page 1 Wednesday,Wednesday, JulyJuly 22,22, 20092009 Bigger Picture Aligns With Topspin Retail Platform by David M. Ross Who can resist a simple value Group with Alan Kates, Keith Stegall, proposition? Submit your email address Bill Hein, Michael Powers and Bob and get two free MP3s. A confirmation Ezrin, focuses on music services. This welcome email arrived within moments. relatively new company is perhaps the One more click and I was downloading first in Nashville to utilize a new artist the promised package, which contained branding/building platform called two large (320) MP3 files. Topspin.com. "The Bigger Picture "We have three initial themes in this arrangement with Topspin is very much artist campaign," says Bigger Picture a partnership," says Cahill. "We are their Partner Bob Cahill. first Nashville partner. It involves a lot of "Love, family and collaboration starting from the first harmony. Those are marketing call. We plan to integrate their pretty self explanatory solution into everything we do. It's our since The Harters are view that the business will continue to a sibling act, two get more direct-to-fan." brothers and a sister. Like most of the BP partners, Cahill Harmony is what they is an industry veteran having served in do. Love and family is SVP sales positions for Rhino, EMI and the strength that V2 Records (Moby, Wu Tang/RZA) and Bob Cahill supports their writing then serving as EVP/GM at Sanctuary and the music they Records Group. Most recently he worked make. So the initial thrust is called Join for Live Nation Artists as SVP Project The Family. There is a widget on Management. Also like most of his BP www.thehartersmusic.com now that comrades he is actively integrating new gives you two free tracks when you sign technology into his planning and strategy. up. A nice simple come on over to our "We're keen to blend the best of what house type message." still works from the old models with the Cahill, a partner in Bigger Picture technologies that exist today and perhaps ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 2 Wednesday, July 22, 2009 push the envelope a little bit on behalf of our acts," says retail space. About finding new ways of reaching out, Cahill. "We did extensive vetting of all the available direct- marketing to and engaging potential fans, then being to-fan platforms and were impressed with what Topspin able to sift data and identify the super fans." brought to the table. As opposed to a pure e-commerce So Topspin shouldn't be confused as a total solution play, it integrates best practices and bits and pieces from for country tacticians hoping to stage an end run around other places. These guys have put it all together in one radio? "That is correct," states the Bigger Picture partner. very slick platform." "It doesn't replace radio, if anything it allocates the retail So what exactly is Topspin and how will it help the new part differently. Traditionally when a fan goes into Wal-Mart trio? "The Harters focus is on having a direct and deep and picks up a CD no one knows that person. This way the fan relationship," Cahill explains. Building the direct-to- band knows who their fans are. In terms of radio we have fan channel and lifetime value is a key part of that strategy our own promotion staff and a lot of money invested in that with people who sign up to be involved. The first step is area. It still drives the bus in terms of getting a mass to collect permission-based names prior to pulling the market going. I would submit the Topspin approach is very trigger and overlaying some of the more traditional complimentary in that it engages fans on a deeper level and drivers like radio, etc. Hopefully, we can also engage gives the info to the band and their partners instead of radio listeners and send them to thehartersmusic.com to third parties or middleman. It allows you to build a fan for get some free stuff, get informed and become part of the life and even use them as part of your street team. The family." guy that designed the Topspin platform is the guy that A Topspin-created Harters widget which can easily be invented ProTools. These guys bring a new perspective grabbed, propagated and embedded anywhere (i.e. designed to shorten the distance between fans and potential myspace, Facebook, blogs) makes it easy to join the fans. I'd love to see our Topspin stuff on country radio family. "Our goal," says Cahill, "is to propagate the Join sites that want to work with us on it." The Family offer as often and broadly as possible while Michael Powers prepares to go to radio and Jennie Smythe www.topspinmedia.com starts the digital and social network initiatives. It's all designed to gather a core fan group." After the Join The Family phase gains momentum, phase two will move from data collection and analytics to include a pre-order of the album and various multi-product package offers that Topspin is slick at. "You'll see offers at various price levels—perhaps a CD/digital combo, a CD/t-shirt; or a digital combo with a ticket to a show," says Cahill. "We get to draw best practices from folks who have done a lot of business in this space. These guys really know their stuff." Cahill points out that the aforementioned tactics don't necessarily mean that less money needs to be budgeted for radio and other more traditional channels. "It's not so much about Capitol Nashville’s Emily West took part in Lollipop Theater Network’s Rhythm of Hope event last week at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Rhythm of Hope is budget as about building lifetime value," he an interactive music program for pediatric patients that gives children a chance to adds. "To be honest, Topspin is more about the create their own songs while learning the building blocks of music. ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 3 Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Study Shows Growth In Copyright Industries New findings released by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) show growth in the U.S. copyright industries (music and sound recordings, film, TV, home video, DVDs, software, books) during 2003-2007. When the report was released to the U.S. Department of Commerce, David Israelite, President and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association, a member of IIPA, noted that the biggest threat to the U.S. copyright industries continues to be unlawful use of copyrighted David Israelite works. “Copyright Industries and the U.S. Economy: The 2003-2007 Report” shows that the core copyright industries: • Accounted for nearly 23% of the U.S. economy’s growth in 2006-2007; • Grew at a rate more than twice that of the U.S. economy as a whole in each of the years 2004-2007; • Added $889 billion to the U.S. economy in 2007 – approx. 6.4% of GDP; • Exceeded $126 billion in foreign sales in 2007; • Employed 5.6 million workers in 2007, more than 4% of the U.S. workforce. The complete report can be viewed at www.iipa.com Industry Rallies Around New Non-Profit Women Rock For The Cure (WRFTC), the non- profit founded by members of the local music business including Jensen Sussman and Liz Lee Schullo, has announced its board members (listed below). The organization is also holding its first annual Pink Trash Ball fundraiser on Sat., July 25, 8 PM at Mad Donna's in East Nashville. The hot pink themed evening features a DJ spinning classic '80s, dancing, pink carpet arrival and pink cocktails. Come decked out in your best trashy pink attire, there will be a king and queen of the ball crowned that American Roots Records group TelluRide took a short break from promoting their debut night. No cover (suggested $10 donation). single, “Pencil Marks” to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” at Sunday’s (7/19) Cincinnati Reds All of the proceeds will benefit Women vs. Milwaukee Brewers baseball game at the Queen City’s Great American Ball Park. The Reds Rock For The Cure and the Greater went on to beat their division rivals 5-3. (L-R): Brian Smith, Jimi Hendrix, Adam Craig and Nashville affiliate of Susan G. Komen For Ryan Jones with Cincinnati Reds mascot “Rosie Red.” Photo: Nicole Palsa The Cure®. ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 4 Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Cold River Records artist Katie Armiger (R) Pheromone Records’ artist Greg Hanna stopped KIXQ/Joplin, Mo. morning drive air personality, makes a new friend in radio personality Delilah by WWYN FM in Jackson, TN to promote his new Jenn Barnes (R) stopped backstage to visit Way (L) on the "Good Morning Atlanta" show prior to single “It’s A Man’s Job” from his upcoming self- Out West artist Shawna Russell (L) before her her mall tour stop at Town Center at Cobb. titled debut album, set for release Sept. 14. show at “Club KIX” in the Buffalo Run Casino, (L-R): Hanna and WWYN PD/MD Shane Connor. in Miami, Oklahoma. Photo: Tessa Russell Women Rock For The Cure Board: attendees are also visiting music industry businesses Co-president: Jensen Sussman, Sweet Talk Publicity including CMT, Capitol Records, Ocean Way Studios, BMI, Co-president: Liz Lee Schullo, Wayne Kirkpatrick/Magic Clear Channel Studios, Belmont University, Mike Curb Beans Productions College of Entertainment & Music Business, and The VP: Rebekah Lee Beard, Latocki Team Creative Wildhorse Saloon.