jick
Refugee
Well, now that U2 have gone commercial and corporate, what sure-fire strategies do you guys suggest for U2 that can maximize album sales, radio airplay, and band hype?
Here are my recommendations:
1. RANDOMLY INSERT AUTOGRAPHED CD JACKETS
The autograph will be in the back also and the CD jackets should be sealed. Kinda like the baseball card concept where they publish odds of getting insert cards. For example, odds of getting a band member signed CD is 1:100, with gold ink is 1:250. A CD signed by the entire band will have stated odds of 1:10,000 for example. This way, die hard U2 fans might actually buy multiple copies in hopes of scoring a CD with the autograph of their favorite member. And have the autographs numbered and authenticated of course.
2. ADD EXCLUSIVE BONUS-CDs FOR MAJOR US RETAILERS
For example, all Target stores will have the album plus a bonus cd containing only one song - say an acoustic version of Vertigo. Then all Tower Records stores will have a bonus CD of another unreleased song or acoustic/live version of the album song. Then Sam Goody's will have another exclusive then Wallmart another. This will force the hardcore fans to buy multiple copies, or the casual shopper to buy the album because it has a shop-exclusive bonus cd.
3. MAKE TIE-INS WITH MOBILE PHONE MANUFACTURERS
For example Ericsson. Let their latest model phone have some of U2's new songs as part of their standard ring tone offerings and even make it the default tone. They can also have U2 screensavers or phone wallpapers. This will boost phone sales as well as subconsciously keep that new U2 tune in the phone owner's head.
4. INCLUDE THE NEW ALBUM WITH EVERY PURCHASE OF A CONCERT TICKET
Everyone who buys a show ticket gets a copy of the CD. How does that sound? Sure the CD may retail for $12, but the cost of it is much much less. And by the time the tour comes in, the album sales would have already settled down so U2's relations with the record stores won't be tainted badly with U2 including CD's in their tickets. If this tour will have 2 million people, then that's at least 2 million more copies of the album sold. And for those people who will go to multiple concerts and hence get multiple album copies, they will surely be forced to give it to a friend or relative to get them hooked into U2. So does such a trick could only be for the good as it will draw new fans into U2.
5. HAVE TIE-UPs WITH MICROSOFT
Microsoft is no question a monopoly. If U2 can somehow capitilize on that and have themselves integrated in special versions of Microsoft products, then that would surely be a great corporate strategy.
So what other strategies do you guys suggest?
Cheers,
J
Here are my recommendations:
1. RANDOMLY INSERT AUTOGRAPHED CD JACKETS
The autograph will be in the back also and the CD jackets should be sealed. Kinda like the baseball card concept where they publish odds of getting insert cards. For example, odds of getting a band member signed CD is 1:100, with gold ink is 1:250. A CD signed by the entire band will have stated odds of 1:10,000 for example. This way, die hard U2 fans might actually buy multiple copies in hopes of scoring a CD with the autograph of their favorite member. And have the autographs numbered and authenticated of course.
2. ADD EXCLUSIVE BONUS-CDs FOR MAJOR US RETAILERS
For example, all Target stores will have the album plus a bonus cd containing only one song - say an acoustic version of Vertigo. Then all Tower Records stores will have a bonus CD of another unreleased song or acoustic/live version of the album song. Then Sam Goody's will have another exclusive then Wallmart another. This will force the hardcore fans to buy multiple copies, or the casual shopper to buy the album because it has a shop-exclusive bonus cd.
3. MAKE TIE-INS WITH MOBILE PHONE MANUFACTURERS
For example Ericsson. Let their latest model phone have some of U2's new songs as part of their standard ring tone offerings and even make it the default tone. They can also have U2 screensavers or phone wallpapers. This will boost phone sales as well as subconsciously keep that new U2 tune in the phone owner's head.
4. INCLUDE THE NEW ALBUM WITH EVERY PURCHASE OF A CONCERT TICKET
Everyone who buys a show ticket gets a copy of the CD. How does that sound? Sure the CD may retail for $12, but the cost of it is much much less. And by the time the tour comes in, the album sales would have already settled down so U2's relations with the record stores won't be tainted badly with U2 including CD's in their tickets. If this tour will have 2 million people, then that's at least 2 million more copies of the album sold. And for those people who will go to multiple concerts and hence get multiple album copies, they will surely be forced to give it to a friend or relative to get them hooked into U2. So does such a trick could only be for the good as it will draw new fans into U2.
5. HAVE TIE-UPs WITH MICROSOFT
Microsoft is no question a monopoly. If U2 can somehow capitilize on that and have themselves integrated in special versions of Microsoft products, then that would surely be a great corporate strategy.
So what other strategies do you guys suggest?
Cheers,
J