Posts Tagged popular culture

Arcade Fire: Social Media and a #1 Album

Posted by seo in Viral Marketing, social media on August 16, 2010

As Katy Perry, Drake, Eminem and Lady Gaga dominate the summer music charts, it was nice to see a change at the top spot. Congrats to Arcade Fire! But what really helped them get there? Good music, unique live performances, loyal fans or a focused social media marketing plan? How about all of the above? Earlier this month, the band even played a live show from New York’s Madison Square Garden, which was streamed in real-time on YouTube.

A look at Arcade Fire’s social media profiles reveals that they are effective because they are so well-maintained. It’s also refreshing to see a band expand beyond just using MySpace. All the profiles are linked to their main site, where fans can find tour information and buy the new album. Over 97,000 digital sales have also helped Arcade Fire secure the #1 spot.

The ease and shareability through social media has given Arcade Fire (and tons of other bands) an opportunity to reach new fans that they wouldn’t have otherwise. A new Arcade Fire fan reveals, “I just found out about this band today and I must say, I’m quite impressed. They are amazing.” Isn’t this glowing review an example of what any band or business would like to have said about them?

‘Modern Man’ is currently my favorite track off the album. Check it out!

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Thoughts from Prince & Kenny G: Is the Internet Dead?

Posted by seo in blogging on July 9, 2010

Prince Slams the Interwebz
In a recent interview, Prince talks about how he has turned his back on using the internet and iTunes to promote his music. Instead, Prince is opting to give the UK’s Daily Mirror readers FREE copies of his new album. The interview also shows that Prince has shut down his own official website. This doesn’t come as a surprise to me, coming from a man who shut down his biggest fan site a couple years back. But what exactly is his logic behind this? This is what he has to say:

“The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else.”
“The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated.”
“Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can’t be good for you.”

Kenny G Loves the Internet
Don’t worry, Kenny G is ready to stand up for the internet. Like Prince, he’s also promoting a new album but admits that he isn’t too “Internet and download savvy”. In a short interview with the sax master, Kenny states:

if the Internet is dead “then I must be dead, too, ’cause I use it all the time.”

So, whose side are you own? I don’t really get why Prince is alienating what’s left of his fan base… You can’t just completely blast the entire internet and say that it’s no good. That’s like people who claim that they don’t watch TV or read books. Really? With all the choices out there? I doubt that Prince will do any backpedaling now but we’ll see how his new album does.

PS) Did you know that Kenny G was one of the original investors of Starbucks?

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Glee and Social Media Advertising

Posted by seo in Local Search Marketing Workshop on May 4, 2010

“Gleeks” Love Social Media Advertising
Have you caught an episode of Glee? If not, you’re missing out on what tons of fans (self-proclaimed “Gleeks”) are watching. The show has been on Fox for a year now and has received critical praise from viewers and critics alike. The show basically follows fictional high school characters while incorporating reworked versions of songs like “Hello Goodbye”, “Halo” and “Like a Prayer”. Doesn’t everyone like a good cover song? Each episode boosts Glee’s single, as well as the original song, on the iTunes charts. After the homage episode to Madonna, the material girl saw a 44% increase in her catalog of songs! It doesn’t just stop at TV time though. A look at Glee’s social media advertising shows that they’re very active on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube.

A Haven for Online Viral Marketing
How can a simple song spark an online viral marketing fire? Let’s face it, people adore classic hits. Whether it’s a guilty pleasure or an old favorite, people are more likely to get attached to things that they’re familiar with. Check out the cast’s version of Journey’s hit. What do you think? These new renditions have inspired fans to record and upload their own versions of the songs. MySpace even held a Glee karaoke contest. But it doesn’t just stop there. Glee is one of the most tweeted about shows ever! As if they needed to gain more momentum, Glee held a contest for their die-hard fans last summer. Fans would register their social media accounts and gain points every time they mentioned Glee. The contest was a success and the fan with the most points won a trip to meet the cast.

Glee and the Fox Network have done an amazing job at keeping fans happy this past year. Let’s see if they can keep people interested with the upcoming season!

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