I was reading through the Maxwell sticky (http://prince.org/msg/8/312087), and realized a few things. Prince could, and should, take a nod from other artists in marketing. Random thoughts have been posted in different threads, but this one is geared toward this idealism.

It should be said that NO suggestion is a assumption that Prince would be "copying" someone, or not being innovative. He's been innovative with jumping on the internet, and using other forms of technology to his advantage. He's also realized more popular trends in music marketing (like deals with Target, or one off deals with Columbia, EMI, etc.) and worked within those new parameters.

Here are a few things I think Prince should take a nod from to give his fans more fuck for the buck.

1) MAKE VIDEOS. Yes, he made a couple of the Lotus set, but that was it. I don't really ever remember seeing them on rotation on BET or otherwise. Maybe they were, but the last I knew, $77 would get you viewing access. A movie is 1/7th of that, and roughly 30x longer. No deal there.

2) SPECIAL EDITION. Is it really so hard to put a few extra tracks on a CD? or perhaps instead of extra tracks, put a DVD in there. Janet put just 30 minutes of misc footage of the recording process, the video making process, and did some quick interviews about different aspects of the record and project (styling, music style, the writing, etc). 30 minutes, plus a video at the end. That, coupled with the CD was only $14.99 the first week it was out. Most albums are roughly that price at REGULAR price. Maxwell's first album in his forth coming trilogy of albums, BLACKsummer'snight, didn't have any bonus tracks on the 9 disk set, but did have a DVD with a video, and a lot of great behind the scenes footage. He explained a lot of the songs, and also explained what the other two albums would be like in the next two years. For $17.99, it was a good deal. (I missed it on sale the first week it was out.) I think Prince is afraid of those "extra" tracks going on the internet, but brother man.....ALL of your tracks are going to be on the internet. You can NEVER stop that. But fans are willing to pay for an album, to see the artwork, to get the extras, and to have a copy in their hands, to have the experience of opening a CD, reading the lyric book, and so on. Three disks in a cardboard wrapper for 12.98...good amount of songs for the money, but was there anything really special about it overall?

3) TALK TO PEOPLE. Prince has gotten a bad taste in his mouth with his fans, blogging, misinformation, and anything he cannot ultimately control. Hint: YOU NEVER WILL. Prince will never be able to control everything. If he could, he'd not have a bootleg market the way he does. Anyway, he did a fair amount of appearances for Lotus, but he never really TALKED to anyone, except his mediocre talks about chemical trails and angry people in his neighborhood growing up. Talk about the MUSIC. Take us on another tour of Paisley Park. Let us SEE you working. Even if it's Oprah, Larry King, Ellen, or whatever. Do something different. Don't do a cover song, make a new song, and let us see you record the piano on it or something. Let Ellen tour Paisley Park, then meet up with you in Studio A while the band is laying parts.

4) FOLLOW THROUGH. Two videos, a bloated and overpriced website with no real original or long term content, isn't enough for people to pay $77 for. Oh, that t-shirt for original adopters? Yeah, translation: Just Another Sucker. No t-shirt is worth $77. Who is going to pay $77 for an album, THEN go buy it in the store for another $13? That's $90 for the same album twice, an average of $45 for a copy. Most of us won't even pay for that a bootleg CD on eBay. We pay $45 for internet service and can get those things online free (bootlegs). Make another video, do another interview, make another commercial early on to be run again later to regenerate interest in the project. Film and do a one-off show at some 3000 seat theater in a random town, and sell it in stores for $18.99. I'd buy it, as long as it's better production than Rave 2000 and better editing than Aladdin. Do a deal with Showtime or HBO. Just because he does a PPV once, doesn't mean he can't do it again.

Care to add to the list? Go for it.

I don't even know how 2 respond to this...Oh certainly "More F for the B," is Marketing Strategy for sure.

PRINCE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!

they could learn a thing or 2 from him, lol

Tame said:

So the shitty website is something he's doing on purpose? Awesome.

Close2u said:

What? How to piss off your fans and influence haters?

Close2u said:

Yes, we know that because Prince is Jesus but is there anything he could possibly learn from someone else? Even from his fans?

1. Learn how to treat his Fans
2. Make good Videos
3. Market his music like a Professional Musician
4. How to run & UPDATE his website
5. Learn how to treat his Fans.

Vendetta1 said:

don't know where ur getting your info from but Prince is not jesus...

but he could lern from bruce,,,no matter how old or shot ur body is
your fans still have a need 2 see u live...but concidering his latest
health problems i can see why he has not...we need a tour reguardless

nyse said:

Some of his fans treat him like he is the Messiah.

Videos are dead. MTV barely plays them and when was the last time you saw an artist over the age of 30 with a heavy presence on BET or MTV (the jury is still out on Maxwell and Janet has had declining sales for years.)

As far as the CD/DVD extras, I don't think there is any proof that they move product. Plus the CD/DVD format is dead.

The world needs less dumbing down of artistry in the form of Larry, Ellen, Oprah and all the blah, blah, blah that is such schlock and cheese. When's the last time you saw anything cutting edge or interesting on one of these programs?

P has made plenty of marketing mistakes, but for a 51-year-old independent artist challenging himself, a demanding fanbase and a culture at it's all-time historical low as far as music quality, I believe he is doing just fine. I could care less whether he sells 17% more music, just make it interesting.

The most important marketing trick for Prince is to present his genius in the flesh- He needs to tour!

BTW, I think this is a good topic.

only the musical messiah...but i see what u sayin'


lol
[Edited 7/19/09 18:06pm]

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

get over urself

nyse said:

stop sending frivolous, threatening letters via your lawyer goons to your fans, webpages devoted to you, and former band members.

it's just tacky, dude.

Close2u said:

I will, just as soon as Prince gets over himself!
[Edited 7/20/09 4:27am]

1. From Michael Jackson: Be YouTube friendly for a change.

If Prince Roger Nelson were to died tomorrow, how in the hell will his fans AND music fans in general of every surviving generation are suppose to remember him if he doesn't allow YouTube members AND/OR The WB Music Group to post his music videos?!? Better yet, why can't Prince create his own YT account and post the videos himself?!?

2. From Gene Simmons: Get your own Reality TV show.

THIS idea will definitely make Prince more popular! And it would be interesting to see how Prince interact with people in real life situations within and outside of the music industry.

3. From Timbaland: Re-discover the passion of using synths.

The James Brown/Earth Wind & Fire-inspired horn section is really getting overused. And beside, THIS is the 21st century!!! Life after the year 1999 (pun intended) is suppose to be about futuristic sounds. Synths are THE only instruments on the earth that can be used to do that. Use them!

Vendetta1 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

TonyVanDam said:

I disagree with #1, agree with everything else though.

Shortened version and yeah imma say it and what you wanted to say earnest
"Prince learn a few things from your former employees like Wendy and Lisa on HOW to do business AND INTERACT with your fans without sueing the fuck out of them"

He should take a page out of Akon's book and start bodyslamming y'all whiny asses!

HonestMan13 said:

Yeah, right! Have you seen Prince, lately? Who in the fuck over the age of 6, could he body slam? GTFOOH!!!

Not a damn thing!

nurseV said:

Prince got part of his whole shtick from someone else so y'all really need to quit.

He has also leaned on hip-hop, auto-tune, drum machines, etc. He's covered others songs, etc.

This asskissery is just stifling sometimes.

Vendetta1 said:

We need an emoticon for opening a window to air shit out. LOL

ernestsewell said:

We sure the fuck do.

Fuck your groupies and dismiss them, don't write whole CDs for them.
And for GOD'S SAKE don't MARRY THEM!

BriaVelveeta said:

You're my favorite.

You crack me the fuck up.

Vendetta1 said:

Prince ass kissing-sounds pretty good Ya'll crack me up! Always so serious on the org. Yeah I said it-he doesn't need to learn a damn thing from other artist and I meant it.