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Free and Easy (Down the 21st Century Road He Goes)

The music business is hurting. Illegal downloading, a weak economy and an over-all fragmentation of musical tastes is slashing profits. Despite all of the talk coming from the music biz about embracing 2010 marketing strategies, I had yet to see anything even close …. … Until last night. I was a guest of country music superstar Dierks Bentley at a 1000 person intimate venue in Foxboro, MA. Yes … home of the NFL New England Patriots. The small venue was adjacent to the Patriots stadium – one that Dierks has filled in the past. While I have heard his music for he past 8-9 years, I had never met Dierks and didn’t know what to expect.  Dierks is known for doing things his way – on his timetable … to the point where some of the Nashville establishment will occasionally get in a dig or two. Turns out Dierks is passionate about bluegrass music and has decided to go in that direction for a while. Ah … Bluegrass … not many in today’s Nashville are excited about music that is banjo pickin’ at it’s core. But Dierks is making it work. What caught my attention first was his admission before the show that this tour would probably not make money … at least not immediately (he obviously doesn’t work for Wall Street!). Dierks is convinced that there is a portion of the country music fan world that would get into the type of bluegrass that is played today and is using a 140 character world strategy sometimes called “Freemium” to make the point. Freemium means you give the consumer something for free – or at a DEEP discount – in hope that they will opt to buy a premium upgrade of what you gave them for free. In this case, Dierks is using his impressive catalog of hits, a small intimate venue not usually reserved for a superstar of his caliber, and surprisingly low ticket prices … all to guarantee passionate crowds and lots of local buzz. His fans know the show is bluegrass based – but will include his biggest hits in the mix.  Small venue … affordable tickets:  the place was jammed. Talking with fans during and after the show … I knew it was working. Many told us they never thought bluegrass was anything they would like … but they were wrong. Most had visions of hillbillies tapping on empty whiskey carafes … not what they saw. When I heard U2’s staple Pride In The Name of Love done via a contemporary bluegrass arrangement … I was blown away too. Since the bluegrass CD won’t be out for a few months, Dierks sealed the deal like a pro. He announced that he was leaving “bootlegged” CD’s that have 3 tracks from the upcoming CD in the lobby … be sure to take one on the way … and one for a friend too! Very cool And the CD’s did look bootlegged.  Each was printed in Dierks handwriting and didn’t come in a case.  They were thrown on a table in a large pile. EVERYONE took at least one on the way out. You figure if they like the 3 songs on the CD … they are going to buy the whole thing in June, right? If they don’t like the songs, they weren’t going to buy the CD anyway … so giving them 3 for free was a valiant effort. Dierks talked about social media while relating it to playing “in this room where I can see everyone of you – as opposed to across the street … let’s let the Pat’s play there.”  (hoots and hollering followed). If Direks is successful in creating some demand for bluegrass … he will own the genre The CD’s that looked bootlegged were right on target not only to fans of niche music … but to today’s consumer that sees illegal downloading as a victim-less crime. The Facebook pages in our area that cater to country music were crammed with talk of the show … all this from just 1000 people who went. Here’s a guy that is not trying to sell anything. He is building a relationship with the consumer … using modern technology and a powerful marketing strategy. Can’t wait to get the whole CD next month.

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Bean Counters Ask For A Truce

Posted by Bob | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 07-08-2009

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FOX News and MSNBC have a truce?

Who wants this? 

The hosts? – No

Viewers? – No

Advertisers? – No

Bean-counters?  – YES.

The bean-counters problem is that Bill O’Reily and Keith Olberman were digging into the business affairs of the parent companies … actual journalism?

Maybe not journalism:  but the closest thing left in the 140 character world.

I can see a time when O’Reilly and Olberman have had enough with the bean-counters running traditional media and go out on their own.

Could they reach the same amount of people using new media?

Yes. 

They are each talent.  They provide content.  The bean-counters don’t realize that talent is all that is really valuable in the 140 character world.  Funny – you think they’d get this, as they continue to write down broadcast licenses and printing presses as “toxic assets.” 

If true, this alleged truce should send a signal to talent everywhere.  

OWN YOUR CONTENT. 

If the bean-counters own it, you will fail.  Their interests and yours do not line-up in the 140 character world.

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