| The very name "advertainment" sends thrilling | | | | computer products.But it extends further. |
| vibrations up the spine of anyone with | | | | Consider: Magazines that sell cover stories; |
| marketing in their blood or communication in | | | | product placement in movies and TV (and yes, |
| their genes. And it produces a strong shiver | | | | live theater); branded clothing; bumper |
| of disgust from many of my colleagues in the | | | | stickers; even fliers stuck on parked cars. |
| music industry."I don't want my songs to be | | | | There are ad messages on private automobiles |
| involved in advertising," they say, | | | | (and those anti-humanistic trucks that some |
| forgetting entirely that by wearing branded | | | | insist are called SUVs). Pull up behind a |
| running shoes, a t-shirt hawking Fender | | | | vehicle in traffic and you can read an ad for |
| guitars and a baseball cap emblazoned with | | | | the car dealership on the license plate |
| the Peavey logo, their very lives are | | | | frame, plus another piece of public relations |
| involved in advertising. Plus, if they attend | | | | for the state on the plate itself. (Come on, |
| an awards show, they happily state the brand | | | | you don't think it's hype to put "Land of |
| and designer names of everything they're | | | | enchantment" on every vehicle licensed in the |
| wearing.They further ignore the fact that | | | | state of New Mexico?)You might think that |
| radio itself is a form of advertainment. What | | | | this plethora of options makes it easier for |
| gets played has little to do with musical | | | | firms to get their messages across to their |
| accomplishment or artistic merit, but is | | | | targeted demographics, but a good case can be |
| directly related to the backing of large | | | | made for the opposite view. TV audiences are |
| corporate distributors. I have been told to | | | | turning to Tivo and pay-per-view. Radio |
| budget anywhere from a quarter of a million | | | | audiences are discovering XM and Sirius |
| dollars to $350,000 in promotional costs to | | | | Satellite Radio. Newspaper readership is |
| obtain national radio play on (the | | | | becoming an oxymoron. Motion picture |
| appropriately-named) commercial radio | | | | audiences can be heard groaning, mocking or |
| stations. Is it any wonder that corporations | | | | booing the pre-feature commercials.This means |
| are seeking ways to build a little brand | | | | there are a lot of people working on new ways |
| awareness into the songs?Turn on any rap, | | | | to get the product benefits into the brains |
| urban or hip hop station and you can start | | | | of the consumers. I do it with humorous radio |
| counting the product mentions in the lyrics, | | | | scripts and subliminally seductive music, but |
| some paid-for, some just happenstance. In the | | | | there are going to be some innovations in our |
| electronic-pop field, I have done it myself. | | | | industry, and at the risk of appearing |
| On my "Electro Bop" album are songs such as | | | | foolish, I'm going to make a few predictions. |
| "Paranormal Radio" (which begins as a | | | | Within the next few years, we'll see:* Debit |
| documentary about American Technology | | | | card scanners in TV sets, so you can order |
| Corporation's HyperSonic Sound system), | | | | during a commercial with the flick of your |
| "Sheena Sez" (about talk radio host Sheena | | | | remote.* Barcodes in songs, so you can |
| Metal), and "Check the Tech" (about the joys | | | | download from iTunes by swiping your XM or |
| of watching the TechTV channel).Has this | | | | Sirius player with your Visa or MasterCard.* |
| advertainment hurt acceptance of the album? | | | | Credit cards built into wristwatches, so your |
| Not that I've noticed. Many e-mails from | | | | "plastic money" is always close at hand.* |
| around the world cite "Paranormal Radio" as | | | | Links to product sites in every scene of DVD |
| their favorite track. Not one person has | | | | movies or computer games. Do you want the |
| complained about the ad messages, I assume | | | | shoes in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater game? |
| because the audience for my dance-oriented | | | | Click-click-click and they're on their way to |
| music is pleased to receive information about | | | | you via FedEx (note product placement for the |
| technology and a far-out rock-talk jock such | | | | big competitor to United Parcel Service).* |
| as Ms. Metal.Ads and entertainment go | | | | Broadcasts of infotainment and advertainment |
| hand-in-wallet in many other ways, some | | | | will pop up everywhere: in public restrooms, |
| pretty strange. In music alone, we have all | | | | at the Starbucks, at traffic signals, at the |
| wondered about Bob Dylan's "Love Sick" in | | | | gas pump, on your mailbox, in the packages |
| Victoria's Secret commercials (not to mention | | | | you purchase, in the parcels that arrive at |
| Mr. D himself smirking between shots of the | | | | your door, etc.* Captive broadcasts. Just as |
| lovely bodies wearing the lingerie). But | | | | you can preview the music on packaged CDs |
| don't overlook Keith Richards in the "Cover | | | | (available in EU now, but coming soon to the |
| Girl" ad while "Honky Tonk Women" plays, or | | | | USA), the product benefits, price points and |
| Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" in the | | | | warranty information will play as soon as you |
| Herbal Essence spot, or Iggy Pop's liquor | | | | lift up a product in the store.* Digitized |
| drug/sex-soaked "Lust for Life" blasting | | | | logo placement in the rebroadcasts of |
| throughout the Royal Caribbean commercials. | | | | syndicated TV shows ("Hey, we can sell the |
| (Love to work with the Account Executive who | | | | product placement another three times!")* |
| was able to sell that concept!) By contrast, | | | | Branded ingredient lists on menus.* Corporate |
| Sting crooning from the back seat of a Jaguar | | | | artwork that takes you on a virtual tour of |
| seems a very model of demographic | | | | the company.* Interactive ads, where you get |
| compatibility.And that's the point: ads and | | | | to play Jerry Seinfeld and/or Superman (or |
| public relations are routinely dismissed as | | | | the driver of the BMW) in a five-minute |
| silly, annoying, intrusive or a waste of time | | | | escape from reality (and from reality TV).* |
| right up to the moment when they are | | | | Holographic projections of commercials from |
| delivering facts the reader or listener | | | | postage stamps, car and house keys, magazine |
| wants. Then, suddenly, the sponsored message | | | | covers and ad pages, etc.And these are just |
| is viewed as helpful and instructive. | | | | the changes we'll be seeing in the next few |
| Therefore, the trick is to achieve the right | | | | years. We're not even discussing the |
| match between audience and message.One | | | | opportunities for advertainment once we move |
| problem is choosing your media. Just listing | | | | beyond traditional broadcast methodology; |
| advertising outlets can be daunting: TV, | | | | when microchips are embedded under your skin, |
| radio, outdoor, newspapers, magazines, | | | | YOU will be the receiver for TV, radio, |
| transit, direct mail, Internet banner. Many | | | | satellite, telephone, and global positioning |
| of these have subsets: paid inserts | | | | system signals. And at that point, the |
| (advertorial) in newspapers and magazines, | | | | possibilities for marketing communication via |
| sponsored "newsbreaks" and infomercials on | | | | advertainment are going to become truly |
| broadcast media, static or animated | | | | mind-boggling.Are these prospects exciting, |
| announcements at stadia, those dreaded 'Net | | | | frightening, or both? My view is positive. |
| pop-ups, brand names on sports uniforms and | | | | After all, a lot of these new forms of |
| equipment (can you say NASCAR?), etc.One of | | | | communication are going to need my scripts |
| the most enjoyable categories for producers | | | | and my music.# # #Scott G is president of |
| of both music and advertising is viral 'Net | | | | G-Man Music & Radical Radio. His music is on |
| marketing, which has had some notable success | | | | commercials for Verizon Wireless, Goodrich, |
| stories such as BMW Films, the Seinfeld AmEx | | | | Monaco Motor Coaches, BAE Systems and more. A |
| campaign, and of course, Burger King's | | | | creative director of the National Association |
| Subservient Chicken.We haven't even | | | | of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP) and |
| considered cooperative advertising, which can | | | | a member of The Recording Academy (NARAS), he |
| be anything from myriad logos at the bottom | | | | writes about music for and the Immedia Wire |
| of an event poster to the branded music tones | | | | Service. The G-Man's albums are released by |
| and flashing-light Intel trademark that ends | | | | Delvian Records and are on Apple's iTunes. |
| every other commercial for someone else's | | | | |