What will be U2's marketing gimmick for the new album?

[jick]

For Achtung it was the stolen tapes.

Nothing for Zooropa.

For POP it was the leakage of Discotheque and Wake Up Dead Man to the internet. Then when the album was nearing it was the early release of mp3's/RA files to the web.

For ATYCLB, it was Bono's lost laptop publicity stunt.

For the Best of 1990-2000 it was Bono's giving a British DJ a demo tape of Electrical Storm.

It seems U2 don't like repeating their stunts but their subtlety is dying down, with the most recent Best Of marketing gimmick already being too obvious and staged, unlike the previous ones which were more surreptitious in nature.

So what marketing gimmick will U2 do to boost the sales of their upcoming album? I have my own guesses.

I think U2 will declare that this will be their last album and that they will break up after the album and tour. The band members will say "for most of our lives we've been in the same band and we aren't getting any younger so we'd want to make this our last so we can spend the rest of our lives doing other things were could not do when we were in U2." This kind of declaration will sound so real and it will drive the public into a panic. Everyone will cry "say it isn't so" - so the U2 farewell tour will be the biggest tour of them all because everyone will want to catch a glimpse of U2 before they close shop and disband.

This marketing gimmick will serve a two-fold purpose: First, if their declaration doesn't catch anyone's attention and their album and tour will get lukewarm response - the band will might as well decide to call it quits since they don't want to be limited to just a ceremonia greatest hits band like the Stones - they'd rather disband. Second, if their declaration gets people will and drive a U2 craze - then U2's popularity will increase a hundredfold and the band members will say "geee guys I never knew we are that important to you fans - I guess we can't call it quits yet because we own it to you the fans". So with the second scenario, U2 will actually look like heroes and champions of the fans because they will not disband just because the fans still love them.

I think the "disband threat" would be the most likely marketing gimmick they will pull for the next album. Just remember when it actually happens that you heard it first from me!

So guys what are your ideas? What marketing gimmicks do you see U2 doing for their next album/tour?

Cheers,

J

 

[Salome]

I think they will lure the audience into thinking they are still great by releasing a wonderful first single from the album

that should work on those poor delusional saps

 

[discothequeLP]

What was Bono's laptop stunt?

 

[U2girl]

I'd say they'll most likely play some promotional shows like they did the last time around.

I remember seeing a quote or two from Bono he doesn't see any future for the band after this album, we'll see. If this is the last album, it would make sense to take longer to do everything as good as possible.

 

[david]

I bet they will do performances and appear on TV shows and give interviews to magazines!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

they'll put me on the cover of the new album

 

[Bono's Tart]

I'd say they'll most likely play some promotional shows like they did the last time around.

I remember seeing a quote or two from Bono he doesn't see any future for the band after this album, we'll see. If this is the last album, it would make sense to take longer to do everything as good as possible.

I've never seen any Bono quote along those lines where was that??, the only thing I know he has said is two crap albums and your out.
But that's a lot different to your statement!!

I would be very interested to read that article!!

 

[Swan269]

"This is the album we have always wanted to make"

-Larry

 

[thrillme]

No, sorry to say, the laptop incident, was no publicity stunt. Obviously I don't know him, but his bandmates do, his family and friends do.

In that Flanagan book, he lost his sunglasses, and said it was unbelievable, to which his band mates replied, "not unusual/uncommon/ it is believable."

You've never come across Bono's penchant for misplacing things?

I forget where I put things all the time, it's a pain let me tell you, but it happens to some of us, we just lose things. Never heard of us kind of people, could lose our heads if they weren't attached?

 

[Bunbury]

Lost laptop? WTF?

 

[thrillme]

Am I the only one who's heard of Bono's losing of things.....no, someone at www.atu2.com, knows of it too.

http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/dotmusic_news/12404.html&e=l_news

 

[Saracene]

Um... seeing that the main ingredient of "publicity" is "public", I don't think that most of your examples qualify when about the only people who cared about most of these "stunts" were the obsessives like us who'd buy U2 albums anyway. I mean, Bono's lost notebook is hardly Madonna's "Sex" book is it?

 

[U2girl]

I've never seen any Bono quote along those lines where was that??, the only thing I know he has said is two crap albums and your out.
But that's a lot different to your statement!!

I would be very interested to read that article!!

In the It's a musical journey forum, at the top, there is a thread called helpful hints that mentions MOL site. On that site, with various interpretations of Kite, someone mentioned Bono said he doesn't see any future for the band after the next album.

I think I also read something like that after ATYCLB came out.

 

[Bono's Tart]

In the It's a musical journey forum, at the top, there is a thread called helpful hints that mentions MOL site. On that site, with various interpretations of Kite, someone mentioned Bono said he doesn't see any future for the band after the next album.

I think I also read something like that after ATYCLB came out.

Thanks I've been in and read it. I dont think there is anything to read into any of it, as those comments if made at all by Bono were made before the success of the album and tour. Also they were written at a particular low point for Bono with everything that was going on around him.

As for hyping everything up I dont care as long as its nothing like all the Pop crap!!!

 

[BVS]

It think they'll make an appearance on interference and state that this is the lamest thread and then they'll release a great album.

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

a controversial music video featuring full frontal nudity and pagan sacrafices

 

[what a bomb!]

Can't see them getting bored with making music as U2, I mean look at their workrate of the years they been together to actual releases...theres not that many for a band that has been together as long as they have!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

a controversial music video featuring full frontal nudity and pagan sacrafices

will it star you?

 

[Achtung_Man87]

 

[pepokiss]

For Achtung it was the stolen tapes.

Nothing for Zooropa.

For POP it was the leakage of Discotheque and Wake Up Dead Man to the internet. Then when the album was nearing it was the early release of mp3's/RA files to the web.

For ATYCLB, it was Bono's lost laptop publicity stunt.

For the Best of 1990-2000 it was Bono's giving a British DJ a demo tape of Electrical Storm.

It seems U2 don't like repeating their stunts but their subtlety is dying down, with the most recent Best Of marketing gimmick already being too obvious and staged, unlike the previous ones which were more surreptitious in nature.

So what marketing gimmick will U2 do to boost the sales of their upcoming album? I have my own guesses.

I think U2 will declare that this will be their last album and that they will break up after the album and tour. The band members will say "for most of our lives we've been in the same band and we aren't getting any younger so we'd want to make this our last so we can spend the rest of our lives doing other things were could not do when we were in U2." This kind of declaration will sound so real and it will drive the public into a panic. Everyone will cry "say it isn't so" - so the U2 farewell tour will be the biggest tour of them all because everyone will want to catch a glimpse of U2 before they close shop and disband.

This marketing gimmick will serve a two-fold purpose: First, if their declaration doesn't catch anyone's attention and their album and tour will get lukewarm response - the band will might as well decide to call it quits since they don't want to be limited to just a ceremonia greatest hits band like the Stones - they'd rather disband. Second, if their declaration gets people will and drive a U2 craze - then U2's popularity will increase a hundredfold and the band members will say "geee guys I never knew we are that important to you fans - I guess we can't call it quits yet because we own it to you the fans". So with the second scenario, U2 will actually look like heroes and champions of the fans because they will not disband just because the fans still love them.

I think the "disband threat" would be the most likely marketing gimmick they will pull for the next album. Just remember when it actually happens that you heard it first from me!

So guys what are your ideas? What marketing gimmicks do you see U2 doing for their next album/tour?

Cheers,

J

the whole idea that all of that stuff was on purpose makes me so angry

But what makes it even worse is that all of that is believed and published by a U2 fan... Jick

I've tried to hold it down, but even though it's not IT'S OFFICIAL, I can honestly say that I've really grown to hate you, Jick.
I know U2 aren't saints, but to even think that they don't make a step if there's no gainfor them, it's absolutely horrendous to say at least by a supposedly U2 fan.

I believe in freedom of speech, but this is as out of place as a republican talking republican in front of a democratic convention.
Maybe they're not your favorite favorite band, but for some of us here, they are, and you shouldn't be trashing them on such an important U2 web.

You might not care about what I just said (typed), and that would be a shame, because I think I'm not alone about my thoughts. This is not about me, and this is not about saying what you think. Is about actually THINKING what you're going to say, because you're not alone in this world...

 

[U2girl]

Now that you mentioned this the second time around, jick, let me ask you this: why do you compare Bono's laptop and the ES copy to stolen/leaked songs from AB and POP recording? Those are two different things IMO.

Knowing they're perfectionists, I doubt it they would let out any of their songs unfinished on purpose - and I also don't think their label would sit quietly and do nothing about it. (judging by what happened to those who worked for them but leaked soundboard recordings, or how quickly they stopped ES from being played on the radio)

You can't prove Bono didn't really lose the laptop so why bother saying otherwise? He lost the lyrics for October, for example.

As for ES demo, again, why would they let anything unfinished - a demo, even - out (however, I do believe they allow listening to the songs to certain people they trust)? If it's true it was a gift to a friend, not to be played - it doesn't hold much water, that theory you put together.

I don't see why anyone (not a fan, but an ordinary person), when reading about any of those events, would think "oh that's right, they'll have a new album out soon."

 

[popacrobat]

good marketing idea:

releasing the album. thats all they need to do. people will buy it if its good. just finish the damn thing


bad marketing idea: delaying it further to think of a marketing idea