Tag Archive for 'Brand Identity'

Open Letter to Radiohead

Published on November 12, 2007 in Announcement and Blog. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Spotted on: dr.xnlb

One of my very good friends, the Rev. Dr. Xenlab, is someone I count on to give me honest feedback about what I’m up to.? He was a co-founder of Polyvibe, left the company shortly after it was founded, and is the current provider of our web hosting, as well as a sometimes consultant in the world of internet technology, branding, and marketing.? Once he got wind of this letter, he sent me an email saying “Post it as an open letter on the net.”? I was stopped by fear of looking silly until this morning, when I saw he scooped me. Feeling even more foolish having my own story scooped, I was inspired into action.

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to Radiohead last week.? Keep in mind I was unable to find an accurate email address, so while you get to read it, they have not.
*Start Transmission*

Hello,

We’re Polyvibe Records, a very small independent label in the US. We applaud your effort to short circuit the industry behemoth, and we are contacting you with a very unconventional proposition.

While Polyvibe is a very small label, we are fully committed to artist empowerment, and providing artists with the tools and freedom they need to have fulfilling careers.

We would be honored to be considered as the label to distribute In Rainbows in the US.

We are aware that you are being courted by hundreds of major and independent labels for the opportunity to release your album. We see a magnificent opportunity to make a powerful statement for the future of the music industry, a future where artists are free to create and distribute their music any way they choose, and without constant criticism and scrutiny form the corporate media.

Clearly it won’t matter what label distributes In Rainbows, as the sales of the album are based on artist recognition. There are no actions labels need to take to assure the success of your album. Regardless of your label choice, thank you for considering us.

Thank you for giving this email your time and attention.

-Mic Mell
President / A&R
Polyvibe
www.Polyvi.be
www.PolyvibeEntertainmentGroup.com

*End Transmission*

The Bottom Line:? You never lose something by asking. Any of you out there who have a dream, a vision, or a plan, remember that the worst someone can say is no.? And if you still get nervous when it’s time to make the powerful request, keep me in mind.? After all, what can you ask for that’s riskier than this?
Oh, and if you know how to contact Radiohead, let them know Polyvibe says Hello.

The Cult of Personality – The Modern Artist’s Mantra

Published on October 26, 2007 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Lately I’ve notice that there are musicians and artists that are tuning into this frequency, so here’s something for you to consider:

The future for musicians looks like more than just great recordings and live shows. The opportunities that the internet provides modern artists is available to everyone, and thus its potential is diluted. One powerful tool in creating buzz around your project or career is to get noticed. And one way to get noticed is to generate interest in who you are, and what you’re saying. in other words, creating and maintaining a conversation with your audience.

Pop culture can overwhelm us with the personal lives of famous people, and annoy us to no end with the antics of celebrities. Billboard has an excellent article on the effect of this kind of marketing on the careers of the ultra-famous. Keeping themselves in the public eye is a critical element to the careers of these top tier entertainers. Even bad press is good press for them.

For the independent artist, this same technique can yield different results. We can expand our scope and reach by generating attention for who we are, and what we have to say. Marketing a personality is nothing new. Here’s an article from Time Magazine in 1978, looking at the same methods and issues we are discussing today.

Once you have fulfilled your artistic vision, and you’re putting yourself out there, the make-or-break factor in success becomes notoriety. While having ten thousand friends on Myspace seems like a powerful promotional tool, does it really measure anything other than the number of people that landed on your page and clicked add me?

One of the most effective tools for creating a buzz for yourself, your project, and what you’re up to is blogging, and blogging often. If you are anything like me, you spend at least some of your week surfing the internet and consuming content. You have sites that you visit regularly. Consider that what keeps you coming back to a site is the steady stream of new and interesting content. Content that speaks to you.

A healthy career is grown through a fanbase. Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Prince, and Madonna are able to free themselves from major labels and even give away their music because their fans are loyal, and people are tuning in.

While it may seem like the forward momentum is slow, steady and regular content on your project webpage, blog, or social networking page is critical to bring people back. And the more time people spend on your sites, the more interested they will be in supporting your cause.

I am guilty of not providing a steady stream of information on my blogs at times, and it impacts my return traffic, and the hype around my own projects and Polyvibe. I am preparing to condense this blog with my personal blog, providing the same great content with half the work. Like Uncle Scrooge says, work smarter, not harder.

For any artist who is committed to bringing viability to their career, having a powerful voice, and keeping the conversation going are critical elements to success.

I invite you to comment on this post with your opinions. If the waters ripple, we’ll talk more about creating a cult of personality, the results people are seeing from this kind of grassroots marketing, and methodology that can be implemented to increase your results.

Editorial from the Pit

Published on August 9, 2006 in Article and Blog. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

The Brand Played On – by Philippa Ibbotson - Spotted on The Guardian UK

The London Symphony Orchestra has been working with Baby IQ to retool their image, and apparently it’s been in the direction of making the image more valuable than the music. The LSO has openly admitted that the campaign is intended to make the LSO a brand name, rather than being about the power of classical music.

This cynical commentary is written by an insider, a member of the Classical community. The author goes on to lament the objectification of music, and especially the decline of classical music as an art form, as it is slowly consumed by all devouring beat of capitalism and money. I find it inspiring that some musicians still have the idealism to love music as an art, and not an object, and I hope you do too.