What do you think of Robbie Williams's single strategy?

[POP-ROMANCER]

The first single from Robbie Williams's new album 'Intensive Care' is Tripping, as you might know. For the promotion of this new album he also made a video for 'Make me Pure' and at tv appearances he played Tripping and Make me pure. Make me pure is on Intensive care, but it is also the b-side of the Tripping single.

In the dutch top 40 they count three things: Sales, legal downloads and airplay. Now, due to the 'promotion' of make me pure, the radios picked up the song and the people have started buying it (legal downloads). Make me pure is now also charting on the dutch top 40 (airplay/legal downloads). While Tripping is still at #2(airplay/legal downloads/single sales) .

So, when people buy Make me pure on a single, it counts for Tripping because Make me pure is the b-side.

Robbie Williams is now charting with 2 songs in the top 40 from only 1 single. Both songs are on the album Intensive care.

What are your thoughts on this strategy? I think it's brilliant. The second single 'Advertising space' is on its way.

 

[ybird3k]

ye its a good stratergy (not sure if it works like that outside of holland though), i would have thought 'make me pure' would have been the 3rd single, its one of the best songs on the album.

 

[ClaytonMan]

Pure coincidence.

I think the main reason that make me pure was on the b side was because Trippin is a bit of a gamble. (although it has paid off)
Make Me Pure is classic Robbie therefore will guarantee people buying the album.
A lot of people in the mainstream like what they know not what is new.

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

To be honest it's 'Make Me Pure' that convinced me to buy the album. I grabbed the 'Tripping' single and wasn't impressed. 'Meet The Stars' is rubbish - so I honestly wouldn't have gone for the album so early on if it wasn't for 'Pure'...

I dunno - his post-Guy Chambers stuff hasn't really grabbed me - though 'Radio' eventually got stuck in my head and I've grown to love it (plus the video is amazing!)...

There is still a chance he'll release it as a single. Remember 'Sexed Up' was originally a b-side on the 'No Regrets' single - and he eventually added it to 'Escapology' because he didn't think enough people had heard it (his words - nt mine!!) and then cheekily released it as a single!

So Robbie is a bit unconventional when it come sto his singles. I loved his policy of 'double a-sides' for the last single off each album... with 'I've Been Expecting You' he released 'She's The One' with a new track (which also had a video) called 'It's Only Us'.

For 'Road To Madalay' he put out 'Eternity' as well - so he is clever. Or his record company is. Then again EMI paid him 75 million pounds in 2003... they better be clever!

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

Yeah I think it is Williams's managament that is clever. The double A sides strategy worked out very well. It's only us was from the football game and She's the one was not originally written by Williams or Chambers.

The Road to Mandalay was the 5th single from SWYW so also there they were clever to record a new song Eternity.

But also with his concerts they are clever. He gave a concert here in Holland in Paradiso (capacity 1000 or so) and he got a lot of media attention. And then there was the concert in Berlin with all the cinemas all over Europe.

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Serioulsy - the marketing people at EMI are right on the money.

They paid him an extraordinary amount of money - originally based on expected earnings froim the US market - and when they realise the US is just not biting, they go all out in every other market.

The guy has had a number one album in 61 seperate territories apparently - from Europe through Asia, Africa, India, the Middle East, South America, Australia, NZ, Mexico - pretty much everywhere except Canada and the US. It's crazy - and even though 'Intensive Care' is far from his best work, it looks like he has kicked it all up another notch.

Can we finally say it? Popularity wise - Robbie Williams has recahed the mid 80's Michael Jackson level of stardom? In Europe at least?