Guerilla Marketing for Musicians

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Guerilla Marketing for Musicians New Directions
for the New Millennium
Jeannie Novak Founder, Indiespace MACWORLD July
19, 2003 http//indiespace.com http//jeannie.com
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Common AttitudesDo any of these sound like you?

•  My music speaks for itself.
•  My music appeals to everybody. My market is the
  whole world.
•  Im a creative person, not a business person.
  Let someone else handle my marketing."
•  If I could just get a meeting at major record
  label, I will be signed on the spot.
•  How come that store/distributor/label isnt
  selling for me? Its their job!
•  That Internet thing's over."
•  Ive got a great song, but I don't want anyone
  to hear it or they'll steal it."
•  The only way I can get heard above the noise is
  with a big marketing budget.
• Im too good for that job/venue/gig.
•  If I can just get signed, Ill be famous/sell
  a lot/have money/be able to relax.

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Common StatementsDo any of these apply to you?

•  Ill make it on my own. I dont need anyone's
  help.
•  The '50s/'60s/'70s/'80s will never go away.
  No one writes good music anymore.
•  "If I just perform regularly in major
  metropolitan city, I'll get discovered. And
  pay-to-play is a wise investment!"
•  "I don't want to have a relationship with my
  fans. I'm a rock star."
•  "The only thing I have recorded is several years
  old, so I don't have anything to send out."
•  "If I toot my own horn, I'm going to come off as
  obnoxious or desperate."
•  "I only have a demo containing three songs. It
  sounds good, but I guess I'll have to wait until
  I record a complete CD to promote my material."
•  "If I send my CDs out to as many people as
  possible, something will hit."
•  "I do have a unique sound, but I know what type
  of music is selling right now. If I just write a
  'hit song,' I'll launch my career."
•  "Once anyone hears my music, they'll immediately
  want to buy my CD and tell everyone about it."

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ConceptsConsider These!

• Branding
• Diversification
• Interactivity
• Disintermediation
• Level playing field
• Flat structure
• Global
• Dynamic
• Niche
• Education
• Collaboration 
• Coopetition (cooperation competition)
• Prosumerism (producer consumer)
•  

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Press KitWhats Inside ( Outside)?

• bio
• photo
• summary
• cover letter

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Press KitWhats Inside ( Outside)?

• product description
• demo/product sample

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Press KitWhats Inside ( Outside)?

• press release
• press clippings
• event calendar

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Promotion Traditional

• radio
• retail
• press
• performance
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MarketingOffline Guerilla

• contests giveaways
• flyers, postcards posters
• mailing list
• bundling licensing
• work-for-hire commissions
• services specialty markets

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MarketingOnline Guerilla

• web site
• online radio
• peer-to-peer (P2P)
• blogging
• discussion groups
• media email
• newsletter
• web rings
• chat interviews
• webcasts
• fan clubs communities

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MarketA New Boom
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MarketGenerations Connected with Youth

• First Decade (ages 8-20) consumers of a youth
  culture others create
• Second Decade (ages 20-30) creators and
  consumers of its own culture
• Third Decade (ages 30-40) creators of a youth
  culture the rising generation consumes
• Fourth Decade (ages 40) administrate, rather
  than directly create youth culture

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MarketU.S. Generations

• Born Childhood Era Coming-of-Age Era
• G.I. (1901-1924) World War I Great
  Depression Roaring 20s World War
  II
• SILENT (1925-1942) Great Depression American
  High World War II
• BOOM (1943-1960) American High
  Consciousness Revolution
• GEN X (1961-1982) Consciousness Culture
  Wars Revolution High-Tech Boom
• MILLENNIAL (1982- ) Culture Wars War on
  Terror High-Tech Boom

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MarketMillennial Child Era (1982-present)

• Second baby boom of wanted children
• Hyperprotective parents compliant kids
• Renewed parent-child closeness
• (no generation gap)
• Girls rule boys drool
• Children of the largest immigrant wave
• in history
• A wired generation

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Gen XDevil Children
1964 Children of the Damned 1967 Rosemarys
Baby 1973 The Exorcist 1974 Its Alive! 1976
Look What Happened to Rosemarys Baby 1976
The Omen 1976 Carrie 1977 Exorcist II The
Heretic 1978 It Lives Again 1978 DamienOmen
II 1978 Halloween 1979 The Brood
1981 The Omen The Final Conflict 1981 Halloween
II 1984 Children of the Corn 1988 Childs
Play Theres only one thing wrong with the Davis
baby . . .
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MillennialsAngel Children

• 2001 The Princess Diaries
• 2001 Spy Kids
• 2001 Monsters, Inc.
• 2001 Harry Potter
• 2002 About a Boy
• They changed her diapers.
  She changed their lives . . .

1982 E.T The Extra-Terrestrial 1987 Three Men
and a Baby 1989 The Little Mermaid 1989 Look
Whos Talking 1990 Look Whos Talking Too 1990
Home Alone 1990 Three Men and a Little Lady 1994
The Lion King 1994 Angels in the Outfield (NOT
The Bad News Bears!) 1997 Liar Liar 1998
Rugrats The Movie 1999 Big Daddy
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Gen X vs. MillennialsMedia Depictions
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MillennialsUpbringing

• Positive, confident self-image
• Lower rates of crime violent behavior
• Lower rates of drug and alcohol use
• Dramatic drops in teen pregnancy
• Improved academic performance
• Strong, wired peer-peer communication
• Team-player, service-oriented mentality
•  

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MillennialsCore Traits

• Special Golden babies have matured into
  perfect power kids
• Sheltered Protected by parents from dangerous
  world (as opposed to latchkey Gen-X)
• Confident Assertive, secure, not worried about
  privacy
• Structured Belief that rules have value
  (question authority is not rebellious)
• Team-Players Peer-peer communication at a
  premium, individual defines self in terms of the
  group
• Pressured Used to meeting and beating
  standardized tests and living in no tolerance
  environments
• Achievement-Oriented See their role as
  fixing society rather than rejecting or
  ignoring it
• Close to Parents No more generation gap
  parents and kids agree!

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GenerationsPerspectives on Music

• Boomers see music as the driving force of revolt
  and cultural change. As in the 1960s and 1970s,
  they see musicians as social prophets and musical
  styles as energizers for movements.  
• Xers value music as individual self-expression.
  The unique, authentic message of the
  individualist singer/songwriter artist comes
  first self-exploratory, confrontational,
  self-congratulatory or nihilist.  
• Millennials treat music as an entertaining
  commodity. Music is entertainment, and it doesnt
  have to be authentic or carry a message to be
  fun. They are most interested in the utility of
  the music in social situations.

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TrendsMillennial Effects on Music

• 1. The end of the edge
• 2. Decline in the cult of the artist
• 6. Pressure (not rebellion) becomes dominant
  theme of youth music
• 7. Girl power will continue to drive music
• 8. Music as social glue rather than a medium
  with a message
• 9. DJs become prominent
• 10. Parents music is ok!
• 11. Music becomes a respectable profession
• 12. Music is something to share
• 13. Music is created by teams
• 14. Peer-to-peer marketing is effective
• 15. Xer music styles will enter childrens music
  market

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TrendsMore Millennial Effects

• Licensing and bundling
• Clips
• Peer-to-peer promotion
• Corporate music
• MMORPGs
• Functional
• New style (swing vs. jazz)

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TrendsWhat Will Arrive Next Year?
The first Boomers were 20 in 1963. (The Beatles
arrived in 64.) The first Gen Xers were 20 in
1981. (MTV arrived in 82.) The first Millennials
are 20 now. (What will arrive next
year?)