Selling a CD? Read this!
Written on January 7, 2008
Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus), if anything, is an example of the buying power of those 16 and under. In marketing, the younger the better as far as many products go. Companies are trying to achieve what the industry calls Brand Loyalty. For example, research shows that if you love McDonald’s at age 4 you’ll most likely love it through-out your life. This is because, sub-consciously, every time you see the golden arches you’ll fondly remember your younger years and crave a burger. How does this relate to music? Many artist development professionals will say that their main focus is to create an image that appeals to the teens and pre-teens. This demographic buys more CD’s, are still searching for hero’s, and are always looking to one-up their friends by finding the next unknown indie band.
Now let me direct you to a local-band that is having success with this strategy. A few months ago we sat down with The Bigger Lights for Bandbo Digs and, among other things, we asked them about marketing and the types of shows they play, the bulk of their shows are at Community Centers and all-age clubs. Why? because the people that are there will give you their undivided attention, their not trying to get buzzed, bring chicks home or shell out bucks for booze. I’ve watched TBL go from a new band to rockstar status with the help of the 18 and under crowd. By no means is this a plug for them, though their music is good, but a great example of one strategy that works. Their MySpace comment board is filled daily with pre-pubescent girls and guys talking nonesense, but none-the-less, very interested in connecting with the band.
I doubt you’ll get many invitations to act a little more immature and innocent, but I challenge you to try it out. This may require an overhaul of your band’s image and music, but marketing statistics back this up. Yeah, it’ll feel a bit dirty targeting underage kids, but every other company on the face of the earth does it, cigarettes, cereal, fast-food, etc…
Yes, I know, you’ll have to drink before the show (not during), you’ll have to connect with kids 5, 10, 15 years your junior, and you’ll have to answer to your girlfriend when she wonders why your friending every 14 year old in America, BUT, if your serious about your music you should be willing to try almost anything, and out of alot of advice you’ll hear/read this is one of the best.
Feel free to Google “Marketing to Kids” or the like. Yeah, most websites you’ll find don’t really condone marketing to kids, but, well, whatever. “8 year olds dude, 8 year olds” -The Big Lebowski (1998)
Ben Out.
Filed in: blog.
The market has spoken, and younger demographics are clearly key. However, I think some bands have definite advantages based on the kind of music they play. Are there 13 year old metal fans? Of course. But the vast majority of kids tend to go for more power-pop inspired music like TBL. Since you can’t search for users on MySpace under 18, so I believe they succeed really well through word of mouth and a lot of hard work.
Marketing to younger demographics isn’t necessarily the answer if you’re, say, an indie jazz musician. When was the last time you saw a teenie bopper on the Disney channel grooving to “Take Five?” That’s why the next notch up the food chain, college kids, are so important for the rest of us. We can still reach them and they’re more likely to appreciate wider ranges of music, while the under 18 crowd is less receptive.