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Marketing Coldplay's New Album |
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September 26, 2005
By Sarah Clark
Sarah.clark@educationfactor.com
Education Factor Columnist
What's involved in marketing a band with a history of album sales reaching the tens of millions? Aggressive advertising campaigns launched through the internet, cable television, and news media are central to promoting an upcoming album to existing and potential fans.
Coldplay's latest album, X&Y, was one of the year's most eagerly anticipated albums for fans and music industry executives. Even though Coldplay is immensely popular, the band's marketing management doesn't appear to be taking Coldplay's fame for granted as they charge forward with a comprehensive, far-reaching advertising campaign.
The Internet
As you might expect, the internet is a vitally important marketing tool for music. Advertising efforts for Coldplay may begin at the band's Web site, where consumers can download samples of songs from Coldplay's albums, EPs, and singles. Fans can also find out about tour dates and recent news about the band, such as dates for upcoming television and radio interviews. An official band Web site is one area in which the band and its management have complete control over how the band is portrayed through images, music clips, photos, and press releases.
Television
Advertising management teams can help coordinate special television spots for bands on cable channels dedicated to popular music, such as VH1 and MTV. VH1 recently aired a performance of Coldplay from a May 16 concert in New York. The television special corresponded with the release of the band's new album, airing just two days after the official album release date. MTV and VH1 may also run music videos from Coldplay's new album, feature interviews with the band, or produce and televise documentaries about them.
Popular Culture News Media
Coldplay gets a lot of free press, which some may argue helps the band regardless of whether the publicity is flattering or not. Much of this publicity is in the form of critical reviews. For example, Jon Pareles wrote an article published June 5, 2005 in the New York Times that Coldplay is "the most insufferable band of the decade." That's probably not the kind of publicity most in the ranks of marketing management would prefer, but it still may serve to get the word out to fans that Coldplay's new album is available for purchase.
About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Virginia.
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