Bob is the author of "The
Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" and "Branding
Yourself Online: How to Use the Internet to Become a Celebrity
or Expert in Your Field."
Whether you've spent thousands on four-color ads in national
magazines or just $50 to place a small display ad in your
local music rag, chances are you've advertised your music
at one time or another. Maybe you advertise a lot. Either
way, the more successful your band or record label becomes,
the more likely it will be that you'll steer your promotional
budget into ad dollars.
Some
bands and record labels simply slap an ad together at the
last minute and run with it -- all the while feeling good
that they are "advertising" their music. Others
go crazy with cutting-edge artwork or a quirky idea that amuses
the band members. But do these ads serve the real purpose
for advertising in the first place?
To
be effective, your ad needs to implant your band name and
identity into the minds of music consumers (or industry types,
if you're advertising in a trade paper). If it's not, it's
dead weight. Your ad needs to make a compelling offer and
inspire people to take action to get or hear your music. If
it's not, you're simply spending money to stroke your ego
instead of get results.
Here
are my thoughts on some display ads I randomly found while
flipping through some national music magazines.
- Tooth
& Nail Records -- based in Seattle -- ran a full-page,
four-color ad in Alternative Press to promote 11 of its
releases. The page had the label name at the top, all 11
album covers with band names, titles and formats listed.
Address, phone and web site were displayed at the bottom.
I
guess if you're having your recordings distributed to retail
outlets, you don't want to rub store owners the wrong way
by being too blatant about asking for direct sales from consumers
in ads -- even though they are more profitable for you. You
can gain more clout with indie distributors by backing up
your records, tapes and CDs with "national advertising."
But if you encourage buyers to make purchases from you instead
of them, why should the stores bother?
I'm certain that's the case with Tooth & Nail -- and if
so, this ad performs its marketing function while also including
enough contact info for serious fans to reach the label directly.
However, if your label were not relying heavily on retail
distribution for sales, this ad would provide only generic
"image" promotion a bad move for a record company
on a tight budget.
- Here's
a great one. A full-page ad from New York City's Grass Records.
Apparently, the powers at this label took 10 of their bands
and put together a 20-song sampler CD called Grass of '96.
Then they put it on sale at Best Buy for only $1.99. (Great
strategy: Get the music into people's ears cheap up front,
then make your money on the back end through future sales.)
The ad points out that each sampler CD contains a $3 mail-in
rebate good towards the purchase of any full-length Grass
Records CD. Of course, those titles are also available at
Best Buy.
The ad then shows four of those full-length album covers with
blurbs from the press under each describing the music. (You
should know I'm a big fan of marketers who let consumers know
what kind of music a band plays.) The ultra-hip labels might
like to shroud their ads in mystery, but the bands and labels
that clearly communicate and provide sales incentives are the
ones that will come out on top. (This should go without saying,
but here it is anyway: Of course, the music has to be good and
meaningful for any band to truly succeed. Okay, I feel better
now.)
The
Grass page ends with a plea to contact the label and join
its fan club. Web site, toll-free 800 number and address options
are provided. All the ingredients are here for a very effective
ad.
-
The first time I glanced at the full-page ad from San Diego's
Re-Construction/Cargo Music, I had serious doubts. Graphically,
it was far too busy even for an ad that promoted industrial
and sythcore acts. Lots of various, disjointed artwork and
type mushed together in an uninviting visual stew. But upon
closer examination, it fared far better.
What I liked most about this ad were the descriptions of each
band. Not only did they describe the music, but most weren't
squeamish about making comparisons to other bands (example:
"...should appeal to fans of Cop Shoot Cop and Filter").
When introducing yourself to the public through ads, don't be
afraid to give people a point of reference. The small type at
the bottom of this ad did ask fans to write for a free catalog.
Address and web site info were included.
- Epitaph
Records' half-page, black and white ad in the Illinois Entertainer
scored some points. First, the headline for the ad reads
"You scratch my back and I'll STAB YOURS." That's
clever and attention-getting. Second, the ad promoted the
Epitaph Hotline, which you could call to hear song samples
of any of the five bands shown in the ad. Now there's a
fresh way of getting people to hear new music by only risking
a long-distance phone charge. When you call to hear the
music samples, let's assume that complete ordering info
is provided (since no other contact info is in the ad).
By the way, the number is (213) I-Offend.
Now
here are some problems with the ad: There are no descriptions
whatsoever of the bands' music. Sure, the hotline is there so
you can find out for yourself, but I'd be a lot more inclined
to call if I knew some of this music was anywhere near the ballpark
of what I already like. Sorry, but the back-stabbing reference
in the headline doesn't quite narrow it down. Also, the hotline
is mentioned in relatively small type at the bottom of the ad
-- almost as an afterthought. It should be the primary focus
of the ad, especially since few other labels are doing it.
Get
FREE music marketing ideas by e-mail when you sign up for
Bob Baker's weekly newsletter, The Buzz Factor. Just visit
www.bob-baker.com
for details. Bob is the author of "The
Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" and "Branding
Yourself Online: How to Use the Internet to Become a Celebrity
or Expert in Your Field."
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