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