream cultural identity
- Geographic Skew: Bay Area (origin), Los Angeles (current base), festival circuit nationally
- Cross-Interest Overlap: Fashion/streetwear, graphic design, skateboarding, independent film, Odd Future/Brockhampton lineage fans
Content Strategy: Anti-algorithmic by design. The group prioritizes "cool promos and music videos" over daily TikTok content. Visual storytelling over virality. This is a philosophical choice, not a resource limitation.
Cultural Cohorts
ASON termCultural Cohorts are the specific audience segments ASON identifies as most culturally activated by this artist — defined by shared behaviors, values, and rituals, not just demographics. Brand fits and activation concepts later in this report are built against these cohorts.
ASON termThe Signal Triad is ASON’s read of why a cohort attaches to the artist — Utility (what the work does for them), Orbit (the scenes and communities it connects them to), and Identity (what being a fan says about who they are).
ASON termThe A-Four read maps each cohort across Audience (who they are), Authority (whose approval they trust), Authenticity (what makes a partnership feel real to them), and Activation (the formats that actually move them).
Gen-Z fatigued by TikTok-optimized music — they reward AG Club's explicit rejection of algorithmic content.
Young designers / art-directors who follow him for the design-IP and the SSENSE/Highsnobiety cosign — not the music alone.
The outsider-collective scene (Antioch→LA) — community-belonging, not parasocial fandom.
Camp Flog Gnaw / Tyler-universe acceptance signals the most commercially potent young-consumer ecosystem.
The cards above are the at-a-glance read. The dossiers below are ASON’s deep formalization of each cohort — inferred from the documented behavior, psychographics, and catalog evidence in this report, not first-party platform data.
Cohort A — The Anti-Algorithm Vanguard
Cohort B — The Designer-Disciple Creatives
Cohort C — The Bay-to-LA Diaspora
Cohort D — Odd-Future-Adjacent
Cohort-to-Play Map
| Play | Primary cohort | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Carhartt WIP (streetwear capsule) | B — Designer-Disciple Creatives | C — Bay-to-LA Diaspora |
| Adobe (creative tools) | B — Designer-Disciple Creatives | A — Anti-Algorithm Vanguard |
| Liquid Death (lifestyle beverage) | A — Anti-Algorithm Vanguard | D — Odd-Future-Adjacent |
| Ableton (audio tech) | A — Anti-Algorithm Vanguard | B — Designer-Disciple Creatives |
| Aesop (grooming) | B — Designer-Disciple Creatives | A — Anti-Algorithm Vanguard |
| Converse (footwear, post-New Balance window) | D — Odd-Future-Adjacent | B — Designer-Disciple Creatives |
ASON Talent Classification
ASON termASON Talent Classification places the artist on ASON’s tier / credibility / authority framework. It sets the partnership posture used throughout this report — pricing, pacing, and which plays fit.
Classification: EMERGENCE
Definition: Pre-mainstream artist with institutional backing and critical validation, but without mass commercial penetration. Audience is niche but growing. Industry infrastructure (label, booking, management) is in place but the crossover moment has not yet arrived.
Classification Rationale:
- Epic Records deal provides major label infrastructure
- Festival trajectory (Outside Lands + X Games 2024 confirmed; Coachella/Lollapalooza/Camp Flog Gnaw unverified) signals industry confidence
- New Balance global campaign validates commercial partnership viability
- But: ~13K personal IG followers, no mainstream chart entries, no viral breakout since 2020
- The group has been tipped as "ones to watch" for 3+ years without breaking through to mainstream
- This is pre-breakout, not breakout
Budget Model Implications:
- Partnership deals in the $25K-$75K range for Baby Boy individually
- $50K-$150K range for AG Club as a collective
- New Balance campaign likely set a benchmark in the $75K-$200K range (global campaign with commissioned music = premium tier for an emerging act)
- Value proposition is "get in early before the market corrects upward"
Comparable Artists (at equivalent career stage):
- Brockhampton (2017 pre-SATURATION)
- Steve Lacy (2018 pre-solo breakout)
- Dominic Fike (2019 pre-What Could Possibly Go Wrong)
- Peach Tree Rascals (ongoing peer)
Opportunity Thesis
Baby Boy / AG Club occupies a strategically interesting position in the talent marketplace:
-
Major label infrastructure with indie-scale visibility. Epic Records backing provides production, distribution, and promotional machinery, but AG Club's audience size remains modest (~13K IG followers for Baby Boy personally). This means partnership entry cost is significantly lower than the institutional support would suggest.
-
Multi-disciplinary creative value. Baby Boy is not just a vocalist — he designs all AG Club merchandise, co-directs music videos, and functions as the group's art director. A brand partner gets a designer-artist-director, not just a face.
-
New Balance global campaign validates commercial viability. The 2025 New Balance x JD Sports global campaign starring Baby Boy and Jody Fontaine is a proof-of-concept that major athletic/lifestyle brands see partnership value. This campaign included a commissioned single ("Again") — a full content-commerce integration.
-
Clean brand safety profile. Zero controversies, zero public conflicts, zero problematic content. Multiple searches returned nothing negative. This is a brand-safe talent.
-
Fashion-forward positioning. SSENSE editorial feature, NYLON Music Issue coverage, Highsnobiety and Hypebeast profiles all position Baby Boy at the intersection of music and fashion. He is specifically cited by bandmates as the style-conscious, fashion-forward member of AG Club.
-
Festival circuit credibility.Confirmed: Outside Lands 2024 (setlist.fm) and X Games Ventura 2024 (visit-ventura). Coachella (year unsettled), Lollapalooza, and Camp Flog Gnaw 2025 remain unverified. The confirmed booking trajectory still signals upward momentum to industry gatekeepers even if mainstream awareness lags.
Existing Brand Partnerships
| Brand | Category | Type | Status | Exclusivity Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Balance x JD Sports | Athletic / Footwear / Sportswear | Global campaign; commissioned single "Again" | Active (2025) | HIGH — likely category-exclusive for athletic/footwear during campaign window |
| NYLON | Fashion Media | Sponsored editorial feature | Completed (2023) | LOW — editorial, not endorsement |
| SSENSE | Luxury Streetwear Retail | Editorial feature | Completed | LOW — editorial, not endorsement |
Brand Heat
ASON termBrand Heat is ASON’s 0–100 composite of how valuable a brand association with this artist is right now — scored across social velocity, audience sentiment, media presence, and cultural momentum. It prices the partnership window, not raw popularity.
| Dimension | Score | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Social Velocity | 35 |
~13K personal IG followers is modest. Anti-TikTok strategy limits viral potential. No breakout viral moment since "Memphis" (2020). Growth is steady but not explosive. |
| Sentiment | 82 |
Universally positive press coverage across NYLON, SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, Stereogum, Billboard, Flaunt. Zero negative coverage found. Fan sentiment is enthusiastic among niche audience. |
| Media Presence | 62 |
Strong editorial coverage in fashion-adjacent music press (SSENSE, NYLON, Highsnobiety). Billboard feature. Stereogum multiple features. However, no mainstream entertainment media (no Pitchfork review found for BRODIE WORLD, no Rolling Stone profile, no XXL placement). |
| Cultural Momentum | 55 |
Festival trajectory. New Balance global campaign is a significant momentum signal. But mainstream cultural penetration remains limited. The "next big thing" narrative has been running since 2020 without fully converting to mass awareness. |
Heat Trend: Warming. The New Balance campaign (2025) represents a meaningful inflection. The question is whether commercial brand validation accelerates cultural momentum or whether the group needs a mainstream crossover moment (a viral single, a major feature, a sync placement) to break through.
Blocked vs. Open Categories
ASON termBuilt from ASON’s Conflict Audit — an exhaustive sweep of active deals, exclusivity clauses, and residual obligations that determines which brand categories are blocked and which are open.
Conflicts are collective-bound (AG Club) — confirm whether NB×JD binds him individually; masters/likeness use needs Epic 360 clearance.
★ Dark chips = the three lead Brand Fit categories.
| Category | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Athletic / Footwear | BLOCKED | New Balance x JD Sports campaign likely includes category exclusivity |
| Sportswear / Activewear | LIKELY BLOCKED | Adjacent to New Balance deal |
| Fashion / Streetwear | OPEN | No known fashion brand endorsement; strong natural fit |
| Technology | OPEN | No known deals |
| Beverage | OPEN | No known deals |
| Automotive | OPEN | No known deals |
| Food / QSR | OPEN | No known deals |
| Gaming | OPEN | No known deals |
| Beauty / Grooming | OPEN | No known deals |
| Financial Services | OPEN | No known deals |
Conflict Audit — Verified Detail
Framing: Baby Boy's conflicts are collective-bound, not individual — they route through the AG Club duo (with Jody Fontaine) and Epic. Only ONE material brand deal exists.
| # | Brand/Entity | Category | Type | Year | Status | Conf | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Balance × JD Sports | Footwear/streetwear | "Access On Tour" campaign (duo stars NB 1000; single "Again") | 2025 | Active | HIGH | thatericalper.com; JD Sports YT/TikTok |
| 2 | Epic Records (Sony / TheNamelessCollective) | Label | Recording deal (exclusive license) | 2022– | Active | HIGH | Apple Music copyright line |
| 3 | AG Club Merch / "Impressions" (agcncsf.com) | Owned apparel | Owned brand (Baby Boy designs) — not a partnership | ongoing | Owned | HIGH | agcncsf.com |
| 4 | X Games Ventura 2024 | Festival booking | Live perf (collective) | 2024 | Past | HIGH | visitventuraca.com |
| 5 | Outside Lands 2024 | Festival booking | Live perf (Aug 10, 7-song set) | 2024 | Past | HIGH | setlist.fm |
| 6 | Coachella | Festival booking | Live perf | 2022 or 2023 | Past | MED (year unsettled) | Fox Mag / NYLON |
| 9 | Pusha T "It's Almost Dry" | Touring support | opener | 2022 | 1 documented date (not "6") | MED | SF Shameless |
Category whitespace: BLOCKED/watch = athletic footwear/streetwear (NB×JD active). SENSITIVE = general apparel (owns a line). GATED = any masters/likeness use (Epic 360 review). OPEN: spirits, beverage, auto, tech, gaming, betting, eyewear, watches/jewelry, fragrance/beauty, luxury-fashion houses, airlines/hospitality, streaming-platform talent deals.
Exclusivity asks (rep verification): confirm whether NB/JD binds Baby Boy individually vs the AG Club duo; term/category scope; post-Aug-2025 status. Any brand deal likely needs Epic sign-off (360).
Risk Flags
- Zero controversies found. Multiple search queries returned no beefs, legal issues, problematic statements, or public conflicts.
- Clean social media history. No flagged posts or problematic content identified.
- Group stability unknown. AG Club is a ~14-member collective; internal dynamics are opaque. Any solo brand deal with Baby Boy would need to navigate group politics.
- Epic Records approval. Major label involvement means brand partnerships may require label approval or coordination with Epic's brand partnerships team.
Key Risks — Pre-Engagement
- Discoverability problem. "Baby Boy" as a search term is dominated by the 2001 Tyrese film, other artists, and generic content. "AG Club" collides with agricultural organizations. This makes organic audience growth harder and complicates brand attribution in media coverage.
- Group vs. solo ambiguity. It is unclear whether Baby Boy has aspirations as a solo artist or if all commercial activity flows through AG Club. A brand partner needs clarity on whether they are signing Baby Boy individually or the collective.
- Modest social following. ~13K Instagram followers on personal account is low relative to typical brand partnership thresholds. However, the New Balance deal suggests brands are looking past follower counts to cultural positioning.
- Anti-TikTok content strategy. The group has openly stated they do not push daily TikTok content, preferring "cool promos and music videos." This limits virality potential for traditional social-first brand campaigns.
- Group dynamics dependency. Baby Boy's value is partially tied to AG Club's collective momentum. If the group fragments or individual members pursue solo paths, the calculus changes.
Competitive Landscape
Artists in the Same Lane
| Artist | Overlap | Differentiation |
|---|---|---|
| Brockhampton (dissolved 2022) | Creative collective model; multi-member; genre-fluid | Brockhampton dissolved, leaving a vacuum AG Club can fill. AG Club is smaller-scale but has a more durable structure (core duo + extended crew vs. co-equal members). |
| Steve Lacy | DIY aesthetic; multi-instrumentalist; genre-fluid; fashion presence | Lacy has broken through commercially (Grammy winner). AG Club is pre-breakout but shares the same taste-maker audience. |
| Dominic Fike | Alt-hip-hop; genre-blending; major label; fashion crossover | Fike operates as a solo act with more mainstream pop appeal. AG Club's collective model and visual design arm differentiate them. |
| Peach Tree Rascals | Bay Area peers; genre-fluid; collective model | Direct peers and collaborators. PTR has a more pop-leaning sound. AG Club has stronger fashion/design credibility. |
| Jean Dawson | Alternative hip-hop; visual artistry; DIY ethos | Dawson is more punk-adjacent. AG Club has a broader stylistic range and the design/merch enterprise as a differentiator. |
White Space Assessment
AG Club / Baby Boy occupies a genuine white space: no other active creative collective has the combination of (a) major label backing, (b) an in-house design arm, (c) fashion-press credibility, and (d) an anti-algorithmic content philosophy. The closest comparison (Brockhampton) dissolved in 2022. The lane is open.
Pipeline generated: 2026-05-03 (Phases 0-4) | 2026-06-06 (Phases 5-10) Classification: EMERGENCE
Current Cultural Signals
ASON termCultural Signals are verified, in-motion shifts in the artist’s audience, narrative, or category that create timing windows for brand moves — each read for velocity (how fast it’s moving) and type.
| Signal | Strength | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Collective/group format resurgence | STRONG | Post-Brockhampton void in the creative collective lane. AG Club is positioned to fill this gap. Industry and media are actively looking for the "next" creative collective. |
| Bay Area renaissance | MODERATE | Renewed interest in Bay Area culture (Larry June's commercial success, P-Lo, Guapdad 4000). AG Club benefits from Bay Area origin story even though they're now LA-based. |
| Anti-algorithm authenticity | STRONG | Cultural fatigue with TikTok-optimized music. AG Club's explicit rejection of algorithmic content strategies resonates with audiences seeking "real" artistry. This is a growing cultural signal. |
| Fashion-music convergence | VERY STRONG | The boundary between fashion brands and music acts continues to dissolve. Baby Boy's dual identity as designer-vocalist positions AG Club at this exact intersection. |
| DIY/self-made narrative | STRONG | Post-pandemic valorization of self-made creative enterprises. AG Club designs their own merch, directs their own videos, and maintains creative control. This narrative has commercial value. |
| Camp Flog Gnaw ecosystem | STRONG | Performing at Tyler the Creator's festival signals alignment with the Odd Future/Golf aesthetic universe — one of the most commercially potent cultural ecosystems for young consumers. |
| Genreless / post-genre movement | MODERATE | Growing audience appetite for artists who refuse genre categorization. AG Club self-identifies as "genreless." This aligns with streaming-era listening habits. |
Trend Velocity Assessment
The cultural winds are favorable but not urgent. AG Club's positioning aligns with multiple macro-trends, but they need a catalyzing moment to convert favorable positioning into breakout momentum. The New Balance campaign could be that catalyst if it drives enough visibility to casual audiences beyond the existing fanbase.
The Play: “The Studio House”
ASON termThe Play is the single headline activation concept ASON recommends leading with — the anchor the rest of the portfolio compounds off.
"THE STUDIO HOUSE" — An Immersive Brand Residency
Concept: AG Club literally lives and creates together in a house in Los Angeles. This is their authentic creative reality, not a manufactured concept. A brand partner could sponsor a documented creative residency — a 2-4 week intensive where the group creates new music, designs merch, shoots content, and builds a capsule collection, all captured in a docu-series format.
Why This Works:
- Authenticity is built-in. They already live and create in a shared house. This isn't a brand fabrication; it's their actual creative process made visible.
- Multi-output model. A single residency produces: music content (songs, behind-the-scenes), fashion content (merch design, capsule creation), video content (mini-docs, social clips), and branded experiences (pop-up at the house for select fans/media).
- Baby Boy as the creative anchor. His multi-disciplinary role (vocalist + designer + director) means he generates content across every vertical a brand cares about.
- Anti-TikTok ethos becomes the marketing pitch. Position it as "the opposite of a 15-second clip" — long-form, intimate, real. In a market saturated with algorithmic content, depth is the differentiator.
- Brand integration is organic. The house is furnished, the studio has equipment, Baby Boy designs merch on a computer, they wear clothes. Every element of the environment is a natural product placement opportunity.
Ideal Brand Partners for This Play:
- Streetwear / lifestyle brands (Carhartt WIP, Stüssy, Dickies)
- Creative tools (Adobe, Apple, Ableton)
- Lifestyle / home (CB2, Floyd, HAY)
- Beverage (Liquid Death, Athletic Brewing, Olipop)
Estimated Activation Budget: $100K-$250K (inclusive of talent fees, production, and distribution)
Signal Strategy
ASON termSignal Strategy converts the live signals above into a partnership posture: the lead narrative model brands should buy into, the KPIs, the risk matrix, and the sequencing.
Lead model: A brand does not partner with Baby Boy to borrow followers (he has 13,247 / 19 posts — no audience to buy). It partners with him to be vouched for — by the design-press establishment that already validated him (SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, NYLON), by AG Club's aesthetic authority, and by the commercial validators who already paid (Epic, New Balance casting). It's a call option on collective cultural capital, exercised through cosign, with convex upside (an under-market artifact that reprices 2–5× on breakout). Exercise it by structuring deals around his design-IP + creative-director credit (a co-created artifact carrying "Designed by Baby Boy"), not his posting.
Pillars (credibility-denominated KPIs, never owned-channel impressions): (1) Design-IP Authorship — ≥1 credited co-created artifact per deal. (2) Establishment Cosign Transfer — ≥2 partnership-driven placements in warm outlets; EMV ≥1.5–3× fee. (3) Peer/Collective Cosign — Odd-Future-adjacent + AG Club ecosystem engagement. (4) Scarcity/Selectivity — protect the anti-algorithm authenticity (the group's stated "no daily TikTok" stance is an asset, not a liability).
ROI: maps to the baseline's existing Active $465K–905K / Total $665K–1.405M pipeline; returns re-denominated as EMV + design-IP asset creation, not impressions.
Risk matrix (top): reach-expectation mismatch (Critical — 13K/19-posts); individual-vs-collective attribution blur (High); unverified festival/tour claims propagating into decks (High — pre-flight); Epic 360 clearance friction (Med-High); over-indexing on owned reach KPIs (High).
20-week calendar: anchored to the live outreach window; sequenced around AG Club's recurring platforms; design-IP artifact as the hero deliverable. (Baby Boy is ACTIVE — not paused.)
Authenticity Gate: strong on Voice/Values (anti-algorithm authenticity is genuine, design credibility is lived) → composite PASS at the recommended tier; scoring honors the credibility-over-reach denomination.
Content Ecosystem for Brand Partnership
Tier 1 — Anchor Content (Brand-Funded)
- Mini-documentary series (3-5 episodes, 8-12 minutes each) following AG Club's creative process
- Baby Boy design process videos: from sketch to finished merch product
- Music video with integrated brand presence (following the "Again" / New Balance model)
- Behind-the-scenes of festival performances with brand visibility
Tier 2 — Social Content (Organic + Boosted)
- Instagram Reels / Stories: studio sessions, design process, outfit-of-the-day (Baby Boy's fashion presence)
- YouTube shorts: snippets from anchor content
- Twitter/X: real-time thoughts on music, design, culture
- Note: DO NOT expect high-frequency TikTok content. The group has explicitly stated this is not their approach. A brand partner must accept this.
Tier 3 — Experiential Content
- Pop-up events combining music performance + merch drops + brand activation
- Festival activations (Camp Flog Gnaw, Outside Lands, Coachella adjacent events)
- In-store experiences at JD Sports, Foot Locker, or streetwear retailers (builds on New Balance precedent)
Tier 4 — Earned Media
- PR pitches to SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, Complex, NYLON (all have covered AG Club before — warm outlets)
- Music press coverage in Stereogum, Pitchfork, Billboard
- Local press in Bay Area and LA outlets
Content Cadence Recommendation:
- Anchor content: 1 major piece per quarter
- Social content: 3-5 posts per week (group account), 1-2 per week (Baby Boy personal)
- Experiential: 1-2 activations per quarter aligned with music releases or festival schedule
Visual Direction
Color Palette: High-saturation primary colors, neon accents, day-glo aesthetics. AG Club's visual language is energetic, youthful, and deliberately maximalist. BRODIE WORLD was described as "day-glo, reckless, youthful charm." Avoid muted or minimalist palettes.
Typography: Bold, graffiti-adjacent, hand-drawn elements. Baby Boy's design work leans toward graphic, illustrative typography rather than clean sans-serifs. Think zine culture meets streetwear lookbook.
Photography Style: Candid, kinetic, in-motion. Group shots in their house, studio, or on the street. Natural lighting preferred. Avoid overly produced editorial shoots — the DIY aesthetic is core to their brand identity.
Video Direction: Cinematic but accessible. Their music videos (directed by 777MEDIA / Manny Madrigal with Baby Boy co-directing) reference sci-fi aesthetics (the "COLUMBIA" video features an alien rescue narrative inspired by Men in Black), anime/cartoon influences (Stereogum interview discusses childhood cartoon influences), and Bay Area street culture. High concept but not high budget in feel.
Tone
Voice: Energetic, irreverent, collectively confident. Not braggadocious in the traditional hip-hop sense — more like the enthusiasm of a group of friends who are genuinely excited about what they're building. Authentic, never performative.
Register: Casual-elevated. Street language mixed with creative-class vocabulary. They use terms like "avant-garde" and "genreless" without irony but remain grounded in colloquial speech.
Emotional Core: Creative joy, collective ambition, outsider pride. The narrative is: "We're from a place nobody expected this from, and we built something real together."
Cultural Register
Do:
- Emphasize the collective, community-driven creative model
- Highlight Baby Boy's dual identity as designer and musician
- Reference the DIY, self-made journey from Antioch to Epic Records
- Position fashion as integral to the music, not secondary to it
- Celebrate genre-fluidity and creative experimentation
Don't:
- Reduce AG Club to "the next Brockhampton" (they find the comparison reductive)
- Over-emphasize Carti or Odd Future comparisons (they want their own identity)
- Push a TikTok-first strategy (contradicts their stated philosophy)
- Use minimalist or corporate aesthetics (clashes with their visual language)
- Treat Baby Boy as "just the singer" — his design and directorial roles are central to his value
Category 1: Streetwear / Fashion
ASON termBrand Fits are ASON’s per-brand partnership theses — why this brand and this artist align, the recommended deal structure, alternative brands, and potential conflicts.
Brand Fit Score: 92/100
Rationale: This is Baby Boy's highest-conviction category and it is not close. The alignment is structural, not superficial. Baby Boy does not merely "dress well" or "have a fashion presence" — he is a working graphic designer who creates all AG Club merchandise, with a stated ambition (per bandmate Jody Fontaine) that the merch line becomes "an actual brand that people buy regardless of music." He has been editorially validated by the three most important outlets in the streetwear-to-fashion pipeline: SSENSE (luxury/editorial credibility), Highsnobiety (streetwear authority), and Hypebeast (youth culture reach). Bandmates specifically cite him as the fashion-forward member of the group. The visual language of AG Club — maximalist, day-glo, hand-drawn, zine-inflected — is native to the contemporary streetwear aesthetic.
Commercially, this is the category where Baby Boy's multi-disciplinary value is most monetizable. A fashion brand partner gets a designer who can co-create product (not just model it), a vocalist who can soundtrack the campaign (proven via New Balance "Again"), and a director who can shape the visual campaign with 777MEDIA. The content output per dollar spent is higher than any other category because Baby Boy's design capability reduces the need for external creative services.
Audience alignment is near-perfect. AG Club's core demographic (Gen Z, 18-27, alternative hip-hop, festival circuit, Bay Area / LA) maps directly onto the target consumer for contemporary streetwear brands. The fashion-press credibility (SSENSE, NYLON, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast) validates Baby Boy as an authentic voice in this space, not a musician cosplaying as a fashion figure.
Recommended Brand: Carhartt WIP
Why Carhartt WIP:
- Carhartt WIP (Work In Progress) is the European-curated, streetwear-positioned offshoot of the original American workwear brand. It sits at the exact intersection of workwear utility, streetwear credibility, and music-culture investment.
- The brand has a deep history of music partnerships: collaborations with Brain Dead, Wacko Maria, and a long-running DJ/music community sponsorship (Carhartt WIP Radio). Baby Boy fits this lineage naturally.
- Carhartt WIP's aesthetic — functional, unpretentious, community-oriented — aligns with AG Club's DIY, collective-driven ethos far more than high-fashion or hypebeast-of-the-moment brands.
- Price-point alignment: Carhartt WIP is accessible luxury ($80-$300 range), matching AG Club's audience purchasing power. Not so expensive as to alienate the core fanbase, not so cheap as to dilute brand positioning.
- The brand actively seeks emerging creative voices for collaborations. Baby Boy's design capability makes this a genuine co-design opportunity, not just an endorsement with a designer's name on a tag.
Deal Structure Recommendation:
- Tier: Recommended ($150K-$300K)
- Format: Co-designed capsule collection (6-8 pieces designed by Baby Boy in collaboration with Carhartt WIP design team) + 3-episode content series documenting the design process + social content package + launch event
- Duration: 12 months from signing to final deliverable
- Co-Design IP: Shared ownership; Baby Boy retains right to reference the collaboration in his portfolio and future press
- Music Integration: Optional commissioned track for campaign video; requires Epic Records coordination
- Distribution: Carhartt WIP retail (online + select stores) + AG Club direct (agcncsf.com) for select exclusive pieces
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- Confirm New Balance partnership does not include apparel exclusivity (the NB deal appears focused on footwear/sportswear, but Carhartt WIP's workwear-streetwear positioning could be argued as adjacent by aggressive contract interpretation). Verify with management.
- Carhartt WIP's European headquarters (Weil am Rhein, Germany) may introduce timezone and logistics complexity for a co-design process. Recommend establishing a US-based creative liaison.
- AG Club's collective identity means Baby Boy designing a capsule as an individual raises internal group dynamics questions. The solution: position it as "Baby Boy for Carhartt WIP, presented by AG Club" — individual creative lead, collective endorsement.
Category 2: Creative Tools (Adobe / Apple)
Brand Fit Score: 85/100
Rationale: Baby Boy is not an aspirational "creative" in the Instagram-influencer sense — he is a working graphic designer, merchandise designer, and video co-director who uses creative tools daily as part of his professional output. This is a critical distinction. The most valuable creative-tools partnerships feature people who actually create with the product, not celebrities who pose with it. Baby Boy designs all AG Club merch. He co-directs music videos with 777MEDIA. The "Made With [Brand]" narrative is not manufactured; it is literal.
The strategic value to a creative tools brand is threefold: (1) authentic usage — Baby Boy is a real user of design and video tools; (2) multi-format content potential — his creative process spans graphic design, video production, music production, and merchandise design, each of which showcases different software capabilities; (3) the "creator economy" narrative — AG Club is a self-contained creative enterprise that designs, produces, directs, and distributes their own work, embodying the creator-economy ideal that Adobe, Apple, and similar brands are investing billions to cultivate.
The audience alignment is strong but narrower than streetwear. AG Club's core fanbase includes a meaningful segment of aspiring creatives, designers, and multi-disciplinary artists who identify with Baby Boy's designer-musician identity. However, the broader casual fan may not engage as deeply with creative-tools content as with fashion or lifestyle content.
Recommended Brand: Adobe Creative Cloud
Why Adobe:
- Adobe is the dominant player in the design and video tools space. A partnership with Adobe carries industry-standard credibility.
- Adobe's "Creative Residency" program and "Adobe Live" series demonstrate an existing infrastructure for artist-creator partnerships. Baby Boy fits this framework natively.
- Adobe's recent strategic emphasis on video and content creation (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Adobe Express) aligns with AG Club's 777MEDIA video production arm.
- Adobe's marketing challenge: the brand is perceived as "corporate" and "legacy" by Gen Z creators who have grown up with free/freemium tools (Canva, CapCut, Figma). A partnership with Baby Boy — young, DIY, culturally credible — repositions Adobe as the tool of choice for the next generation of multi-disciplinary creators.
- Budget alignment: Adobe has a well-funded creator partnerships program with precedent for deals in the $100K-$250K range for emerging creators with multi-platform output.
Deal Structure Recommendation:
- Tier: Recommended ($150K-$250K)
- Format: "Made With Adobe" content series (4-6 episodes, each focusing on a different creative discipline — one episode on merch design in Illustrator/Photoshop, one on video editing in Premiere Pro, one on brand identity design, one on social content creation in Adobe Express)
- Duration: 12 months
- Deliverables: Content series + 6-8 social posts featuring Adobe products in authentic creative context + one live "Adobe Live" session with Baby Boy demonstrating his design process + one keynote/panel appearance at Adobe MAX
- Product Integration: Adobe provides Creative Cloud suite + hardware (Wacom tablet, calibrated monitor) to AG Club's studio for the duration of the partnership. This is organic product placement — the tools are in the studio where content is being created anyway.
- Exclusive Asset: Baby Boy designs a downloadable template pack or asset kit available through Adobe Stock or Adobe Express, extending the partnership's value beyond the content window.
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- If Baby Boy currently uses non-Adobe tools (Figma for UI/UX, Final Cut for video, Procreate for illustration), a partnership would need to either genuinely transition his workflow or acknowledge a multi-tool approach. Authenticity is paramount — do not force tool usage that contradicts reality.
- Apple is an alternate target in this category. An Apple partnership (Mac/iPad for design, Logic Pro for music, Final Cut for video) would be more hardware-focused and likely higher budget ($200K-$400K), but Apple's partnership criteria are more restrictive and their approval timelines are longer. Adobe is the faster, more accessible entry point.
- Adobe MAX conference appearance requires Baby Boy's availability in October (typically). Calendar confirmation needed.
Category 3: Lifestyle / Beverage
Brand Fit Score: 78/100
Rationale: AG Club's communal living situation — a shared house in Los Angeles where the collective lives, creates, and operates as a creative enterprise — is the strongest organic lifestyle content opportunity in their partnership portfolio. The "friends building something together" narrative is inherently lifestyle-content-native. Beverage brands in particular have a proven model for emerging artist partnerships: product integration in authentic consumption contexts (studio sessions, late-night creative work, festival backstage, house hangouts), which AG Club provides without fabrication.
The cultural alignment is good but not as structurally deep as streetwear or creative tools. Lifestyle/beverage partnerships work when the product is organically present in the artist's world. For AG Club, this is credible — they live together, they create together, they consume beverages together. It is not a stretch. But it is also not a unique differentiator; many artists can provide this context.
The commercial alignment is strongest with "challenger" beverage brands seeking cultural credibility with Gen Z: brands like Liquid Death, Olipop, Poppi, Athletic Brewing, or Ghia — brands that position themselves against the mainstream (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Monster) with anti-corporate, design-forward, subculture-adjacent branding. AG Club's anti-algorithmic ethos maps directly onto the "anti-corporate" beverage brand positioning.
Recommended Brand: Liquid Death
Why Liquid Death:
- Liquid Death's entire brand identity is built on creative subversion, music-culture partnerships, and anti-corporate irreverence. They have an established track record of partnerships with musicians, comedians, and cultural figures.
- The brand's visual language (heavy metal typography, maximalist graphics, absurdist humor) has aesthetic overlap with AG Club's own visual identity (maximalist, bold, graphic, irreverent).
- Liquid Death has a dedicated music partnerships vertical, including their "Greatest Hits" compilations and artist-branded limited-edition cans. Baby Boy could design a limited-edition can — leveraging his graphic design capability for a tangible product collaboration.
- The brand's Gen Z audience overlap with AG Club's fanbase is very high. Both share the same consumer: young, culturally aware, design-literate, anti-mainstream.
- Budget alignment: Liquid Death's artist partnership budgets typically range from $25K-$150K for emerging artists, scaling up significantly for limited-edition product collaborations.
Deal Structure Recommendation:
- Tier: Conservative-to-Recommended ($75K-$175K)
- Format: Baby Boy-designed limited-edition Liquid Death can (leveraging his graphic design capability) + studio integration content (Liquid Death product presence in AG Club's studio/house content, the most organic placement possible) + festival activation partnership (Liquid Death sponsors AG Club's backstage/green room at 2-3 festivals)
- Duration: 6-12 months
- Deliverables: Can design (Baby Boy original artwork) + 4-6 social posts + 2-3 Reels/Stories featuring organic product integration + festival content
- Limited-Edition Product: This is the key differentiator. Baby Boy designs a limited-edition Liquid Death can. This is a tangible co-created product that lives beyond the content window, generates PR on its own (Liquid Death limited editions consistently generate media coverage), and showcases Baby Boy's design capability in a non-fashion context.
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- Liquid Death is water/iced tea, not alcohol, but the brand's heavy metal/punk aesthetic might create a tonal mismatch if AG Club's audience skews toward a more "wholesome" creative community. Assess audience reception risk.
- If any AG Club members have personal alcohol or substance-related content on social media, a beverage brand partnership creates adjacency risk. Review AG Club members' social media histories before proceeding. (Note: Phase 1 Conflict Audit found zero problematic content, but a beverage-specific review is warranted.)
- Liquid Death's marketing is often absurdist and provocative. Confirm that AG Club and their management are comfortable with the brand's overall marketing tone — it may be edgier than their own.
Category 4: Audio / Music Tech
Brand Fit Score: 80/100
Rationale: AG Club is a music group. This is the most literal category alignment possible. But the value proposition goes beyond "musician uses music equipment." AG Club operates as a self-contained creative enterprise with an in-house production capability. They produce music, mix, and master in their own studio. The collective includes multiple producers and instrumentalists. Baby Boy's role as vocalist intersects with his role as creative director — he has perspective on how music production tools serve the larger creative vision, not just the sound engineering function.
The audio/music tech category is competitive for artist partnerships. Every music tech brand partners with musicians. The differentiator for Baby Boy / AG Club is the collective model: a partnership with AG Club shows a music tech product being used by multiple creators in a communal, collaborative environment — a more compelling and diverse use case than a single artist in a solo studio.
The audience alignment is moderate-to-strong. AG Club's fanbase includes aspiring musicians and producers, but also a significant non-musician segment (fashion/design/culture enthusiasts) who may not engage deeply with music tech content. The content strategy must therefore frame music tech through a lifestyle/culture lens, not a gear-review lens.
Recommended Brand: Ableton
Why Ableton:
- Ableton (maker of Ableton Live and Ableton Push) occupies a unique position in the music tech landscape: it is the tool of choice for experimental, genre-fluid, performance-oriented music production. AG Club's genreless, experimental approach to music maps directly onto Ableton's brand positioning.
- Ableton's marketing has historically leaned into the "community" angle — Ableton Loop (their annual conference) emphasizes collaboration, experimentation, and creative community. AG Club's collective model is a natural fit for this narrative.
- Ableton's visual branding is clean, design-forward, and appeals to the creative-class aesthetic that AG Club's audience inhabits. This is not a brand that looks out of place next to SSENSE or Highsnobiety coverage.
- Ableton Push (hardware controller) provides a tangible product for content: Baby Boy or AG Club producers creating beats on Push in the studio house, performing live with Push at festivals. This is inherently visual and content-native.
- Budget alignment: Ableton's artist partnership budgets are typically smaller than consumer brands ($30K-$100K for emerging artists) but include product provision, featured artist placement on Ableton.com, and conference speaking opportunities. The total value (cash + product + platform) can exceed the cash component significantly.
Deal Structure Recommendation:
- Tier: Conservative ($50K-$100K cash + $20K-$40K product/platform value)
- Format: "Inside the Studio" content series featuring AG Club's production process using Ableton Live and Push + featured artist profile on Ableton.com + Ableton Loop conference appearance + product provision (Ableton Push units, Live Suite licenses for all AG Club producers)
- Duration: 12 months
- Deliverables: 3-4 production process videos (30-60 seconds each, optimized for Ableton's social channels) + 1 long-form "In the Studio" video (5-8 minutes, for Ableton's YouTube) + 2-4 social posts on AG Club channels + Ableton Loop appearance
- Unique Value Add: AG Club's collective model means multiple producers can demonstrate Ableton in different contexts (beatmaking, vocal processing, live performance setup, sound design), providing Ableton with more content angles from a single partnership than a solo artist would.
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- Confirm which DAW(s) AG Club's producers currently use. If they primarily use Logic Pro, FL Studio, or Pro Tools, an Ableton partnership requires a genuine workflow element, not forced brand integration. Authenticity check required.
- Ableton's partnership budget may fall below ASON minimum thresholds if evaluated on cash alone. Factor in the platform value (featured on Ableton.com, Loop conference speaking, product provision) when assessing total deal value.
- Music tech partnerships generate less mainstream press coverage than fashion or lifestyle deals. The PR value is industry-specific (music press, producer communities) rather than consumer-facing.
Category 5: Grooming
Brand Fit Score: 68/100
Rationale: Grooming is an adjacent category for Baby Boy — not a core brand attribute, but a credible extension. He is a 25-year-old creative professional with a distinctive personal style that includes grooming as a component. Fashion-forward artists in his lane (Tyler the Creator, Steve Lacy, Dominic Fike) have all successfully entered grooming partnerships or launched grooming lines. The precedent exists.
The strategic value is moderate. Baby Boy is not publicly known for grooming expertise or routines. He is not a "skincare guy" or a "fragrance ambassador" in the way that some artists build secondary brands around personal care. However, his fashion credibility and visual-arts background lend aesthetic authority to grooming brand partnerships — he understands design, packaging, and visual identity, which are the key differentiators in the crowded men's grooming market.
Audience alignment is reasonable but not premium. AG Club's Gen Z male audience is the core target demographic for emerging grooming brands (Aesop-adjacent, gender-fluid, design-forward grooming). But grooming is a lower-engagement category than fashion or music — the content potential is narrower.
Recommended Brand: Aesop
Why Aesop:
- Aesop sits at the intersection of design, culture, and personal care. Their stores are architectural statements. Their packaging is design-forward. Their brand identity prioritizes "intellectual" and "cultural" positioning over mainstream celebrity endorsement. This aligns with Baby Boy's creative-class positioning.
- Aesop has historically partnered with architects, designers, and cultural figures rather than mainstream celebrities. Baby Boy's multi-disciplinary profile (designer + musician + director) fits this pattern.
- Aesop's acquisition by L'Oreal (2023) has increased their marketing budget and partnership ambition while (so far) maintaining the brand's cultural positioning. They are in an expansion phase where emerging creative talent partnerships are strategically valuable.
- The product price point ($30-$80 for core products) is accessible to AG Club's audience.
- Baby Boy could contribute beyond endorsement: packaging design for a limited edition, or contributing to Aesop's "Taxonomy of Design" publication, or curating an in-store music experience for Aesop retail locations.
Deal Structure Recommendation:
- Tier: Conservative ($40K-$80K)
- Format: "Morning Routine" content series (2-3 short-form videos, 60-90 seconds each, showing Baby Boy's grooming routine in the context of his creative morning in the studio house — not a standalone grooming video but an integrated lifestyle/creative piece) + limited-edition product packaging design (Baby Boy designs a limited-edition label for an Aesop product) + 3-4 social posts
- Duration: 6 months
- Deliverables: Content series + social posts + packaging design + in-store playlist curation (Baby Boy curates a playlist for Aesop retail locations)
- Integration Approach: Grooming content must be embedded within creative-process content, not standalone. "Baby Boy gets ready for a studio session" is compelling. "Baby Boy reviews face wash" is not.
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- Grooming partnerships for male musicians can be perceived as "brand-safe filler" rather than authentic alignment. The content must feel organic and embedded in Baby Boy's actual routine, not staged or transactional.
- Aesop's brand is refined and minimal; AG Club's visual language is maximalist and day-glo. The aesthetic contrast could be interesting (high design meets high energy) or jarring. Creative direction must navigate this tension intentionally.
- Aesop may prefer a more established cultural figure. Baby Boy's ~13K follower count may fall below their partnership threshold. Lead with press clips (SSENSE, Highsnobiety) and the New Balance precedent to overcome the follower-count objection.
Category 6: Footwear
Brand Fit Score: 74/100 (CATEGORY CURRENTLY BLOCKED)
Rationale: The paradox of this category is that Baby Boy / AG Club have already proven footwear partnership viability through the New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025) — the single most significant brand partnership in their career to date. The fit is validated, the model is proven, and the campaign ("Again" single + global ad) sets a replicable template. However, the footwear category is currently BLOCKED due to the active New Balance relationship and its likely category exclusivity provisions.
This assessment therefore serves a dual purpose: (1) documenting the fit for the record, and (2) establishing a framework for re-entering the category when the New Balance exclusivity window closes.
Baby Boy's footwear alignment is rooted in the same cultural infrastructure as his streetwear alignment: he is a designer with fashion credibility who creates visual content. For a footwear brand, Baby Boy offers what he offers every brand — a designer who can contribute to product design, not just model it. But in footwear specifically, the custom colorway or limited-edition collaboration model (where artists contribute to the actual shoe design) is the highest-value play, and Baby Boy's proven design capability makes this more than aspirational.
Recommended Brand (Post-New Balance Exclusivity): Converse
Why Converse (When Available):
- Converse has the deepest music-culture partnership history in footwear. The Converse Rubber Tracks studio program, the Chuck Taylor customization model, and the brand's association with punk, hip-hop, and indie culture position it as the natural successor partnership once the New Balance window closes.
- Converse's "Create Next" program specifically targets emerging multi-disciplinary creators — artists who are more than musicians. Baby Boy's designer/director/vocalist profile is ideal.
- Converse's ownership by Nike provides infrastructure and budget at a scale that matches or exceeds the New Balance deal.
- The Chuck Taylor canvas (literal and metaphorical) is a design platform. A Baby Boy-designed Chuck Taylor leverages his graphic design capability in the most iconic canvas in sneaker culture.
- Converse's price point ($60-$120 for most styles) is accessible, ensuring the collaboration product reaches AG Club's actual fanbase.
Deal Structure Recommendation (Post-Exclusivity):
- Tier: Recommended-to-Aggressive ($200K-$500K)
- Format: Co-designed Converse Chuck Taylor collection (2-3 colorways designed by Baby Boy) + commissioned single (following the "Again" model) + docu-series documenting the design process + festival activation + in-store launch events
- Duration: 18 months
- Timeline Prerequisite: New Balance exclusivity window must be confirmed closed. Recommend initiating relationship-building conversations with Converse 3-6 months before the NB window closes, then formalizing post-expiration.
- Escalation Path: If the collaboration performs well (sell-through, content engagement, media coverage), negotiate a multi-season extension with increasing co-design scope.
Potential Conflicts/Considerations:
- CRITICAL: New Balance exclusivity is ACTIVE. Do not initiate footwear brand outreach until the exclusivity window is confirmed closed. Any premature outreach risks damaging the New Balance relationship and potentially triggering breach-of-contract claims.
- Transition Management: When the NB window closes, the transition to a new footwear partner must be managed carefully. Baby Boy should not be seen as "jumping ship" but rather as "expanding his design portfolio." The narrative must be additive, not competitive.
- Nike/Converse Overlap: Converse is owned by Nike. If AG Club's audience perceives Converse as "Nike" rather than as a distinct brand, the cultural credibility of a Converse partnership may be diluted. Converse's independent brand identity must be reinforced in all partnership communications.
- JD Sports Relationship: The NB campaign was a New Balance x JD Sports collaboration. If JD Sports has independent interest in AG Club (separate from New Balance), a JD Sports relationship could bridge the gap between the NB exclusivity window and a new footwear partnership.
Budget Scenarios
Scenario A: Conservative ($50K–$100K)
What You Get:
- 1-2 brand partnerships at the single-campaign tier
- Baby Boy individual social content package (3-5 Instagram posts, 2-3 Stories/Reels, 1 YouTube feature)
- One "Made With [Brand]" design-process content piece (filmed by 777MEDIA in existing studio)
- Inclusion of product in existing content touchpoints (studio shots, festival backstage)
- 6-month partnership window with standard usage rights
- One PR push to warm outlets (SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast) with brand mention
What You Sacrifice:
- No commissioned music (the "Again" model requires higher budget to cover production, publishing, and label coordination)
- No co-designed product or capsule collection
- No experiential activation (pop-ups, festival activations)
- Limited AG Club collective involvement — likely Baby Boy solo with light group cameos
- No anchor content (mini-docs, docu-series)
- Minimal negotiating leverage on exclusivity — brand gets a narrow window, not a long-term lockup
Risk/Reward Profile:
- Risk: LOW. Small financial exposure. Clean exit if partnership underperforms.
- Reward: MODERATE. Establishes a relationship at low cost. If Baby Boy breaks out during the partnership window, the brand gets an under-market deal. Social content can be repurposed and amplified by the brand's own channels for extended value.
- Expected ROI: 1.5-3x on media value alone (based on emerging artist social rates). Higher if the brand's own distribution amplifies Baby Boy content to new audiences.
- Best For: Brands testing the waters with an emerging artist before committing to a larger engagement. Also appropriate for brands with constrained influencer budgets who want cultural credibility over raw reach.
Scenario B: Recommended ($150K–$300K)
What You Get:
- Full activation suite: social content + anchor content + product integration + PR push
- Baby Boy individual + AG Club collective involvement (group shoots, communal studio content)
- Co-designed limited-edition product or capsule element (Baby Boy designs packaging, limited merch collaboration, or product colorway)
- "Studio House" content series (3-episode mini-doc, 5-8 minutes each, produced by 777MEDIA)
- Commissioned single or remix (following the New Balance "Again" model) — requires Epic Records coordination
- One experiential activation: festival pop-up, in-store event, or launch party
- 12-month partnership window with option to renew
- Full PR campaign to warm outlets + new target outlets (Pitchfork, Complex, The FADER)
- Dedicated brand social content: 8-12 Instagram posts, 5-8 Reels/Stories, 2-3 YouTube features, Twitter/X coverage
- Usage rights: 18 months, digital and in-store, excluding broadcast
What You Sacrifice:
- No multi-season, multi-year lockup
- Limited broadcast/TV usage (requires additional licensing)
- No full standalone fashion collection (capsule element only — a colorway, a limited piece, packaging design, not a full line)
- One experiential activation, not a touring activation model
Risk/Reward Profile:
- Risk: LOW-MODERATE. Significant but not bet-the-budget investment. The full activation suite provides multiple content touchpoints, reducing dependency on any single deliverable performing.
- Reward: HIGH. This is the sweet spot. You get the commissioned music (proven model via New Balance), Baby Boy's design capability (unique differentiator), the collective's communal creative energy (authentic content), and enough scope for meaningful PR and earned media.
- Expected ROI: 3-6x on combined media value (earned + owned + social). The commissioned single alone generates streaming value and sync licensing potential that extends beyond the partnership window.
- Best For: Brands seeking a culturally credible, multi-output partnership that generates press coverage, social content, and a tangible co-created product. This is the New Balance playbook at the right scale.
Budget Breakdown (Illustrative at $225K midpoint):
| Line Item | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Talent fee (Baby Boy + AG Club) | $90K-$120K | Inclusive of all appearances, content sessions, design time |
| Music production (commissioned single) | $25K-$40K | Production, mixing, mastering; does not include label advance recoupment |
| Content production (mini-doc series) | $30K-$45K | 777MEDIA production; 3 episodes |
| Experiential activation (1 event) | $20K-$35K | Venue, production, staffing |
| PR/Communications | $10K-$15K | Publicist fees, media outreach |
| Usage rights licensing | $10K-$20K | 18-month digital + in-store |
| Contingency (10%) | $18K-$28K | Standard buffer |
| TOTAL | $203K-$303K |
Scenario C: Aggressive ($400K–$750K+)
What You Get:
- Full "Studio House" creative residency (2-4 weeks, documented, multi-output)
- Multi-season partnership (2-3 seasons / 18-24 months)
- Co-designed capsule collection with Baby Boy as named designer (not just "in collaboration with" — his name on the label)
- Commissioned album track or EP with full brand integration (extending the "Again" model to a multi-song partnership)
- Full AG Club collective activation: all ~14 members involved in content creation
- Touring activation: brand presence at 3-5 festival performances during partnership window
- Broadcast usage rights included (TV, streaming pre-roll, cinema)
- 360-degree content: docu-series (6-8 episodes), social content (20+ posts), YouTube content (5+ features), podcast/audio appearances
- Pop-up retail activation: temporary store or shop-in-shop featuring co-designed product
- Brand ambassador designation: Baby Boy as ongoing face of [Brand] for the partnership window
- First-look option for next cycle renewal
- Joint charitable/community initiative (e.g., creative workshop for young designers in Antioch/East Bay, branded by the partner)
What You Sacrifice:
- Nothing creatively — this is the full expression of the partnership
- Financial exposure is significant — requires C-suite or VP-level budget approval at most brands
- Execution complexity is high — requires dedicated project manager and cross-functional coordination between brand, management, label, and creative team
Risk/Reward Profile:
- Risk: MODERATE. The financial exposure is substantial, but the multi-output structure means no single deliverable carries disproportionate weight. The biggest risk is execution complexity — managing a 14-member collective across a multi-month partnership requires strong project management.
- Reward: VERY HIGH. This is category-defining territory. A brand that executes the full "Studio House" residency with Baby Boy / AG Club creates a case study that transcends the individual partnership. The co-designed capsule builds Baby Boy's fashion credibility, which in turn elevates the brand's cultural positioning. The commissioned music creates a persistent brand asset (a song that lives on streaming platforms indefinitely, associated with the brand).
- Expected ROI: 5-10x on combined media, earned, and cultural value. This assumes the co-designed product generates its own revenue stream, the commissioned music generates streaming royalties and sync income, and the docu-series is distributed through a media partner for additional reach.
- Best For: Brands making a strategic bet on cultural credibility with Gen Z and creative-class audiences. This is the Nike x Virgil Abloh model at Emergence-stage pricing — the upside is that you get the play before the market corrects. Ideal for brands with an innovation or cultural marketing budget distinct from their standard influencer line item.
Scale Comparison:
| Element | Conservative | Recommended | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Range | $50K-$100K | $150K-$300K | $400K-$750K+ |
| Duration | 6 months | 12 months | 18-24 months |
| Baby Boy Solo vs. Collective | Solo-heavy | Solo + collective | Full collective |
| Commissioned Music | No | 1 single | Multi-track |
| Co-Designed Product | No | Capsule element | Full collection |
| Content Volume | 5-8 posts | 15-25 posts | 30-50+ pieces |
| Experiential | None | 1 activation | 3-5 activations |
| Broadcast Rights | No | No | Yes |
| PR Campaign | Light push | Full campaign | Sustained PR over partnership window |
Risk Assessment
The following bidirectional risk assessment identifies and mitigates risks in BOTH directions — risks that Baby Boy / AG Club pose to brand partners, and risks that brand partners pose to Baby Boy / AG Club.
Risk Direction 1: Risk TO the Brand FROM Baby Boy / AG Club
| Risk Factor | Severity | Probability | Category Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group instability / member departure | MODERATE | LOW-MODERATE | ALL | AG Club is a ~14-member collective. While the core duo (Baby Boy + Jody Fontaine) appears stable, peripheral member departures could create negative press. Mitigation: Structure contracts around Baby Boy individually (or Baby Boy + Jody as the core duo), not the full collective. Include "key person" clause tied to Baby Boy specifically. |
| Anti-algorithmic content strategy limits reach | LOW | HIGH | ALL | AG Club's stated refusal to pursue daily TikTok content means brand content will not achieve viral social reach through AG Club's own channels. Mitigation: Set realistic social KPIs based on AG Club's actual posting cadence. Compensate with brand-amplified distribution of partnership content through the brand's own paid and organic channels. |
| Modest follower count underperforms brand's reach expectations | MODERATE | MODERATE | ALL | ~13K personal IG followers for Baby Boy is below typical brand partnership thresholds. Mitigation: Frame the partnership value around cultural credibility, press coverage, and co-created content quality — not social reach. Include earned media impressions in KPI framework, not just owned social metrics. |
| Label interference or delayed approvals | LOW | MODERATE | Music-Integrated Deals | Epic Records may require approval for commissioned music, and label timelines may not align with brand campaign timelines. Mitigation: Begin Epic Records coordination early in the deal process. Build 4-6 weeks of buffer into any timeline involving commissioned music. Include a "music-optional" fallback plan in case label approval is delayed. |
| Collective voice conflicts with brand messaging | LOW | LOW | ALL | AG Club's ~14 members each have their own social media presence and public voice. A member's off-brand comment could create adjacency risk. Mitigation: Partnership agreements should include a social media protocol for the duration of the campaign. Focus contract obligations (and morality provisions) on Baby Boy individually, not the full collective. |
| Content quality inconsistency | LOW | LOW | Content-Heavy Deals | 777MEDIA produces excellent work, but is a small operation. Quality may vary under tight timelines or with unfamiliar brand requirements. Mitigation: Include brand creative review/approval in the content production process. Budget for one round of revisions. Provide brand style guide and examples to 777MEDIA before production begins. |
Risk Direction 2: Risk TO Baby Boy FROM the Brand
| Risk Factor | Severity | Probability | Category Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over-commercialization undermines indie credibility | HIGH | MODERATE | ALL | AG Club's anti-algorithmic, DIY identity is central to their appeal. Too many or too-commercial brand partnerships could trigger "sellout" perception among the core fanbase. Mitigation: Limit concurrent active partnerships to 2-3 maximum. Ensure every partnership includes a genuine creative component (co-design, commissioned music, creative direction) so it reads as creative work, not endorsement. Prioritize brands with cultural credibility over brands with reach. |
| Unfair contract terms exploit Emergence status | HIGH | MODERATE | ALL | Brands may attempt to lock in favorable terms (long exclusivity, broad usage, below-market rates) knowing Baby Boy is pre-breakout. Mitigation: All contracts must be reviewed by entertainment-IP legal counsel. Cap exclusivity at 12-18 months. Ensure usage rights are time-limited and platform-specific, not perpetual or all-media. Include "breakout" escalators that increase compensation if Baby Boy/AG Club's metrics surpass defined thresholds during the partnership. |
| Brand controversy contaminates Baby Boy | MODERATE | LOW | ALL | Baby Boy is brand-safe, but the brands he partners with may not be. A brand partner's scandal (labor issues, environmental violations, executive misconduct) creates reverse-contamination risk. Mitigation: Conduct brand due diligence before signing. Include termination-for-cause provisions that allow Baby Boy to exit the partnership if the brand faces significant public controversy. Monitor brand partner's public perception throughout the partnership window. |
| Design IP misappropriation | MODERATE | LOW-MODERATE | Streetwear, Footwear, Beverage (Packaging) | Any partnership involving Baby Boy's design work creates IP risk. A brand could continue using Baby Boy's designs after the partnership ends, or fail to credit his creative contribution. Mitigation: Explicit IP ownership provisions in every contract involving Baby Boy's design work. He must retain portfolio rights (right to showcase the work as part of his creative portfolio) regardless of commercial usage terms. Design credit (Baby Boy's name on product) must be contractually guaranteed. |
| Category lockup limits future opportunities | MODERATE | MODERATE | All Categories with Exclusivity | Aggressive exclusivity provisions could prevent Baby Boy from pursuing higher-value partnerships that emerge during the exclusivity window. Mitigation: Negotiate narrowest possible category exclusivity. "Footwear" not "fashion." "Water/tea" not "all beverages." "Creative software" not "all technology." Include a "matching right" rather than a "right of first refusal" — gives the brand a chance to match a competing offer rather than blocking it. |
| Tokenization or stereotyping | MODERATE | LOW | Grooming, Lifestyle | A brand may position Baby Boy as a "diverse voice" in ways that reduce him to a demographic checkbox rather than celebrating his creative capability. Mitigation: Require creative approval over all campaign messaging that references Baby Boy. He should be positioned as a designer, director, and musician — not as a representative of any demographic. |
Risk Summary Dashboard
| Category | Risk TO Brand (Avg.) | Risk TO Baby Boy (Avg.) | Net Risk | Recommended Caution Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Streetwear/Fashion | LOW | LOW-MODERATE | LOW | STANDARD |
| Creative Tools | LOW | LOW | VERY LOW | STANDARD |
| Lifestyle/Beverage | LOW | LOW | VERY LOW | STANDARD |
| Audio/Music Tech | LOW | LOW | VERY LOW | STANDARD |
| Grooming | LOW-MODERATE | LOW-MODERATE | LOW-MODERATE | ELEVATED — ensure authentic integration |
| Footwear | LOW | MODERATE | LOW-MODERATE | ELEVATED — exclusivity management critical |
Note: The following briefs are written to be first-email-ready. Tone is professional but culturally literate — these are written for brand marketing directors and partnership leads who live in the cultural conversation, not procurement departments. Each brief assumes the sender has a warm introduction pathway or at minimum a confirmed contact at the target brand. Cold-cold outreach (no introduction, no prior relationship) should append a one-line credentialing statement about ASON/the sending organization.
What this part is: engagement-grade execution material, included in full — six ready-to-route per-brand partnership briefs, the total pipeline model, the sequenced outreach calendar, concurrent-deal rules, and the activation runbook. ASON surfaces and packages the opportunities; Epic holds the management relationship and routes each pitch on the artist’s behalf.
Sequenced Outreach Calendar
The following month-by-month outreach plan runs from June 2026 through December 2026. Sequencing is based on: (1) brand fit score (highest first), (2) seasonal alignment (festival season, holiday retail), (3) budget cycle awareness (most brands finalize H2 budgets in Q2-Q3), and (4) concurrent deal management (avoid overwhelming management with simultaneous negotiations).
June 2026 — Foundation
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Gate clearance. Complete all 8 Go/No-Go gates. Confirm NB exclusivity timeline. Confirm management contact pathway. | Internal | No external outreach until all gates clear. |
| Week 2 | Warm introduction activation. Initiate warm intro requests for Carhartt WIP and Adobe contacts. | Carhartt WIP, Adobe | These are the two highest-fit, highest-value targets. Lead with them. |
| Week 3 | Portfolio preparation. Compile Baby Boy's design portfolio, 777MEDIA reel, and press kit (SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, NB campaign materials). | Internal | Every outreach should include a portfolio link or attachment. |
| Week 4 | First outreach — Carhartt WIP. Send Brief 1 via warm introduction pathway. | Carhartt WIP | Fashion is highest priority. Festival season (July-October) provides natural activation window. |
July 2026 — Primary Outreach Wave
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | First outreach — Adobe. Send Brief 2 via warm introduction or Adobe Creator Partnerships contact. | Adobe | Adobe MAX (October) provides a calendar anchor for the partnership. Outreach now gives 3 months for deal negotiation before October. |
| Week 2 | Follow-up — Carhartt WIP. If no response to initial outreach, follow up. If positive response, schedule call. | Carhartt WIP | 2-week follow-up cadence. |
| Week 3 | First outreach — Liquid Death. Send Brief 3. | Liquid Death | Festival season is active. Product integration content (studio, festivals) can begin generating immediately upon deal close. |
| Week 4 | Assessment checkpoint. Review responses. Adjust strategy based on initial reception. | Internal | If 0/3 targets have responded, reassess contact pathways and brief content. |
August 2026 — Secondary Outreach Wave
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | First outreach — Ableton. Send Brief 4. | Ableton | Ableton Loop typically occurs in Q4. Outreach now positions AG Club for the next Loop cycle. |
| Week 2 | Follow-up — Adobe, Liquid Death. Follow up on any unanswered outreach. Active deals advance to negotiation. | Adobe, Liquid Death | |
| Week 3 | First outreach — Aesop. Send Brief 5. | Aesop | Grooming is lowest priority but has the shortest negotiation cycle. Can move quickly if interest exists. |
| Week 4 | Negotiate active deals. Focus on any deals that have progressed to negotiation stage. | Active Targets | August is a key month — brand teams are planning Q4 and Q1 campaigns. |
September 2026 — Negotiation Focus
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Active negotiation. Priority: close the highest-value deal first (likely Carhartt WIP or Adobe). | Active Targets | Do not spread negotiating energy across 5 targets simultaneously. Focus on the 1-2 that have progressed furthest. |
| Week 3 | Converse relationship seeding. Send Brief 6 (introductory, non-committal). Begin building the relationship for post-NB activation. | Converse | This is a long-game play. No urgency, no ask for commitment. Just get on their radar. |
| Week 4 | Q4 planning alignment. Ensure any signed or near-signed deals have Q4 activation timelines locked. | Active Targets | Q4 retail (holiday season) is the most commercially valuable activation window. |
October 2026 — Activation Launch Window
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Adobe MAX window. If Adobe partnership is signed, Baby Boy appearance at Adobe MAX (typically mid-October). | Adobe | This is a hard calendar date. If the deal is not closed by early October, defer the MAX appearance to next year. |
| Week 3-4 | Content production begins for any signed deals. 777MEDIA schedules shoots. Baby Boy design work commences for any co-design partnerships. | Signed Partners | Production timelines should account for AG Club's touring/performance schedule. |
November 2026 — Camp Flog Gnaw Alignment
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Camp Flog Gnaw activation. If AG Club performs at Camp Flog Gnaw 2026 (recurring booking 2025+), leverage as an activation moment for any signed brand partnerships. | Signed Partners | Festival backstage content, brand product visibility during performance, social content from the event. |
| Week 3-4 | Year-end pipeline review. Assess conversion rate, total deal value secured, and pipeline health for 2027. | Internal | Set Q1 2027 priorities based on year-end assessment. |
December 2026 — Wrap and Reset
| Week | Action | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 | Close any pending negotiations. Brands are closing their books; push for signatures before holiday shutdown. | Active Targets | |
| Week 3-4 | 2027 pipeline planning. Based on 2026 results, develop refreshed target list. Re-score NB exclusivity timeline. Plan Converse escalation for 2027 if timing aligns. | Internal |
Per-Brand Partnership Briefs
Six ready-to-route briefs, in the sequence above.
Brief 1: Carhartt WIP — Streetwear / Fashion
To: Head of Collaborations / Music & Culture Partnerships, Carhartt WIP
Subject: Baby Boy (AG Club / Epic Records) x Carhartt WIP — Co-Designed Capsule Proposal
We are reaching out on behalf of Baby Boy — lead vocalist, graphic designer, and visual creative director of AG Club, the Los Angeles-based creative collective signed to Epic Records.
Before we get into the pitch: Baby Boy is not a musician who wants to be in fashion. He is a working graphic designer who also happens to be the lead vocalist of a major-label act. He designs all of AG Club's merchandise with the stated goal (per the group) that the merch becomes "an actual brand that people buy regardless of music." His design work has been editorially validated by SSENSE, Highsnobiety, and Hypebeast — not as music coverage, but as fashion and design coverage.
We believe Baby Boy represents an ideal co-design collaborator for Carhartt WIP for three reasons:
1. He is a designer, not just a face. Baby Boy brings graphic design capability to a collaboration, not just a name on a tag. He can contribute original artwork, typography, and design direction across a 6-8 piece capsule. This reduces Carhartt WIP's external creative costs while producing a genuinely co-created collection — not a licensing deal dressed up as collaboration.
2. His cultural positioning matches Carhartt WIP's brand identity. AG Club is a DIY collective from the East Bay that built their own creative infrastructure — merch line, video production house (777MEDIA), music, design — from scratch. This workwear-ethos, community-driven, self-made narrative is Carhartt WIP's brand story in human form.
3. The content output exceeds a standard collaboration. Beyond the capsule itself, a partnership generates: a 3-episode design-process docu-series (produced by AG Club's 777MEDIA), an optional commissioned single for the campaign (following the model AG Club executed with New Balance's global "Again" campaign in 2025), a social content package, and a launch event combining music performance with retail activation.
The Ask: A 12-month co-designed capsule partnership in the $150K-$300K range, structured as a genuine creative collaboration rather than a standard endorsement. Baby Boy designs 6-8 pieces in partnership with your design team, documented by 777MEDIA, launched with a combined retail/performance activation.
Social Proof:
- New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025) — Baby Boy + AG Club, including commissioned single "Again"
- SSENSE "Of Note" feature; Highsnobiety "Redefining the Boy Band" feature; Hypebeast, NYLON, Stereogum coverage
- Festival circuit: Outside Lands + X Games 2024 (confirmed); Coachella [MED], Lollapalooza, Camp Flog Gnaw —
- Zero brand safety concerns — clean social history, zero controversies
Next Step: We would welcome a 30-minute call to walk through Baby Boy's design portfolio and discuss the collaboration framework in detail. Available at your convenience over the next two weeks.
Brief 2: Adobe Creative Cloud — Creative Tools
To: Head of Creator Partnerships / Creative Residency Program, Adobe
Subject: AG Club's Baby Boy — A Multi-Disciplinary Creator Partnership for Adobe Creative Cloud
We are writing on behalf of Baby Boy, the lead vocalist, in-house graphic designer, and video co-director of AG Club — a creative collective signed to Epic Records who design their own merch, direct their own music videos, and operate a self-contained creative studio in Los Angeles.
Here is why Baby Boy is not a standard "musician who uses creative tools" partnership:
He is a professional graphic designer. Baby Boy designs all of AG Club's merchandise — with the intention that the merch line becomes a standalone fashion brand. His design work has been featured in SSENSE, Highsnobiety, and Hypebeast editorial coverage. He is not posing with a tablet for a campaign photo; he is producing commercial design output.
He is a video co-director. Alongside 777MEDIA's Manny Madrigal, Baby Boy co-directs AG Club's music videos — work that includes sci-fi narratives, anime-inspired aesthetics, and Bay Area street culture references. His creative process spans pre-production (concept and storyboarding) through post-production.
AG Club is a self-contained creative enterprise. The collective designs, produces, directs, mixes, markets, and distributes their own work. They are not musicians who hire external creatives — they are a creative studio that also makes music. This is the creator-economy model that Adobe invests in, embodied by a group that lives and works together in a shared house in LA.
The Proposition: A "Made With Adobe" content series (4-6 episodes) following Baby Boy's creative process across disciplines — graphic design, video production, music production, and merchandise development — each showcasing Adobe Creative Cloud tools in authentic professional use. Complemented by social content, an Adobe Live session, and a potential appearance at Adobe MAX.
The strategic value to Adobe: Baby Boy reaches the exact Gen Z creative-class demographic that Adobe needs to re-engage against free/freemium competitors. He is young, culturally credible, genuinely multi-disciplinary, and his endorsement carries weight in the communities (streetwear, alternative music, visual arts) that produce the next generation of creative professionals.
Budget Range: $150K-$250K for a 12-month partnership inclusive of content series production, social deliverables, and conference appearance.
Social Proof:
- New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025) — global ad campaign + commissioned single "Again"
- All AG Club merchandise designed by Baby Boy
- Music video co-direction with 777MEDIA (credits on all AG Club visual content)
- Editorial coverage: SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, NYLON, Billboard, Stereogum
- Epic Records (Sony Music) institutional backing
Next Step: We would be glad to send Baby Boy's design portfolio and a reel of his co-directed music videos. A 20-minute call to discuss the partnership framework would be ideal. We are flexible on timing.
Brief 3: Liquid Death — Lifestyle / Beverage
To: VP of Creative Partnerships / Artist Relations, Liquid Death
Subject: Baby Boy (AG Club) x Liquid Death — Designer-Designed Can + Studio Integration
Short version: Baby Boy is the lead vocalist of AG Club (Epic Records) and a professional graphic designer. He designs all the group's merch. He could design a Liquid Death can that is actually good. Not celebrity-good. Designer-good.
Longer version:
AG Club is a ~14-member creative collective from the Bay Area, now based in LA, signed to Epic Records. They live and create together in a shared house. Baby Boy is the front-of-house voice and the behind-the-scenes designer — he makes the music AND the visual identity. He has been editorially featured by SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, and NYLON, and most recently starred in a global New Balance x JD Sports campaign (2025) that included a commissioned single ("Again").
Why this works for Liquid Death specifically:
-
Baby Boy is a graphic designer with a maximalist, bold, irreverent visual language. His design sensibility — day-glo, hand-drawn, zine-culture-meets-streetwear — is aesthetically adjacent to Liquid Death's own brand identity. A Baby Boy-designed can would not look like a generic artist collab; it would look like it belongs in the Liquid Death universe.
-
AG Club lives together in a house in LA. The most organic product integration opportunity in music. Liquid Death in the studio during late-night sessions. Liquid Death on the kitchen counter during merch design work. Liquid Death backstage at festivals. This is not manufactured lifestyle content; it is their actual life.
-
AG Club's audience is your audience. Gen Z, 18-27, streetwear-adjacent, culturally aware, anti-mainstream, design-literate. The overlap is almost total.
The Ask: A limited-edition Baby Boy-designed Liquid Death can (his original artwork, your product) + studio/house integration content (4-6 social posts, 2-3 Reels showing organic product presence in their creative environment) + festival activation partnership (Liquid Death sponsors AG Club's backstage at 2-3 2026 festival dates).
Budget Range: $75K-$175K depending on scope and limited-edition production run.
Social Proof: New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025). Confirmed festivals: Outside Lands 2024 + X Games Ventura 2024. SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast editorial features. No public brand-safety issues found as of 2026-06-08.
Next Step: Happy to send Baby Boy's design portfolio and discuss. We are available for a call at your convenience.
Brief 4: Ableton — Audio / Music Tech
To: Artist Relations / Brand Partnerships, Ableton
Subject: AG Club — A Collective Model for Ableton's Community-First Brand
We are reaching out on behalf of AG Club, a ~14-member creative collective signed to Epic Records, and specifically Baby Boy, the group's lead vocalist and creative director.
AG Club is not a band with a frontman and backing musicians. It is a collective of creators — producers, vocalists, designers, videographers, engineers — who live together in a shared house in LA and operate as a self-contained creative enterprise. This communal, collaborative, multi-disciplinary creative process is the exact model that Ableton's brand has celebrated through Ableton Loop and the "Making Music" community since its founding.
Why AG Club is a uniquely strong fit for Ableton:
-
Collective model = multiple use cases. A partnership with AG Club does not produce one artist-in-studio video. It produces 4-5 distinct perspectives on music production in Ableton: beatmaking, vocal processing, live performance programming, sound design, collaborative production. More content angles from one partnership than any solo artist can provide.
-
Genre-fluid production validates Ableton's versatility. AG Club makes hip-hop, pop, electronic, punk, and experimental music — sometimes within the same song. This is the strongest possible demonstration of Ableton Live's genre-agnostic capability.
-
Cultural credibility compounds Ableton's positioning. AG Club has been featured by SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, NYLON, Billboard, and Stereogum. They have performed at Outside Lands and X Games (2024, confirmed). A partnership with AG Club positions Ableton within the cultural conversation, not just the music production community.
-
Baby Boy as creative director adds a design dimension. Baby Boy's role as graphic designer means partnership content can extend beyond music production into visual identity — how a creative collective's designer and producers work together to create a unified aesthetic across music and visuals.
The Ask: An "Inside the Studio" content series (3-4 production process videos + 1 long-form studio feature) + featured artist profile on Ableton.com + Ableton Loop conference appearance + product provision (Push units and Live Suite licenses for AG Club's producers).
Budget Range: $50K-$100K cash + product provision and platform placement.
Next Step: We would welcome an opportunity to connect Baby Boy and AG Club's producers with your artist relations team. A brief call or studio visit in LA would be ideal.
Brief 5: Aesop — Grooming
To: Head of Cultural Partnerships / Brand Communications, Aesop
Subject: Baby Boy (AG Club / Epic Records) — A Cultural Creative for Aesop's Artist Partnerships
This is not a standard musician-endorses-grooming-product pitch. We would not send one to Aesop.
Baby Boy is the lead vocalist of AG Club (Epic Records), a creative collective from the Bay Area now based in Los Angeles. But more relevantly for this conversation: he is a graphic designer, a video co-director, and the visual creative director of the collective. His work has been editorially featured by SSENSE — a publication that shares Aesop's commitment to design-led cultural curation.
We see a partnership between Baby Boy and Aesop as a meeting of design philosophies, not a celebrity endorsement. The opportunity:
1. Packaging design. Baby Boy is a professional graphic designer whose work spans merchandise, album artwork, and visual identity systems. A limited-edition Aesop product with Baby Boy-designed packaging would be a genuine design collaboration — two design-forward entities creating a product that reflects both aesthetics.
2. In-store experience curation. Baby Boy could curate a playlist or sonic environment for select Aesop retail locations, connecting his music to Aesop's carefully considered retail experience. This is a low-cost, high-cultural-value activation that reinforces Aesop's commitment to multi-sensory design.
3. "Morning Studio" content. A brief content series (2-3 short-form pieces) following Baby Boy's morning routine in AG Club's shared house — grooming as a prelude to a creative day in the studio. Not a product review. A portrait of a creative person's daily practice, with Aesop products integrated naturally.
The audience fit is specific: young, design-literate, culturally engaged consumers who already shop at Aesop or are adjacent to the brand's world. Baby Boy reaches this audience through his SSENSE, Highsnobiety, and Hypebeast editorial presence and through AG Club's position in the alternative music/streetwear intersection.
Budget Range: $40K-$80K for a 6-month partnership including content, packaging design, and in-store curation.
Social Proof: SSENSE "Of Note" editorial feature. New Balance x JD Sports global campaign (2025). Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, NYLON, Stereogum coverage. Confirmed festivals: Outside Lands + X Games 2024.
Next Step: We would be delighted to arrange a brief call to discuss the creative framework. Baby Boy's design portfolio and 777MEDIA's visual reel are available upon request.
Brief 6: Converse — Footwear (Post-New Balance Exclusivity)
To: Head of Music & Culture Partnerships / Create Next Program, Converse
Subject: Baby Boy (AG Club / Epic Records) — Co-Designed Chucks When the Timing Is Right
Transparency first: Baby Boy is currently in an active global campaign with New Balance x JD Sports (2025). We are not proposing an immediate partnership. We are proposing a relationship that positions Converse to move first when the New Balance exclusivity window closes.
Here is why this early conversation is worth having:
Baby Boy is the lead vocalist and graphic designer of AG Club, a creative collective signed to Epic Records. In 2025, New Balance selected Baby Boy and his bandmate Jody Fontaine for a global campaign for the New Balance 1000 x JD Sports — a campaign that included a commissioned single ("Again") and positioned AG Club as the sonic and visual identity of the campaign. That deal validated Baby Boy's partnership value in footwear specifically.
What makes Baby Boy different from a standard footwear collaborator:
-
He is a graphic designer. Baby Boy designs all of AG Club's merchandise with professional-grade graphic design capability. A Baby Boy x Converse collaboration is not a colorway selected from a mood board — it is a designer-created product with original artwork, typography, and visual concept.
-
He has already proven the model. The New Balance campaign demonstrates that Baby Boy can: (a) be the face of a global footwear campaign, (b) deliver a commissioned single that integrates music with product marketing, and (c) generate earned media coverage (Stereogum, Hypebeast, industry press) around the partnership.
-
Converse's music-culture DNA matches AG Club's identity. AG Club's genre-fluid, DIY, collective-driven creative model echoes the punk, hip-hop, and indie communities that Converse has historically championed. The Chuck Taylor is the canvas (literally). Baby Boy is the designer.
The Pre-Proposal: We would welcome an introductory conversation to share Baby Boy's design portfolio, discuss the NB campaign results, and explore a framework for a co-designed Converse collection that could activate once the New Balance window closes (estimated timeline: [to be confirmed with management]).
Indicative Budget Range: $200K-$500K for a co-designed Chuck Taylor collection (2-3 colorways) + commissioned single + docu-series + festival activation + in-store launch.
We are not asking for a commitment today. We are asking for a conversation that puts Baby Boy on Converse's radar, so that when the timing is right, the relationship is already warm.
Next Step: A brief introductory call at your convenience. No urgency — the right timing matters more than speed.
Total Pipeline Value
The following aggregates estimated deal value across all 6 brand targets in low, mid, and high scenarios. Note that the Footwear (Converse) opportunity is deferred and not included in the "active pipeline" totals for near-term planning.
Active Pipeline (5 Categories — Immediately Actionable)
| Brand Target | Category | Low Estimate | Mid Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carhartt WIP | Streetwear/Fashion | $150K | $225K | $300K |
| Adobe Creative Cloud | Creative Tools | $150K | $200K | $250K |
| Liquid Death | Lifestyle/Beverage | $75K | $125K | $175K |
| Ableton | Audio/Music Tech | $50K | $75K | $100K |
| Aesop | Grooming | $40K | $60K | $80K |
| ACTIVE SUBTOTAL | $465K | $685K | $905K |
Deferred Pipeline (1 Category — Timing-Dependent)
| Brand Target | Category | Low Estimate | Mid Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Converse | Footwear (Post-NB) | $200K | $350K | $500K |
| DEFERRED SUBTOTAL | $200K | $350K | $500K |
Total Pipeline Value
| Scenario | Active | Deferred | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | $465K | $200K | $665K |
| Mid | $685K | $350K | $1.035M |
| High | $905K | $500K | $1.405M |
Key Assumptions:
- Not all 5 active targets will convert. Historical conversion rate for Emergence-stage talent pipelines is 20-40% (1-2 deals from 5 targets).
- Realistic near-term (12-month) revenue: $150K-$425K (1-2 deals at conservative-to-recommended tier).
- Realistic 24-month revenue (including deferred footwear): $350K-$750K (2-3 deals across the pipeline).
Value-at-Risk: If Baby Boy / AG Club experiences a breakout moment (viral single, Grammy nomination, mainstream crossover) during the pipeline window, all estimates should be revised upward by 2-5x. Conversely, if the group stalls or fragments, the pipeline value declines proportionally.
Concurrent Deal Management
Managing multiple brand negotiations simultaneously requires discipline. The following rules govern concurrent deal activity to prevent conflicts, ensure quality, and maintain AG Club's market positioning.
Rule 1: Maximum Active Negotiations
Limit: 3 concurrent active negotiations at any time. Rationale: Baby Boy's management (Brad) and AG Club's limited bandwidth for partnership discussions means spreading across more than 3 simultaneous negotiations degrades response time, creative engagement, and negotiating leverage.
Rule 2: Category Deconfliction
No two active negotiations may be in the same product category. Rationale: Negotiating with two streetwear brands simultaneously creates competitive dynamics that undermine pricing power. Each category should have one primary target and one backup. Move to the backup only if the primary declines or stalls for 30+ days.
Rule 3: Exclusivity Transparency
All exclusivity provisions across concurrent deals must be mapped on a shared matrix before any deal is signed. Rationale: A Carhartt WIP deal with "fashion exclusivity" and an Aesop deal with "lifestyle exclusivity" could overlap depending on how broadly each brand defines its category. Map exclusivity boundaries before signing either deal.
| Deal | Exclusivity Claimed | Actual Scope | Overlap Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carhartt WIP | "Fashion/Apparel" | Streetwear, casual apparel, outerwear | LOW overlap with Grooming, Beverage, Music Tech |
| Adobe | "Creative Software" | Design software, video editing | NO overlap with other categories |
| Liquid Death | "Non-Alcoholic Beverage" | Water, tea, flavored beverages | NO overlap with other categories |
| Ableton | "Music Production Software" | DAWs, hardware controllers | Minimal overlap with Adobe (different sub-category) |
| Aesop | "Premium Grooming" | Skincare, body care, fragrance | NO overlap with other categories |
Rule 4: Content Calendar Integration
All partnership content deliverables must be plotted on a shared content calendar before production begins. Rationale: Baby Boy cannot shoot a Carhartt WIP lookbook, an Adobe design session, and a Liquid Death studio integration in the same week without quality degradation. Space content production across the partnership windows.
Rule 5: Pricing Discipline
Do not offer a discount to a lower-priority brand to accelerate deal closure if it would undercut the rate established by a higher-priority deal. Rationale: If Carhartt WIP signs at $250K, Liquid Death cannot sign at $50K for comparable scope. Each deal's value must be proportionate to its deliverable scope, and the aggregate pipeline must not create internal rate contradictions.
Rule 6: Management Load
Assign a dedicated point person for each active negotiation. The same person should not lead more than 2 concurrent negotiations. Rationale: Negotiation context is complex. A single point person tracking 4-5 deals will lose detail, miss follow-ups, and project disorganization to brand partners.
Rule 7: Abort Criteria
If a negotiation has not produced a signed term sheet within 90 days of initial positive response, move it to "inactive" status and redirect resources to backup targets. Rationale: Extended negotiations are rarely "almost done." After 90 days, the deal either lacks internal champion on the brand side or the terms are fundamentally misaligned. Preserve optionality and move on.
Activation Runbook
The following step-by-step execution plan covers the lifecycle of a signed brand partnership, from contract execution to live activation to post-campaign wrap. This is a universal runbook applicable to any of the 6 target categories, with category-specific notes where relevant.
Stage 1: Contract Execution (Week 0)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Legal counsel | Final contract review and redline | 5-7 business days before signature |
| 1.2 | Management (Brad) | Artist signature; confirm Epic Records coordination if music is involved | Day of execution |
| 1.3 | ASON / Partnership team | Counter-signature; execute; distribute fully executed copies to all parties | Same day as artist signature |
| 1.4 | ASON / Partnership team | Internal kick-off brief: summarize deal terms, deliverables, timeline, KPIs, and key contacts for all internal stakeholders | Within 48 hours of execution |
Stage 2: Creative Brief & Planning (Weeks 1-2)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Brand partner | Provide brand style guide, campaign direction, product samples, and creative reference materials | Week 1 |
| 2.2 | Baby Boy / 777MEDIA | Review brand materials; develop initial creative concept for content deliverables | Week 1-2 |
| 2.3 | Joint | Creative kick-off call: align on concept, tone, visual direction, and deliverable specifications | Week 2 |
| 2.4 | Baby Boy (for co-design deals) | Begin design exploration: mood boards, initial sketches, color studies | Week 2 |
| 2.5 | ASON / Partnership team | Develop detailed production schedule with milestones, review gates, and delivery dates | Week 2 |
Stage 3: Pre-Production (Weeks 3-4)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 777MEDIA | Location scouting, equipment prep, crew confirmation for content production | Week 3 |
| 3.2 | Baby Boy | Design round 1: initial concepts presented to brand partner for feedback | Week 3 |
| 3.3 | Brand partner | Feedback on design round 1; approve or redirect | Week 3-4 |
| 3.4 | Baby Boy | Design round 2: refined concepts incorporating feedback | Week 4 |
| 3.5 | Joint | Confirm all talent availability (Baby Boy, AG Club members, 777MEDIA crew) for production dates | Week 4 |
| 3.6 | ASON / Partnership team | If music integration: initiate Epic Records coordination for commissioned track (allow 4-6 week lead time) | Week 3 |
Stage 4: Production (Weeks 5-8)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | 777MEDIA + Baby Boy | Content production: shoot all video content, photography, behind-the-scenes material | Weeks 5-6 (2-4 production days) |
| 4.2 | Baby Boy | Finalize co-designed product (if applicable): final artwork files delivered to brand for production | Week 5 |
| 4.3 | 777MEDIA | Post-production: editing, color grading, sound design, motion graphics | Weeks 6-8 |
| 4.4 | Baby Boy + AG Club | Social content creation: capture authentic, in-context content during production period | Ongoing during Weeks 5-8 |
| 4.5 | AG Club producers (for music deals) | Music production: recording, mixing, mastering of commissioned track | Weeks 5-8 (parallel with content production) |
Stage 5: Review & Approval (Weeks 8-10)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 777MEDIA | Deliver first cut of all video content to brand partner for review | Week 8 |
| 5.2 | Brand partner | Feedback on first cut; approve or request revisions (1 round of revisions included in standard scope) | Week 8-9 |
| 5.3 | 777MEDIA | Revise and deliver final cut | Week 9-10 |
| 5.4 | Baby Boy + ASON | Review all social content; confirm caption copy, hashtags, and posting schedule | Week 9 |
| 5.5 | Brand partner | Final approval of all deliverables | Week 10 |
| 5.6 | Legal (if music) | Confirm music licensing, publishing splits, and usage rights clearance through Epic Records | Week 10 |
Stage 6: Launch (Weeks 10-12)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | ASON / Partnership team | Coordinate launch timing across brand channels, AG Club channels, and PR distribution | Week 10-11 |
| 6.2 | PR / Publicist | Pitch launch story to warm outlets: SSENSE, Highsnobiety, Hypebeast, Complex, Stereogum, NYLON | Week 11 (embargoed pitches 1 week before launch) |
| 6.3 | Brand partner + Baby Boy | Coordinated social posting: brand and artist accounts publish simultaneously or in a sequenced rollout | Launch Day |
| 6.4 | ASON / Partnership team | Monitor launch performance: social engagement, media pickup, sentiment | Launch Day + 72 hours |
| 6.5 | (If experiential) | Execute launch event: pop-up, in-store activation, or performance event | Launch Week |
Stage 7: Sustain & Amplify (Weeks 12-24+)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | Baby Boy + AG Club | Continue social content cadence per partnership agreement (ongoing posts throughout the partnership window) | Ongoing |
| 7.2 | Brand partner | Paid amplification of partnership content through brand's media budget | Ongoing |
| 7.3 | ASON / Partnership team | Monthly performance reports: social metrics, earned media tracking, sentiment analysis | Monthly |
| 7.4 | ASON / Partnership team | Mid-partnership review (at 50% of partnership window): assess performance vs. KPIs, adjust strategy if needed | Midpoint of partnership |
| 7.5 | ASON / Partnership team | Renewal discussion: if performance warrants, initiate conversation about Year 2 / Season 2 with brand partner | 60 days before partnership expiration |
Stage 8: Wrap & Debrief (Final 2 Weeks)
| Step | Owner | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | ASON / Partnership team | Final performance report: comprehensive analysis of all KPIs, earned media, social performance, brand lift (if measurable) | 2 weeks after final deliverable |
| 8.2 | ASON / Partnership team | Debrief call with brand partner: review performance, discuss learnings, explore renewal | Within 2 weeks of wrap |
| 8.3 | Legal | Confirm all usage rights, expiration dates, and post-partnership restrictions | At wrap |
| 8.4 | ASON / Partnership team | Internal debrief: document learnings, update talent profile, adjust pipeline strategy for future partnerships | Within 1 week of brand debrief |
| 8.5 | ASON / Partnership team | Archive all creative assets, contracts, performance data, and correspondence | At wrap |
Key Contacts
| Role | Name | Entity | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking Agent | Daniel McCartney | 33 & West (LA) | agclub@33andwest.com |
| Publicist | Derek S. | -- | Via BookingAgentInfo |
| Label | Epic Records | Sony Music | -- |
| Video Director | Manny Madrigal | 777MEDIA | -- |
Media Coverage Index
| Outlet | Title | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYLON | "AG Club Is L.A.'s Next Big Music Collective" | April 2023 | Feature |
| SSENSE | "Of Note: Meet AG Club" | 2022 | Editorial |
| Billboard | "AG Club FYE Interview" | 2021 | Interview |
| Highsnobiety | "AG Club Is Redefining the Boy Band" | 2022 | Feature |
| Flaunt Magazine | "AG Club / Not Your Average Hip-Hop Group" | 2020 | Feature |
| Stereogum | "Welcome To AG Club's World" | Oct 2025 | Interview |
| Stereogum | "AG Club — Again" | May 2025 | Track Review |
| Hypebeast | "AG Club Previews BRODIE WORLD" | April 2024 | Feature |
| Ones To Watch | "AG Club BRODIE WORLD" | 2024 | Feature |
| That Eric Alper | "AG Club New Balance Campaign" | Aug 2025 | News |
| Album of the Year | "BRODIE WORLD" | 2024 | Review |
Verification Summary
Top 5 findings
- Treat as a Collective-Cosign Option, not a reach asset — 13K followers / 19 posts; value = credibility + design-IP + cosign. — Confirmed (correction)
- Only ONE material brand deal: New Balance × JD Sports (2025); footwear/streetwear is the only blocked category. Spirits/auto/tech/gaming/betting/luxury all OPEN. — Confirmed
- Management IS identifiable (Epic / Ceremony of Roses / booking 33&West) — "Bradley Scoffern" was aggregator-templated. — Confirmed
- Festival/tour résumé is overstated: Lollapalooza unverified; "Pusha T 6 shows" = 1 documented; Camp Flog Gnaw unverified; Coachella year unsettled. Confirmed = Outside Lands + X Games 2024. — Confirmed (correction)
- No RIAA certs / no Billboard chart — never claim either; BRODIE WORLD is a mixtape (not a 2021 album). — Confirmed (correction)
Top 3 recommendations
- Structure any deal around his design-IP + creative-director credit (co-created artifact), measured in EMV + warm-outlet pickup, not impressions. — IMMEDIATE
- Verify the NB/JD individual-vs-collective binding + Epic 360 scope before pitching any competing footwear/apparel category. — SHORT-TERM
- Unverified festival/tour claims are excluded here; any pitch should lead with the confirmed résumé (Epic, NB, Outside Lands, X Games, SSENSE/Highsnobiety cosign). — IMMEDIATE
Handling Notes
- Conflict subject is the AG Club duo/collective — never imply Baby Boy holds separable individual exclusivities without rep confirmation.
- Spotify metrics are group-level; do not present as Baby Boy solo reach.
Active Pipeline Value: $465K-$905K (5 targets) | Total: $665K-$1.405M (6 targets) — reconciled, no new figures.
Sources
| # | Claim | Source | URL | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AG Club from East Bay/Antioch CA (NOT Brooklyn); founded 2017 | i-D/Vice | https://i-d.co/article/ag-club-california-music-collective-interview-fye/ | HIGH |
| 2 | Label Epic (TheNamelessCollective exclusive license; mgmt Ceremony of Roses) | Apple Music (copyright line) | https://music.apple.com/us/album/again-single/1815346105 | HIGH |
| 3 | Booking = 33 & West (Daniel McCartney, signed May 22 2025) — distinct from mgmt | ROSTR | https://hq.rostr.cc/insider/news/ag-club-sign-with-33-west | HIGH |
| 4 | Impostor Syndrome (major-label album) Sept 16 2022, Epic | Apple Music | https://music.apple.com/us/album/impostor-syndrome/1643762299 | HIGH |
| 5 | BRODIE WORLD April 26 2024, 10 tracks; duo calls it a mixtape (Apple labels "Album" — conflict) | Apple Music / DOPECAUSEWESAID | https://music.apple.com/us/album/brodie-world/1738680211 | HIGH |
| 6 | Single "Again" May 23 2025 (Apple primary date; not the Aug-24 re-post) — NB campaign | Apple Music | https://music.apple.com/us/album/again-single/1815346105 | HIGH |
| 7 | NB 1000 × JD Sports × AG Club campaign (brand-side primary) | JD Sports US YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvVEptJSuJk | HIGH |
| 8 | Pusha T SF opener, June 1 2022, Regency Ballroom (sole opener) | SF Shameless | https://www.sfshameless.com/the-artists/2022/6/2/show-review-pusha-t-brings-dynamic-its-almost-dry-tour-to-san-francisco | HIGH |
| 9 | Outside Lands 2024, Golden Gate Park, Aug 10 (7-song set) | setlist.fm | https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ag-club/2024/golden-gate-park-san-francisco-ca-356595b.html | HIGH |
| 10 | X Games Ventura 2024 live music (Fri June 28) | Visit Ventura | https://visitventuraca.com/xgames/ | HIGH |
| 11 | "Memphis (Pt. 2)" remix w/ NLE Choppa & A$AP Ferg | Spotify (Uproxx link is dead) | https://open.spotify.com/track/3z1z5Hnt9IgHjl4KsHFmem | HIGH |
| 12 | IG @agc.babyboy ~13K / ~18–19 posts | Instagram (official) | https://www.instagram.com/agc.babyboy/ | MED |
| 13 | RIAA db — NO certifications for AG Club/Baby Boy | RIAA (primary db) | https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?se=AG+Club | HIGH |
Standing offerAny claim in this file can be challenged or re-verified on request — route it to ASON; material updates are re-issued to Epic.