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CASE STUDY Breaking Australian Music Overseas: Persuasive Promotion Strategies 10 for Entering International Markets

CASE STUDY Breaking Australian Music Overseas: Persuasive Promotion Strategies 10 for Entering International Markets

CASE STUDY Breaking Australian music overseas: persuasive promotion strategies 10 for entering international markets

by Pandora Kay Victoria University

Australian music into international markets and then focuses on two Australian acts currently experiencing considerable success overseas: and Human Case study Nature. Both acts have used persuasive promotion strategies to break into various international markets but their approaches and achievements reveal some similarities and some differences. In the 1970s, Olivia Newton-John and Peter Allen had success in the US and relocated there. In the 1980s, several Australian contemporary music acts achieved success overseas: Men at Work in the US especially with the hit single Down Under from their Business as Usual , in the US and Europe, and INXS. These successes were in an era when were recorded on vinyl and these artists were signed with record companies that no longer exist. Men at Work for example, were signed with CBS Records , a subsidiary of CBS US which might well have helped their successful release there. It pre-dated the mergers of the so-called ‘major’ record companies to the current : BMG (); (acquired CBS in 1988); Warner Music; EMI (merger with Warner put on hold in 2000) and Universal Music Group (incorporating Interscope, MCA, and Polygram in 1998). Source: Courtesy of News Limited Image Archive. It also pre-dated the Internet as a means of accessing music online for either listening or downloading. Several Persuasive promotion strategies are imperative to the big developments in online music occurred in 2001. success of Australian music in international markets as Napster which provided users with CD-swapping software will be demonstrated in this case. Furthermore, it is as well as a searchable database lost a long-running imperative for Australian artists to enter overseas markets. legal battle against the Recording Industry Association of The domestic market for sales of contemporary music is America to keep its free music-sharing service and will only about two per cent of world music sales and, within become subscription-based. Online music service this, an estimated 85 per cent of the music bought in provider, MP3.com, entered into an agreement to be Australia is recorded by foreign artists. Additionally, in the acquired by Vivendi Universal (parent company of music industry, success in international markets can Universal Music) at which time it will no longer be a further increase sales in the domestic market. Special public company but will continue to remain an international releases of songs and video clips can benefit independent promoter and distributor of music for all domestic sales figures and chart positions as many fans independent artists and record labels. Two alternative purchase both copies. This case study first considers online music service systems were announced whereby persuasive promotion strategies used generally to break record company majors will join forces with leading 10 Ⅲ Promotion in International Marketing 415

Internet companies. MusicNet will offer online music from association with the release of each album and some EMI, BMG and Warner Music that will be played over the acts such as Newcastle trio, silverchair, and Internet by America On Line (AOL) and Real Networks trio, , have toured overseas relentlessly with customers paying either to listen to or download a since their phenomenal album debuts in 1995 and 1998 song. A rival system, Duet, will be launched by Sony and respectively. Vivendi. The promotion strategies used by silverchair and Maybe in the 1970s and 1980s, success for Human Nature and other Australian artists in Australian artists in overseas markets was more ‘hit or international markets are also complex and reveal six miss’ and influenced by a fad for Australian culture significant promotion activities for exposing artist’s music resulting from the success of Australian films such as to a market: live performance, recording releases, sales ‘Crocodile Dundee’ or Australian stars in American-made and chart positions, radio airplay, video clip broadcast, films such as Olivia Newton-John in ‘Grease’. In the UK, and artists’ websites (both official and unofficial fan- -made television program ‘’ has based sites). Furthermore, live performances can take contributed to a fad for Australian culture since various forms: as a support act for well-known bands or the 1980s and directly brought to the artist; as part of a promotional tour usually associated attention of the UK market as an actor in the first with the release of a recording; as part of a instance and then as a pop singer. Nevertheless, this (see Table 1); at music expos, conventions or does not entirely account for why some Australian acts conferences—the trade show equivalent for music succeeded while many other aspirants did not. Some product (see Table 2); or as a product placement within Australian artists continue to have success overseas but a feature film, television drama series, television variety have relocated there. and Kylie Minogue or chat programs. reside in the UK these days and more recently Natalie Evidence additionally indicates important synergies Imbruglia relocated to Europe. Most of the other further occur between these various activities. Several Australian artists successful overseas, tour there Australian artists have had recent success performing at extensively as a significant part of their promotional music expositions in overseas markets with this often strategies but consider Australia the base where they live, leading to record deals and further live performances at albeit sporadically. At the minimum, most artists tour in music festivals. Country singer was one

TABLE 1 Examples of significant music festivals in international markets

Market UK US Canada Europe Other

Festivals Reading; ; Edgefest, Roskilde, , ; Leeds; HFStival, Vancouver Copenhagen, Alternative Meltdown Washington Denmark Festival, Argentina

TABLE 2 Examples of significant music expositions/conventions/conferences in international markets

Market Canada Europe

Music exposition/ South by South-West Music & North American Folk MIDEM: International Music convention/ Media Conference (SxSW), Alliance Convention, Market, Cannes, France conference Austin, Texas (NAFAC),Vancouver Winter Music Conference (WMC), Miami, Florida International Blues Challenge, (IBC) Memphis Z416 The International Marketing Mix Ⅲ B of the best-received artists to perform at the 2001 SxSW UK 1995 and 1999; Roskilde, Denmark 1995; Buenos before an audience of 7,000. folk trio, The Waifs, Aires, Argentina 1996; Edgefest, Canada 1997 and signed a worldwide deal with Nettwerk records and 1999; HFStival, Washingrton DC 1999; and Rock in Rio, secured six months work performing at more than 15 Brazil 2001. They also have an award-winning website festivals in North America as a result of their exposure at first established as an unofficial website by fan, Pete the 2001 NAFAC within the Australian delegation funded Walton, resident in New Jersey, US, that became their by the Australia Council for the Arts. Melbourne blues trio, official website in November 1996. Collard, Greens & Gravy, came second in the 2001 IBC, By December 2000, silverchair amicably concluded leading to many performances at American blues a three album contract with Australia’s festivals. Melbourne duo, Madison Avenue, took out two label which they fulfilled in six years. Their awards at the 2001 WMC: the biggest award of the night, recordings in the US have been released by Sony’s Epic Best Dance Artist, in addition to Best New Dance Artist. Records since 1996. To date they have released four Their Melbourne , Vicious Grooves, took their albums, more than 13 singles and sold 6 million copies single Don’t Call Me Baby to the 1999 MIDEM where the globally. Their international markets encompass 17 artists ultimately signed to Virgin for the UK market and countries plus most of South-East Asia as evidenced by Sony for Europe and America. Madison Avenue’s debut their fourth and final album with Sony, Best of Vol. 1, album Polyester Embassy released in 2000 has since (released without silverchair’s endorsement), the had chart success in the Top 10 US Billboard Dance international release of which was staggered over a six- Chart and two UK Top 10 singles. week period concluding mid-December 2000. Specific As evidenced above, in the early 21st century, Asia-Pacific markets include the Philippines, Japan and Australian contemporary music acts achieving success NZ. Europe is heavily represented by 11 countries: overseas are ever-increasing in number and music styles. , Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Also expanding are the international markets sought. In Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Poland and Switzerland. The addition to the traditional markets—US, UK and NZ—other specific markets in North and South America are US, significant emerging markets for some Australian artists Canada and Brazil. are Canada, Europe, Japan, Asia, South America and Future recordings and international markets for South Africa. silverchair will depend on their new record deals. They have signed with Eleven, a new independent label under Persuasive promotion the EMI banner, aiming to develop and sign a few strategies in international burgeoning Australian bands with the priority being to nurture their careers abroad. In this record deal, markets: silverchair and silverchair retains ownership of all their musical Human Nature copyright and will secure label partners for distribution silverchair have been categorised as rock ‘n’ roll, rights in specific international markets. For example, in alternative, and heavy metal and their Australia, NZ and SE Asia, silverchair will partner with phenomenal success commenced in 1995 with their first Eleven while distribution throughout the Pacific Rim will single Tomorrow and first album . These sold be undertaken by EMI. In North and South America they more than three million copies with major international have signed directly to the Atlantic label. Label partners markets being North America, the Philippines, and NZ. for Europe and Japan have yet to be finalised. The Their second album Freak Show outsold the first in relationship between Eleven and EMI is a unique Europe. Persuasive promotional strategies strongly with silverchair forsaking signing bonuses contributing to this success include heavy radio airplay in exchange for longer-term benefits of ownership of their especially in the US, heavy video clip broadcast rotation copyrights and complete control over the creation and on MTV US and Europe, frequent and extensive live marketing of their music. performance tours initially in the US and Europe but Human Nature are predominantly categorised in the worldwide since their debut album, and two major US TV ‘pop’ and their international success performances—on NBC’s ‘’ in 1995 commenced in 1997 as the support acts for big name and on ‘The Late Show with ’ in 1999. Of pop stars Michael Jackson and Celine Dion on the selected significant music festivals in international European tours comprising 50 arena shows in 18 markets listed in Table 1, silverchair performed Reading, different countries and the total audience exceeding two 10 Ⅲ Promotion in International Marketing 417 million. Human Nature have a record deal with Sony market despite attracting audiences to held Music Australia and have released three albums since there. Changing musical direction over-time further March 1997. Some tracks on their second and third complicates the positioning and promotion of some albums were recorded in the UK and US, possibly to music product. silverchair’s third album increase the success of these tracks in these two was a departure. In addition to rock, some tracks further significant markets. Human Nature’s most explored rock/ and others used different successful international markets for record sales and instrumentation. This first appeared on one track of the chart positions to date are the UK followed by Asia. second album Freak Show, where strings, sitar and Various promotional strategies have contributed to this. tympani were used. Neon Ballroom also featured International contacts and unique use of TV exposure classical pianist David Helfgott, the Symphony have played significant roles. Initial contacts formed in Orchestra, and NSW Public School Singers. 1996 when Human Nature were the support act for These changes in silverchair’s musical direction and Celine Dion’s Australian tour led to them supporting her genre have been intentional. The band itself has stated European tour in 1997 and securing a major Europe- they were lucky to sign with Murmur record label for the based agent as their international representative. Unique first album in 1995 and consider this due to ‘alternative’ worldwide TV exposure was achieved when they music being popular at the time. Change in silverchair’s performed the Australian national anthem at the Olympic musical direction throughout these years was to be Games opening ceremony in Sydney September 2000 expected, considering their first single, Tomorrow, was and, in 1999, they performed their single He Don’t Love written by band member, and first per- You within the Australian-made television program, formed by silverchair bandmembers when they were ‘Neighbours’ which is also very popular in the UK. They about 12 years old. As they matured as a band and as too have an award winning official website. individuals over the past nine years, change was not only expected but seems to have been allowed, even Challenges to promotion encouraged, by their former record company, and and success in international continuing manager, John Watson. Of the former deal and relationship with Sony, silverchair frontman, Daniel markets for silverchair and Johns, stated in a UK interview with Robyn Doreian in Human Nature January 2001, ‘we pretty much had creative control over Securing international record deals, agents and contacts everything and very rarely did they step in to say we will be increasingly difficult in a highly competitive couldn’t do this or that’. international market where competition comes from not silverchair perceived the phenomenal success of only other Australian acts but any artists of a similar their first single Tomorrow and album frogstomp as giving music genre from anywhere around the world. Positioning them, ‘room to experiment with the next two albums’, within music genre is also relevant to promotional image, rather than it being a formula for record sale success to competition and success in particular markets. Human be endlessly repeated. A frequently stated goal has been Nature for example as an all-male vocal group who don’t to establish a silverchair sound while simultaneously play instruments but dance when performing, have been pursuing change in musical direction. Further changes compared in varying degrees to Westlife, Backstreet were a stated aim of the band in 1999 following the Boys, N*Sync, Hanson, Souldecision, and others. release of Neon Ballroom when Daniel Johns stated one silverchair are considered a hardrock act in the UK aim, ‘is to set new goals and challenges to keep it with strong support from metal magazines, Kerrang and interesting . . . changing musical direction . . . but keeping Metal Hammer, while elsewhere they have been enough of the positive elements of silverchair to keep generally categorised as rock ‘n’ roll, alternative, with silverchair fans satisfied’. some grunge influences, especially in relation to their first two albums. Also in the UK, silverchair have often been Future challenges accused by some British music press and artists, namely Breaking into international markets and maintaining , of merely cloning sounds of UK bands, them are two separate matters for most contemporary Nirvana; and . These musicians. This problem is largely due to two sets of accusations probably account for some of silverchair’s changing factors, that is, the needs and wants of the problems with record sales and chart positions in the UK artists, and those of their fans. Either the artists want Z418 The International Marketing Mix Ⅲ B their music product to change and develop over time or international markets, outlined in the case the fans’ music interests and tastes change as they grow study, standardised or differentiated? Include older. Sometimes changes occur in both factors. a summary of the factors favouring standard- silverchair demonstrate the former and largely avoided isation and differentiation or customisation the latter by trying not to be positioned as a ‘teen band’. in your answer. In the band’s early days, they did not appear on TV or 3 What forms of technological change have deal with mainstream press, choosing only to talk to had an impact on the promotion of Aus- fanzines, or music rags and publications deemed as tralian music in international markets and ‘cool’. For ‘pop’ groups who by definition are popular what are the advantages and disadvantages (appealing largely to the young teen and youth markets), of these technological changes? the changing interests and tastes of their fans is a reality 4 What are the major obstacles to persuasive over time as their fans get older. Promotional image promotion strategies by contemporary strategies of ‘pop’ artists reinventing and repositioning Australian music artists entering inter- themselves are widely prevalent in this music genre. national markets in the 21st century and Many artists are renowned for their makeovers. Madonna what strategies are used to overcome these has possibly undergone more image changes than any obstacles? other artist. Human Nature, although still considered a 5 For an Australian band or artist of your ‘pop’ boy-band, have already reinvented and repositioned choice, which overseas market or markets themselves and their music to appeal to new fans and would you recommend they enter and which markets. Originally they performed in tailored suits, now promotion strategies should they use and they wear denim and fashion clothing supplied by why? In your answer, as well as identifying Australian fashion retailer, Dangerfield. specific promotion strategies, also identify Funding persuasive promotion strategies for Aus- all relevant international promotion issues tralian music to break into overseas markets is one of the and concepts considered in the case and biggest hurdles, as the amount required in the 21st previous discussion questions and relevant century is astronomical. For all except a very rare few to your final set of recommended specific Australian artists, the required funds are generally beyond promotion strategies. being artist self-funded or fully recoupable advances to the artists by their record companies or other parties. References Rather non-recoupable contributions are required and Donovan, P.(1999) ‘Want to manage a band? This could the sources of funds for the international promotion of help’, , 8 December. Australian music and artists are very limited. Well- Donovan, P. (2001) ‘Australian Acts Chart their Course’. connected contacts in foreign markets to assist with The Age, 31 March, p. 18. funding international promotion strategies are also Doreian, R. (2000) ‘Back from the Brink’, Rock Sound needed. Major sources for funds and contacts are record (UK) quoted in www.chairpage.com news, December company deals, distribution partnerships or worldwide 2000. distribution systems of some kind, and music agents in Dougherty, H. (2001) ‘New music site takes on Napster’, international markets. Securing these will be increasingly The Age Green Guide, 3 May, p. 27. difficult in an increasingly competitive global market. MP3.com (2001) ‘Important Announcement for MP3.com Customers’ http://www.mp3.com/corporate/ Questions vivendimp3.html 1 What push and pull strategies are used in Tijs, A. (2001) ‘The Living End’, Beat Issue 759, 30 May, international promotion of Australian music? p. 57. 2 To what extent and in what ways are the promotion strategies for Australian music in

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