The music business may be entering a new heightened level of commercialism not yet seen before. An article in Billboard and Ad Week is reporting that Def Jam will subsidize Mariah Carey’s new album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” with advertising within the CD booklet. Executives such as L.A. Reid feel that this is a smart way to generate revenue and possibly add retail space for the release. For example the cosmetic line that is aligning itself by advertising in the mini-magazine CD booklet, will also allow for the merchandising of the CD along side their fragrance in department stores such as Wal Mart.
In the article, executives boast that this is an innovative approach in within the music industry. The reality is that Caribbean bands in islands such as U.S. territory St. Thomas, VI have been doing this for quite some time. They’ve placed ads and branding for company’s such as Heineken within their booklets for years. Furthermore, in the not too distant past, Hip Hop’s own Duck Down label incorporated sneaker spots on the back of their 12” vinyl record jackets.
The reality is that the approach is not nearly as innovative as they are suggesting. This is more than likely something that can work, if the advertisement is organic in nature- in other words if the products or companies make sense for the artists and their fans. However, in a day in age when consumers have chosen to pay for music less and less, is it a wise approach to bombard them with paid advertisements after they’ve chosen to support the artist by actually paying for the CD? This is approach is in a similar vein to Def Jam’s Tag Records division with Procter and Gamble. Ultimately, the fan will decide.
