Not Enough Satisfaction From Social Media

A survey released this week shows that customers aren’t satisfied with Facebook. At the same time the giant social network has just surpassed 500MM users. Sure the pace of monthly new users to Facebook has recently slowed but it’s level of adoption is still astounding. What explains these two seemingly opposing trends?

“Facebook is a phenomenal success, so we were not expecting to see it score so poorly with consumers,” said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results. “At the same time, our research shows that privacy concerns, frequent changes to the website, and commercialization and advertising adversely affect the consumer experience. Compare that to Wikipedia, which is a non-profit that has had the same user interface for years, and it’s clear that while innovation is critical, sometimes consumers prefer evolution to revolution.”

Facebook’s navigation has never been ideal and most users had fits of frustration when the interface changed last year. Why is consumer opinion so low for a site that everyone from 15 to 80 has fully integrated into their lives? Are early adopters being turned off by the oldsters posting about their 50th wedding anniversary?  Is the constant barrage of invites, suggestions and “someone you never heard of has commented on your friend’s post” messages making Facebook feel like Spambook? Are the cheesy advertisers, network marketers and invasive use of personal data making users feel dirty? Back in April thousands of Facebookers said that they would boycott the service. That didn’t happen.

I use it. I work with it. It’s an essential part of my marketing toolkit. I message friends. I engage with my favorite entertainment.

I also use my AT&T iPhone despite the dozens of dropped calls.

Google dropped 7% but still scored an solid 80. Not surprisingly former social powerhouse (and now mostly indie band website) Myspace scored one point lower.

You Gotta Be Great – How Can You Break Through?

Flat

Does democratization of  music marketing mean the flattening out of the market to look something like this? The challenge has always been to build a buzz and breakthrough but with many more acts and zero barrier to the market how do you break through the deafening noise?  The answer. Be GREAT!

The same phenomenon is happening in films, TV, publishing etc.

Media, Music and the Making of a Band – Sevendust Live & Loud

Here was the challenge. Metal was in it’s nearly-dead stage just before the birth of “new metal.” Radio, TV, press didn’t care. Digital was yet to conquer the landscape. I had one of the best live metal acts in many years. How do I get them in front of the beer drinking, tattooed dudes and chicks without the typical means to reach them (radio, press and video).  Buy them on to TV in a place where the dudes would be watching. Infomercial. Howard Stern Radio Show, local CBS Stations.

We took the dreaded infomercial and made it into a vehicle to break a heavy rock band.

This fully integrated campaign saw the paid show appear as programming and run on CBS stations in 30 markets across the U.S. It was co-promoted by local radio stations and we inserted TV ads in the show to give it the feel of programming. The band went on to sell 700K units of their debut without a hit single or an official music video.

Sevendust Live & Loud become a great brand. We broke off several clips from the show to service to video outlets as music videos, released a home video/DVD and re-packaged for use on other networks in the US, Europe, Canada and Japan.

The ROI was huge. We invested a healthy $400K into the production, media and other costs. The band went on to gross more than $20 Million in CD sales. Other labels and networks went on to copy the music/infomercial model but I still haven’t seen the fully integrated approach of brining in local media, sponsors and an event.

The time is ripe to do it again with tools like social media, mobile, blogs, geo-targeting, rich media…

Please Feel Free To Help Yourself…I AM Power and Self-Improvement

I AM Power

Earlier this year I connected with the nascent self-improvement company I AM Power. I AM Power is a unique community, mental makeover program and positive lifestyle support mechanism aimed at helping the average person be their best. The program uses well proven methods to help you reprogram your behavior. It’s like Weight Watchers for every part of you. A key element is to use your senses to imprint positive and productive impressions on your brain. You know… when you hear a song or smell coffee it triggers certain thoughts, emotions and actions. Use that formula to imprint the actions that you truly want – diligence, control, discipline, positivity, confidence etc. Music was a key tool in the process.

My first project for IAP was to create music that would be used by members to  create this result. With the help of Sue Riley from Empower Music and I AM Power head Russell Brumfield we gathered together a group of accomplished songwriters and dropped them in a beach house in Tampa for a week. It was a posi-music reality event. The result was more than a dozen tunes with uplifting and powerful messages. I wanted to bring a modern and fresh sound to these tracks. We sent the demos to Nashville with producer Matt Wilder. Matt assembled some of the best session players and vocalists in town to record the tracks in the style and vibe I was looking for.

I also reconnected with an old friend Krishna Venkatesh. Krishna and I first met when I signed his band Think Tree to Caroline Records. He is now a noted producer of music for ads, film & TV. Krishna produced the I AM Power theme songs as well as several meditation CD’s.

We produced a great deal of music including  I AM Power’s EmpowerMeUp ProsperPower CD. More than an hour of rockin’ tunes that help members of I AM Power transform themselves. After years working on rock, hip-hop, electro, pop, R&B this was a fresh and new. I’m proud of the result.

I hooked up my son with an old Ipod recently. It is now glued to his little and lean body. Amongst the Green Day, Ting Tings, Kinks and Clash are songs from I AM Power. Let’s hope the songs are making him feel as powerful as a super-hero!

Next step is to help I AM Power re-brand and remodel their marketing attack.

Check out the tune I AM BEAUTIFUL

CHANJ Has Come – New R&B Singer, Apollo Killer

I’ve been working with Alistair Records and their debut artist Chanj. This 23 year old from NJ can SING. He has incredible range, a soulful delivery and a dynamic presence. We all know how hard the Apollo audience is on young talent. Chanj won them over and went on to win the Apollo amateur showcase 4 times. He appeared on the last televised episode of Showtime At The Apollo.  Check out Chanj on the Apollo doing Floetry’s “Say Yes.”

His first single “It’s The Worst” has been rotated on more than 70 stations and is building him a solid fan base. There is much, much more to come.

Check out Chanj  - Myspace

Chanj performing “Say Yes” at the Apollo

Download “It’s The Worst” for free

Access code – chanjmusic1

Vanessa Bley Track Promos TV Show “Fringe”

Vanessa Bley is not only a remarkable recording artist and performer but also an accomplished songwriter. Last year she co-wrote  the song “Creepshow” for breakout Island artist Kerli. The song has become a hit in Eastern Europe and will be Estonia’s entry in the globally telecast Eurovision song awards. This week it is the music track for a promo for upcoming episodes of Fox’s breakout new show “Fringe.” 

Vanessa will release her debut 5 song EP this Spring. 
Vanessa Bley Myspace 

 

LEEPfrog Becomes Buzzline.tv

Name change. Hundreds of new music videos. A trek in an RV to Austin for  SXSW. Filming dozens of acts (in addition to other activities). The new and improved  - and now called –  Buzzline.tv launches shortly. Instead of surfing endlessly to find hot new videos, here is one destination that gives  you what you want with one click.

I’ve been helping them acquire content. 

Look for the relaunch very soon. 

Buzzline.tv