Krywosa, IMC

Everyone has an opinion, but for those who love her the reasons are many: shes different, shes hot, her music is danceable, etc, etc. But when it comes to marketing professionals, the reasons are important lessons we all could learn from.

Viral Visual Marketing. By now we’ve all heard about how Ms. Gaga was one of the top searches via Google for 2009. And why? Because of her outrageous get ups. People want to see what she wore at whatever event just happened. And they want to compare and share, giggle and drool. No matter if its for better or for worse, people were interested. In the entertainment industry, thats currency.

Mix Trusted with Not Yet Tested. Whether its working remixes with Beyonce or Flo Rida or reviving 80’s pop synth beats, Lady knows how to use what works. Instead of staying on the safe side, she mixes the trusted with the strange: outfits made of bubbles, vocal usage along the lines of Marilyn Manson and Lil Wayne. Its this creativity that keeps us interested and entertained.

Ugly Can Be Beautiful. Just because its not like what you and I are used to, that doesnt make it less artful. Shes been criticized for wearing odd outfits and makeup when shes ’such a pretty girl’, but thats what makes her unique. Gaga does not have to resort to an ass wiggle or a boob pop: but when she does, its for a much different effect. The oddity and juxtapositions are what makes us uncomfortable but are the cornerstones of her schtick.

Do Different Proud, Not Meek. One thing we can all learn is how to do something full out. If you’re going to be different, then, gosh darn it, do it balls to the wall. To do it half assed just takes away from doing it at all. It falls short of its intended purpose. Stand behind your bubble outfit or burning your lover and your bed with your bra that fires sparks. Dont talk about it or the why of it all. Just create. Just do.

How are you doing things differently? Is your creativity bound by something, and if so, why?

Indeed: my feed reader is, in fact, blowin’ up. The past 24 hours have been intense. The one thing I personally didnt see coming was the proliferation of music: buying, gifting, searching. Its all over the place.

Today, MySpace unveiled enhancements meant to appeal to consumers and content providers alike. Funny since we’ve all been reading articles that announce the continued sickly state of the MySpace platform.

Also announced yesterday, Facebook has launched a music gifting service which allows users to purchase and gift music to other users.

On top of all this, Google is rumored to have a music service of their own, allowing searches to yield downloadable purchased tracks. Tuesday, Apple began Tweeting about iTunes.

Although the music industry has been deemed dead for a very long time, it appears that by adding social and searchable attributes, music is now becoming integrated into everyday digital interactions a bit more easily. But, what does this mean for the industry itself? Will this help struggling companies or will it open up a whole new mess of problems between artists, rights owners and labels?

For a second there I thought, ‘Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the Music Industry is ok.’. Well, thank you Advertising Age for continuing to prove I’m not insane.

But, what really worries me is the Branding issue. Branding oneself alongside another brand. In my mind, music is meant to free a soul or shed some light. Not to get more people buying the BlackBerry Curve because John Mayer approves of it.

And, please, whats up with the free Dr. Pepper for All Guns N Rosesscam? Are you serious? If this were to happen when I was in sixth grade, and obsessed with Dr P and GNR, I’d still be like ‘What?!’.

I’m really starting to wonder about people’s motives and consumer’s brains.

Recently I wrote a post about Radiohead and NIN among others generating buzz and I guess I should mention – sales – via interesting internet ploys. This latest release from Mashable only adds to my argument that the internet should be seen as a major help in the music industry, not the hindrance some chalk it up to be.

Fut her, I was entrenched in a heated debate recently with someone who said that the music industry is doing fine and quite well despite all of the hoopla surrounding piracy and other internet issues and the overall demise of it all. My stance is that who cares about the majors? The music industry needs to understand, and change, their business model. With all of the capabilities the internet, not to mention home computers, provide, its easy to see the rise of multiple soulja boys and the like through your own doing.

I cant fathom the life I would have lived had I continued into the music industry the way that I was thinking I would. Thats not what I’m about. I’m about the freedom to create and brand your own sound and passion and to share that with the world as freely – and in the manner – that you intend. It is not to swoop in and take away what you created and package it into ‘the next big thing’. Thats not what music is or should be and I’m glad to not have fallen into that world. So my question is – one that I’m still struggling with – do we need the music industry, or does the music industry need us?

That being said, how wonderful of a project would it be to sign artists who create their own empire digitally. To help them further their career, minus the costs of pressing albums and offer only digital. Knowing that most artists make more money touring than selling albums, and many dont think about the legalities of their contract, this seems like the better deal for the artists – and the start up.

Thats something, I can still dream of being a part of.

Notice, I did not give an end number to the ways in which Trent rules or use the word ‘Survive’. In order for the music industry to stay relevant, it needs to morph. And morph fast.

I recently received an email from NIN letting me know that their previously free release via the web ‘The Slip’will be available not only in special CD format but in vinyl. This following the same stint done by Radiohead with ‘In Rainbows’. (Which, FYI, is no longer available for free DL.) NIN also did this with Ghosts – a series of instrumental Trent specialties.

With The Slip, Trent even went so far as to ask people to remix and share it through any means possible, and it is even licensed under creative commons. This type of open use is what music should be all about. It not only builds NIN’s cred, but it allows users to interact with the music, make it their own, and take part in the creative process. We’ve also witnessed that recently with McDonalds asking people to submit their own version of their Big Mac jingle.

What if everyone exercised this type of interactivity with their products? What a great way to identify and celebrate brand loyalty and highlight new talent. Not to mention the PR.