Competition in show business has led to the emergence of music industry marketing. When audio became a business, he needed tools to promote his products. Marketing in music relies on traditional strategies and methods, but, of course, has many specific features and characteristics.
Marketing concept
The enlargement of production, the release of an increasing amount of high-quality goods leads to the fact that special efforts are becoming necessary to stimulate customer activity. As productivity increases, the first marketing concepts emerge . Initially, it was aimed at improving goods and production, but gradually modern ideas about promotion as a special activity aimed at satisfying needs through exchange are gradually being formed. Today, marketing refers to the special communication between the manufacturer and the buyer, which leads to the satisfaction of needs. It is designed to help the buyer and seller achieve their goals. In this sense, marketing the music industry is also a specific interaction between producer and consumer. The producer offers goods on the audio market that will allow the listener to satisfy his needs.
The advent of music marketing
The emergence of music marketing is associated with the formation of the entertainment and leisure industry. When show business appears, the sphere in which people make money from the provision of entertainment services, the need also arises to satisfy the needs of the market as fully as possible. The more competition grew, the stronger was the need for special efforts to implement the product being created. The beginnings of music marketing can be found in ancient times. For example, Mozart’s father performed, in fact, the function of producing a musician: he selected the repertoire, conducted propaganda activities with the aim of organizing concerts. The composer and performer was a means to profit and to satisfy the entertainment needs of the public. But in the full sense of the word, music marketing appears only at the stage of high development of the entertainment industry. Only with a glut of the market and a lot of competition does the need for thoughtful promotion of a music product arise.
The formation of the music industry
Show business includes several industries: cinema, theater and spectacles, music. The audio industry is a sector of the global economy that makes a profit by selling a music product or service. A person feels the need to listen to music from ancient times, the phenomenon of its impact on the psyche is not fully understood. However, it is obvious that it is closely related to emotions, which are the deepest human experience. It is with them that the significance of music in human life is associated. Since there is a demand, then naturally a supply arises. The music industry arises along with the possibilities of mass distribution of audio products, that is, together with technological progress. Show business appears along with public shows, researchers determine the date of his birth in different ways: from the XI to the XIX century. But since the first legislative acts regulating the organization of public shows appeared only in the middle of the XIX century, it is from here that the countdown is traditionally conducted. The music industry is being formed with the advent of gramophone recording, which begins to spread the music product to the masses. The following revolutionary stages are associated with the emergence of radio and television. Subsequently, the industry is only gaining momentum, sound carriers are improving, circulations and competition are growing. Every year, the market for the music industry continues to grow by several percent, especially the growth in the Internet segment. Today without advancement it is impossible to realize any musical project, even with the most talented performers.
Music as a commodity
Songs, audio performances, music bands and soloists are profitable. The peculiarity of music as an object of promotion is that it simultaneously combines the properties of a product and a service. An audio product must satisfy the listener's need, have a certain quality and price corresponding to it, it must have prestige and consumer value, like any product. In addition, the music, as well as the service, is inseparable from the performer, it is intangible, the result of its consumption cannot be predicted. At the same time, the audio product is a product, since it has a price, quality, can satisfy the need and requires promotion from the manufacturer to the buyer.
Profession: Producer
A critical role in creating and promoting a music product is played by the music producer. He concocts a product, selects an artist and material in accordance with the needs of the market. He well understands market trends, can influence the tastes and desires of the public, is able to predict the needs of listeners. The music producer also provides material support for the creation of the product, he finds equipment, buys music, lyrics, pays for the work of performers and accompanying personnel. And another important function of the producer is to ensure product sales; he plans marketing events, organizes tours and concerts. The producer is a central figure in the music industry, he is a marketing and management specialist at the same time.
Goals and objectives of marketing
The marketing of the music industry, like any other, has the most important goal - to increase sales. But in order to increase demand, it is necessary to solve the related problems. An important goal of music marketing is to disseminate product and artist information. Only high awareness can lead to a purchase. Another marketing challenge is to create a product that meets the needs of the audience. Therefore, each artist must have not only a unique quality, but also a unique positioning. Music marketing should maintain constant communication between the listener and the performer, take into account changes in the perception of the product, and form a loyal attitude to the product on the part of the consumer.
Promotion Objects
In music marketing, there are several objects of promotion. First of all, it is an artist or group. When a new name appears in the music market, the task of marketing is to create awareness of it with the target audience. Promotion of groups and soloists begins with the fact that positioning is developed, and then communication is planned, demand is formed and stimulated. The artist also needs branding, each musician strives to become a brand, because this leads to constant high sales. Also, the object of promotion may be an audio product. A record, a concert, a film - all this requires a well-thought-out advertising plan in order to maximize demand and profit. Music hits most often appear as a result of thoughtful marketing efforts.
Marketing strategy
A long-term product development plan is called a marketing strategy. In order to develop a strategy, you need to have a good idea of the state of the market and the specifics of the segment in which the product is moving. Music marketing as a special activity cannot apply all existing marketing strategies. Here we need a special approach that takes into account the features of the music product. The most acceptable strategies for intensive growth, which are based on increasing marketing efforts in existing markets. It is also possible to apply a deep market penetration strategy, in which case marketing programs stimulate the purchase of more goods, as well as related products and services. Strategies should contribute to long-term and sustainable demand, therefore, on the music market, the image of a performer is extremely important, which must be carefully planned and maintained.
Music Marketing Target Audience
The marketing of the music industry is based on the concept of market segmentation, that is, on identifying a specific target audience for which this product is being developed. Defining a segment is extremely important for successful marketing of a product. The selection of the target audience in the music market is most often done according to the following parameters: age, gender and lifestyle. There is a product for youth, children and mature people, music for men and women. Lifestyle, interests, tastes are also a criterion for highlighting the target audience. You can see that today in all markets, including the music one, demassification is taking place, products are being produced for increasingly narrow audiences. So, there is music for lovers of Korean TV shows or for the ready. This allows you to sell more goods.
Promotion Methods
In marketing, there are four main methods of achieving goals: this is demand stimulation, direct sales, PR and advertising. All four elements of the marketing mix are used to promote a musical product, but advertising and public relations are used more often than stimulating demand. Promotion of a song without advertising and PR is impossible. In order for albums to be bought, it is necessary to create awareness and demand, and for this, methods such as direct media advertising - the placement of information materials in the media, as well as BTL tools - event marketing, communication through social networks, Internet marketing are used.
Music Product Promotion Plan
Based on the selected marketing strategy, a plan is developed to promote the artist or group. At the first stage, it is necessary to determine the goals of promotion, it can be, for example, the formation of awareness or maintaining fame. Then, activities are planned in three areas: promotion (placing the product in television and radio broadcasts), publicity (creating informational noise around the product, launching legends and gossip, giving interviews, posting in ratings, creating journalistic materials), performance (organizing live communication between the performer and listener, organization of concert performances, autograph sessions). Musical groups and soloists should be constantly on hearing, therefore it is necessary to use various means of advertising and PR to ensure the constant presence of the artist in the information field of the listener.
Brands in music
Marketing in the art of music was originally associated with the creation of stars, that is, brands. In order for the listener to trust the performer, to feel sympathy for him and attachment, it is necessary to carefully consider the image of the future star. The promotion of groups or soloists begins with the creation of a name that should contain a certain philosophy, a message on the basis of which communication with the audience will be planned later. The next step is to create a personal story. Fans want to know everything about their idol, so they will start looking for information about his personal life, past, and the producer must take care of the selling myth in advance. For example, the legend of the mega-popular group “Tender May” was a story about children from an orphanage, this gave the collective an additional halo of pity and contributed to its popularity. It is also necessary to think over the appearance of the performer so that it meets the expectations of the target audience. In addition, the brand platform should be formulated , a key message that will need to be fixed in the minds of listeners. For example, Stas Mikhailov is positioned as a singer for mature, divorced women, this is his competitive advantage. After all the elements of the brand are created, it is necessary to systematically maintain the image of the artist.
World experience in music marketing
Today, musical hits are born not only thanks to the talent of composers and performers, but most often thanks to the efforts of producers. Modern industry has put the process of birth of stars into the stream. Of course, talented material is needed to start, but a competent producer who is familiar with effective marketing methods for producing music brands is more needed. A striking example of such a work of producers are, for example, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or the Viagra group.