Can one really throw out entertainment as an “unnecessary expense”? I doubt it, but in this time of economic hardship in America, many are having to cut back on movie nights, buying the latest CD from some popular artist, and other luxury entertainment sources.
So with all of this cutting back, how can the entertainment industry of America survive? In this difficult economic time in America, companies are working harder than ever to promote their products, trying to stay above the red line. Due to the recession, however, entertainment companies have less and less freedom to spend money left and right on advertising.
One of the most obvious solutions the industry has come up with is utilizing the digital world. While this is certainly not a new development, its usage has skyrocketed from entertainment companies, specifically the access of mobile technology – the ability to always be connected, anywhere in the world. As Digital Stores CEO Russel Coultart stated in a recent Music Week article,
“The artists that understand it’s about being everywhere are the ones who are going to succeed…”
Take music for example. On almost any phone commercial today, the company will advertise the phone, but as an addition to both show off the phone and a particular hit song, the company will have the phone play that song and show it for several seconds. With the rise of mp3 players (thank you Apple), music now has the capability to be with us all the time, anywhere. Advertising music with a phone or other mobile device slips in perfectly to the convenience of mobile technology. Just check out this commercial for the new Droid smart phone from Verizon.
I think artists could benefit from shifting their focus from financial goals to reaching their fan base on a more personal level. In other words, build better relationships with your fan base! I know for me personally, if I am friends with someone in the band or have a strong connection with the artists, I am ten times more likely to pay for their music.
Artists can use mass media, specifically social networking sites, to help maintain and create relationships with their fans. Social networking sites not only give artists publicity but they also serve artists in the same way they serve anyone using a social networking site: they help you keep in touch with friends, family, and acquaintances. Artists should learn to connect better with their fan bases and maintain those relationships they’ve made with their fans, so that in one, two, or three years from now (whenever the economy is better and people have more money to spend on “unnecessary expenses”) fans will be more inclined to pay for an artist’s album instead of illegally downloading it for free.