MTV first launched August 1 1981, and changed the way music was perceived by industry and consumer. Since then music videos have become both an important marketing tool for the music industry and a common way for people to consume music. Ironically the first music video played on MTV was the 1979 song “Video Killed The Radio Star” by the British group The Buggles. The video aired on September 1 1981 (for one month MTV had not shown any music videos).”Video Killed The Radio Star” celebrates the golden days of radio and tells the story of a singer whose career is cut short by television. Not surprisingly the very same video (and song) has now, several times and in numerous versions, been parodied on YouTube as “Internet Killed The Video Star”.
In 2005 YouTube changed the music industry the same way MTV once changed the way music was met by industry and consumer. TV is no longer the primary source for music videos, as YouTube and its likes more or less have taken over as the most important means for promoting music (videos). The most passed around, and thereby viral, videos online are also mostly professionally produced music videos.
Briefly explained are viral videos clips that have received numerous views and made the trip around the Internet based on peer recommendations and online sharing after posted on video sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion and Myspace etc. Seen from an online music video marketing perspective, having a music video “going viral” is considered a success, as it would be equivalent to having a lot of people enjoying your music.
Online music marketers urge to achieve viral successes with music videos. Problem is however that 24 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. So how does one set out in order to stand out of the overwhelmingly large amount of online video content?
In order to become a viral success it is vital to stand out of an overwhelmingly large crowd. The fact that it is not enough to post a video on online video sharing sites, and then wait for people to discover it goes without saying (or at least it should). There is indeed a need for a marketing strategy in order to become a success. To illuminate this subject I have written an exam paper on viral marketing of music videos (download link under the video embed). My paper is a case discussion of the marketing of the video of the song “Stoppested” by debuting Danish artist Kristian Luc (see video). The recommended strategy should however be well fit for most artists and music companies (world wide) looking to work out a functional strategy for the marketing of music videos.
Click here to download the paper (it’s all in English)
Interesting reading!
I think the Kristian Luc video is really boring and is not really a video i can imagine going viral. No hook, nothing funny, no naked ladies….;-)
Thanks for commenting Martin. My case study does not deal with the quality of the actual video, but it is of course true that a good video has better chances for more views than videos of “bad” quality. However, as I argue it is possible to become a success marketing wise, with a big seed marketing approach, the actual quality of the video is less interesting when building a strategy for your campaign. It is therefore less interesting for me to act as a tastemaker. Don’t get me wrong. I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC VIDEOS. However 99% of all viral video campaigns should be planned before the production of the video is finalized. My case study could actually have been anonymous, and still prove the same point.
As always exciting and well written work.
.
I think it’s very hard, measuring the effects of viral success (exept for number of views), but you do have some interesting points
Besides that, I agree with Martin, but that’s another story..
Thanks for commenting Dennis. Glad you liked the paper. It’s people like you and Martin that inspires me to publish the stuff I work with (either in University or other work related reports).
Measuring success on whatever online campaign is always hard.
However I still believe a success as far as number of views goes, is possible even though the video is not great (som vi på norsk sier: smaken er som baken). This has again to do with the importance of a big seed marketing approach. However I do believe the reproduction rate will not be greater than one if the video is not of high quality, or if it does not have interesting content for the viewer (there’s actually a master thesis from ITU analyzing YouTube content in order to say what you need to have in your video in order to become a success). But as argued, a low reproduction rate does not necessarily mean the video won’t receive a fair amount of views.
Kristian Luc was my case study, but I take no responsibility for how their campaign was thought out and/or built as I have nothing to do with the artist or record label business wise. But with almost 20.000 views (18390 as of June 15 2010), I think it is fair to say that the video already is a modest success. Especially when considering the fact that Kristian is a debuting artist. I am also pretty certain they would have received far more views if they would have built a landing page for the video, and if they would have had a big seed marketing approach (although I can’t say they have not used this strategy when marketing the video).
(edit on June 23, 2010: when saying that almost 20.000 views is a success, that is of course based on the fact that he is a Danish artist singing in his native language.)
Hey Guys,
Came across this site through a google search. Thanks a lot Arnbjørn for the info.
I have an album of very nice songs and you’ve given me the courage to record a video and put it on itunes and also advertise on youtube.
Issue is I can’t perform on stage nor will do any touring just the video/video ads on youtube , tweets, myspace , facebook adverts and my music on itunes is what I am relying on and definitely a website is all I am relying on as I am African , black and don’t have visas to any western country but you would not believe my music -guess I am a new Jimi Hendrix!
Kindly let me have your opinions
Peter