Marketing of the music industry: methods, strategy, plan

Competition in show business led to the emergence of marketing of the music industry. When audio art became the sphere of entrepreneurship, he needed tools to promote his products. Marketing in music is based on traditional strategies and methods, but certainly has many specific features and characteristics.

The concept of marketing

The enlargement of production, the production of an increasing quantity of high-quality goods, leads to the fact that special efforts are needed to stimulate consumer activity. As productivity increases, the first concepts of marketing arise . Initially, it was aimed at improving the product and production, but gradually formed modern ideas of progress as a special activity aimed at meeting needs through exchange. Today, marketing is understood as a special communication between the producer and the buyer, which leads to the satisfaction of the needs. It is designed to help the buyer and seller achieve their goals. In this sense, the marketing of the music industry is also a specific interaction between the producer and the consumer. Producer offers on the audio market a product that will allow the listener to meet their needs.

The advent of music marketing

The emergence of music marketing is associated with the formation of the entertainment and leisure industry. When there is show business, the sphere in which people earn money for providing entertainment services, there is also the need to fully meet the needs of the market. The more competition grew, the stronger the need for special efforts to implement the product being created. The rudiments of music marketing can be found even in ancient times. For example, Mozart's father performed, in fact, the function of the producer of the musician: he selected the repertoire, conducted propaganda activities for the purpose of organizing concerts. The composer and performer was a means to make profit and to meet the needs of the public in entertainment. 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 there is a need for a thoughtful promotion of the music product.

Formation of the music industry

Show business includes several industries: cinematography, theater and entertainment, music. The audio industry is a branch of the world economy that makes profit by selling a music product or service. A person feels the need to listen to music from the most 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 a deep human experience. It is with them that the significance of music in human life is linked. If there is demand, then, naturally, there is a proposal. The music industry arises together with the possibilities of mass distribution of audio products, that is, together with technical progress. Show business appears along with public spectacles, researchers differently determine the date of his birth: 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 here that traditionally counts. The music industry is formed with the advent of gramophone recording, which begins to spread the musical product to the masses. The next revolutionary stages are associated with the emergence of radio and television. Subsequently, the industry is only gaining momentum, improving the sound carriers, increasing circulation and competition. Every year, the music industry continues to grow by several percent, especially in the Internet segment. Today, without advancement, it is impossible to realize any musical project, even with the most talented performers.

Music as goods

Songs, audio performances, musical groups and soloists are a means of making a profit. The peculiarity of music as an object of promotion lies in the fact that it simultaneously combines the properties of goods and services. The audio product must satisfy the need of the listener, have a certain quality and the price corresponding to it, it must have prestige and consumer value, like any product. In addition, music, like the service, is inseparable from the performer, it is intangible, the result of its consumption can not be foreseen. At the same time, an audio product is a commodity, as it has a price, quality, can satisfy the need and requires advancement from the producer to the buyer.

Profession: Producer

The most important role in creating and promoting a musical product is played by a music producer. He conceives a product, selects the performer and material in accordance with the needs of the market. He understands the market trends well, can influence the tastes and desires of the public, is able to anticipate the needs of listeners. The music producer also financially provides the creation of the product, he finds technology, buys music, texts, pays the work of performers and accompanying personnel. And one more important function of the producer is to ensure sales of the product, it plans marketing events, organizes tours and concerts. Producer - the central figure in the music industry, he is a specialist in marketing and management 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 accompanying tasks. An important goal of music marketing is the dissemination of information about the product and the performer. Only high awareness can lead to buying. Another marketing task is to create a product that satisfies the needs of the listeners. Therefore, each performer 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 goods, form a loyal attitude to the product on the part of the consumer.

Promotion objects

There are several promotion objects in music marketing. First of all, this is a performer or a group. When a new name appears on the music market, the task of marketing is to create awareness about it in the target audience. Promotion of groups and soloists begins with the development of positioning, and only then communication is planned, demand is formed and stimulated. The artist also needs branding, every musician strives to become a brand, because this leads to constant high sales. Also, the audio product may be the object of promotion. A record, concert, film - all this requires a thoughtful advertising plan to maximize demand and profit. Music hits most often appear as a result of thoughtful marketing efforts.

Marketing strategy

A long-term development plan is called a marketing strategy. In order to develop a strategy, you need to be well aware of the state of the market and the specificity of the segment to which the product is moving. Music marketing as a special activity can not apply all existing marketing strategies. Here we need a special approach that takes into account the features of the music product. The most acceptable are the intensive growth strategies, which are based on increasing marketing efforts in existing markets. It is also possible to apply a strategy of deep penetration to the market, in this case, marketing programs encourage the purchase of more goods, as well as related products and services. Strategies should contribute to long-term and sustainable demand, so the image of the performer is extremely important in the music market, which must be carefully planned and maintained.

Target Audience of Music Marketing

Marketing of the music industry is based on the concept of market segmentation, that is, on the identification of a special target audience for which this product is developed. The definition of the segment is extremely important for the successful marketing of the product. The allocation of the target audience in the music market is most often made according to the following parameters: age, gender and way of life. There is a product for young people, children and mature people, music for men and women. Lifestyle, interests, tastes are also a criterion for identifying the target audience. You can see that today in all markets, including music, there is demassification, products are being produced for increasingly narrow audiences. So, there is music for lovers of Korean TV series or for the ready. This allows you to sell more goods.

Methods of promotion

In marketing, there are four main methods for achieving goals: it is stimulating demand, direct sales, PR and advertising. All four elements of the marketing mix are used to promote the music 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 method such methods as direct media advertising - placement of information materials in the media, as well as tools BTL - event marketing, communication through social networks, Internet marketing.

Plan for promoting a music product

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 objectives of the promotion, it can be, for example, the formation of awareness or the maintenance of fame. Then, activities are planned in three directions: promotion (placing the product in TV and radio programs), publicity (creating information noise around the product, launching legends and gossip, distributing interviews, posting ratings, creating journalistic materials), performance (organization of live communication between the performer And the listener, the organization of concert performances, autograph sessions). Musical groups and soloists should be constantly on hearing, so you need to use a variety of means of advertising and PR to ensure the constant presence of the performer 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, feel to him sympathy and affection, it is necessary to carefully consider the image of the future star. 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 listeners will subsequently be planned. 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 "Affectionate May" was a story about children from the orphanage, this gave the staff an extra halo of pity and contributed to popularity. It is also necessary to think over the look of the artist so that it matches the expectations of the target audience. In addition, it is necessary to formulate a brand platform, 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, and 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 of music marketing

Today musical hits are born not only thanks to the talent of composers and performers, but mostly thanks to the efforts of the producers. The modern industry has put the birth process of stars on the flow. Undoubtedly, talented material is needed for the launch, but a competent producer is more necessary, who know the effective marketing methods for the production of music brands. A vivid example of such work of producers are, for example, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or the group "Viagra".