WAS SAY YOU WILL A BOMB? Please Read

[MissLadyLoki]

Did anyone like the section of my potential marketing plan for the Mac's next album? Or was it that bad? Or did none of you even bother to read it, cause you think it was dumb?

Oh yeah, and I just remembered something that could work at their advantage: the fact that outdoor media has gotten much more high-tech. I'm thinking that maybe, to reach not just the target audience but pretty much everyone else, they should look into those billboards that are basically mini-movies, and on them, they could show a clip of the album's lead single on there, jabber about how it's their new album and how it's gonna be only at Walmart. Does that work?

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by MissLadyLoki

I don't have much to say here, on account of I never heard Say You Will, but I guess the combo of country and Walmart (even though I much prefer Target and that the best part of it is the website People of Walmart ) does seem to equal promotional success in a world where big-box stores are dominating the market and country music sells with the Mac's primary target market, but the idea of a country-type single in a Walmart exclusive CD could work in racking up sales. Also, to attract the younger Mac fans out there who aren't too keen on buying CDs and the Internet is very important for any company that wants to promote themselves these days, the album and the indiviual tracks could be downloaded in Mp3 form from the Walmart website, just like what Amazon does now. Perhaps, although I dunno if this'll work, the album could also be expanded to music download company-things, such as iTunes and Napster, which can also serve as a bigger reach to the target audience

Now, since I don't have much else to say and that i finished playing marketing nerd (believe me, gimme some time and I could probably end up creating a whole IMC for a Mac album lol)... *grabs popcorn and lawnchair* anyone else who finds this thread entertaining may join me

EDIT: Also, I'm sorry if I rambled a bit too much here, I really do love business (I'm not in it just for the money, I really do enjoy marketing, especially the promotions aspect) and I just got a bit started

I can see it working from a marketing standpoint. Unfortunately, I think they'd lose a lot of current fans if they went the full country route. I would likely still buy it, just because of Lindsey, but I honestly don't care for country.

[MissLadyLoki]

Originally Posted by holidayroad

I can see it working from a marketing standpoint. Unfortunately, I think they'd lose a lot of current fans if they went the full country route. I would likely still buy it, just because of Lindsey, but I honestly don't care for country.

Same here. I hate country (except for a few songs here and there, some crossover rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd, and, of all things, Emmylou Harris)here in NY, if you like more than a few very popular people, you're automatically labeled as a redneck and will be made fun of mercilessly, the only way you'd be fun of more being if you were from upstate (then you'd have to brace yourself for questions such as driving your tractor to the store and making a tunnel to get out of your front door in October)

What i was thinking maybe a couple of country-flavored songs in the vein of After the Glitter Fades and the lead single from the album would be one of those songs to draw people in. Of course, they'd release a rocker too, but it's just to draw in people.

[elle]

Originally Posted by MissLadyLoki

I guess the combo of country and Walmart (even though I much prefer Target and that the best part of it is the website People of Walmart ) does seem to equal promotional success in a world where big-box stores are dominating the market and country music sells with the Mac's primary target market, but the idea of a country-type single in a Walmart exclusive CD could work in racking up sales. Also, to attract the younger Mac fans out there who aren't too keen on buying CDs and the Internet is very important for any company that wants to promote themselves these days, the album and the indiviual tracks could be downloaded in Mp3 form from the Walmart website, just like what Amazon does now. Perhaps, although I dunno if this'll work, the album could also be expanded to music download company-things, such as iTunes and Napster, which can also serve as a bigger reach to the target audience

i know nothing about marketing so this is purely for fun... i've read somewhere couple of days ago a speculation that Kid Rock may be making more money by selling just CDs instead of also offering his songs separately through itunes and similar... the article was clear that it was a speculation but they were crunching the numbers, on the basis that if available as indivisual songs, people wouldn't pay for the whole album.

the other place where i see CDs a lot, not always exclusively, is Starbucks. my 7yo kept looking longingly over new taylor swift album there today (that's taylor's demographic i guess).

and then there's twitter, of course, which seems to be obligatory part of the larger picture - did you see Gaga's tweets last night, retweeted by interscope and tons of others, announcing new album and new single release dates?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by elle

and then there's twitter, of course, which seems to be obligatory part of the larger picture - did you see Gaga's tweets last night, retweeted by interscope and tons of others, announcing new album and new single release dates?

That was a brilliant marketing scheme by GaGa, I had so many messages off friends telling me GaGa was putting out an announcement at midnight and saying how excited they were for it, etc.

It's sorta what Dave is doing by mentioning Stevie's album on Twitter, obviously she's not gonna be as huge as GaGa is, but the method is still the same. Ish.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Artemis

It's sorta what Dave is doing by mentioning Stevie's album on Twitter, obviously she's not gonna be as huge as GaGa is, but the method is still the same. Ish.

yeah, i almost felt a bit bad for dave, retweeting his own message with NYE song, while tweets about gaga were everywhere (guess 7 million followers would do that for you), with carson daly even showing her midnight tweet on network tv. but, to be realistic, she is at her peak/among the few big sellers now, dave had his heyday, same with the mac. and she has jimmy iovine behind her...

[Sahara]

There are definitely similarities. Duran Duran did something similar with their latest album, leaking snippets of tunes and lots of blog posts about the progress they were making, from the inception of the project right up to the release. It was exciting to watch, just like Dave's tweets are (however cryptic and evasive ).

[BaronVonBielski]

A bomb? No. Disappointing? A bit... yes. Great initial sales, would have easily debuted #1 these days with numbers like that. I too unfortunately have compared the Eagles newest album's sales to that of SYW, unfair as it may be. I am not a big Eagles fan, but a fan of a lot of their songs. I can't believe Long Road Out of Eden sold as well as it did. It is pretty much pure Adult Contemporary drivel... two discs worth. No edge at all.
As far as SYW goes it has plenty of good songs on there, but I think Lindsey kept the best for himself... which is his right. I know he wanted to introduce some edge to SYW, but it could have used a bit more radio friendly tracks from him.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by MissLadyLoki

Did anyone like the section of my potential marketing plan for the Mac's next album? Or was it that bad? Or did none of you even bother to read it, cause you think it was dumb?

Oh yeah, and I just remembered something that could work at their advantage: the fact that outdoor media has gotten much more high-tech. I'm thinking that maybe, to reach not just the target audience but pretty much everyone else, they should look into those billboards that are basically mini-movies, and on them, they could show a clip of the album's lead single on there, jabber about how it's their new album and how it's gonna be only at Walmart. Does that work?

I'm afraid you lost me at the point where you said you never listened to Say You Will. Of course, I usually lose people at the point that I say SYW was the best American album of the 00s.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Sahara

Duran Duran did something similar with their latest album, leaking snippets of tunes and lots of blog posts about the progress they were making, from the inception of the project right up to the release. It was exciting to watch, just like Dave's tweets are (however cryptic and evasive ).

Also Duran Duran offered their first single for free on iTunes, which is very marketing smart.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by BaronVonBielski

A bomb? No. Disappointing? A bit... yes. Great initial sales, would have easily debuted #1 these days with numbers like that. I too unfortunately have compared the Eagles newest album's sales to that of SYW, unfair as it may be. I am not a big Eagles fan, but a fan of a lot of their songs. I can't believe Long Road Out of Eden sold as well as it did. It is pretty much pure Adult Contemporary drivel... two discs worth. No edge at all.
As far as SYW goes it has plenty of good songs on there, but I think Lindsey kept the best for himself... which is his right. I know he wanted to introduce some edge to SYW, but it could have used a bit more radio friendly tracks from him.

I think you just hit the nail right on the head.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Also Duran Duran offered their first single for free on iTunes, which is very marketing smart.

It sounds good in theory, but I can't think of a single instance where this approach was particularly successful. It's a gimmick, and to me it seems like you are "devaluing the brand" when you start giving stuff away for free. Perhaps it might be okay for some indie act just getting started, but for an established artist, it reeks of desperation.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by BaronVonBielski

As far as SYW goes it has plenty of good songs on there, but I think Lindsey kept the best for himself... which is his right. I know he wanted to introduce some edge to SYW, but it could have used a bit more radio friendly tracks from him.

Except for maybe Show You How, which I think is almost matched in quality by Miranda, I can't think of any UTS songs that were better than his SYW selections. I didn't need SYW to include songs we'd seen before, like BTLH and SYHA, but I think for the most part he offered what he considered to be his best stuff.

I think the GOS songs were better than what was on SYW, but I don't think that was the result of strategic maneuvering.

I can't believe he hoarded his good stuff from not only Fleetwood Mac, but himself too and decided to put out UTS to mark time, but to save the really stellar tracks for the album that was to follow that one. Michele

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I think you just hit the nail right on the head.

I disagree. "Peacekeeper" was set to be the lead single of "Gift of Screws" in Summer 2000, and that recording is probably the most accessible (and one of the very finest) song of his entire solo career. If he truly favored his solo output over his contributions to SYW, no way he "gives" that to the project.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Except for maybe Show You How, which I think is almost matched in quality by Miranda, I can't think of any UTS songs that were better than his SYW selections. I didn't need SYW to include songs we'd seen before, like BTLH and SYHA, but I think for the most part he offered what he considered to be his best stuff.

I think the GOS songs were better than what was on SYW, but I don't think that was the result of strategic maneuvering.

I can't believe he hoarded his good stuff from not only Fleetwood Mac, but himself too and decided to put out UTS to mark time, but to save the really stellar tracks for the album that was to follow that one. Michele

Well, perhaps he was still holding out hope that Gift of Screws would be a Mac album--and Right Place to Fade, Gift of Screws, Wait for You (on which Mick and John play) would have made for an electrifying Mac album.