From apps that provide first dibs on a highly anticipated album to personalized videos on Vine, music fans are getting the VIP treatment these days, as artists, labels and brands alike are coming up with creative ways to engage and reward them. In fact, Nielsen research released earlier this year found that music fans not only represent 75 percent of all music spending, they’re willing to pay even more for exclusive content, making them the prime audience for these creative concepts.
French electronic duo Daft Punk is one of many recent examples forgoing traditional marketing campaigns in favor of those that strike more of a unique chord. For example, the pair’s marketing campaign for its recent “Random Access Memories” release began several months before the album dropped and included strategic tactics like an unexpected TV promo during Saturday Night Live to entice fans and drum up buzz—and ultimately sales.
“It’s amazing how much content people are consuming these days, especially music,” said David Bakula, SVP Client Solutions, Nielsen. “As more and more consumers engage with music content on multiple devices—in addition to discussing it on social media—smart artists and marketers are trying to capitalize on every opportunity to reach this valuable audience. And so far it seems to paying off for everyone.”
Since releasing their first album in 1997, Daft Punk has sold 2.6 million albums to date. With the group back on the music scene and making waves with “Random Access Memories,” Nielsen took a short stroll of its own down memory lane, illustrating key moments across sales, streams and radio airplay.
