Marketing Sociologist Spotting business opportunties Using market research Predicted SmartPhone movies year ago

Let's say you're a retail store marketing to the Tween market (roughly 8 to 14 years old). You need your market research. If I run a contest, would it be wiser to use Miley Cyrus' new CD or the Jonas Brothers' new CD for a tie-in?

One of Marketing Sociologist's blogs is Tween Music. I'm an advocate of measurement. Matter of fact, it was my means of measuring public relations coverage that today has been bastardized into what people mistakenly call ROI (Return on Investment - but a story in the media is not a return. It's a misnomer to call it ROI).

I love Google Analytics because it is a great marketing measurement tool. Same with Adsense if you know how to utilize it - few do. Combined together, you have a powerful information tool that will provide some solid data on where your market is heading. Knowledge is power.

The Internet is a wonderful place for marketing and it gets better daily. Readers, I'd appreciate your input on what marketing measurement tools there are for SmartPhone apps and where do I find them? Thank you in advance. Please leave it in comments.

So with my Internet market research tools, I can tell you Miley Cyrus' future is as dim as her protege, Hilary Duff. Yet the Jonas Brothers are still shining as brightly as Tailor Swift. Something I predicted a year ago on gut feeling but now have the research to prove it. Miley Cyrus' recent CD sold 66 percent less than her first CD in the same time span. No figures available yet for the new JoBro CD. Maybe next week.

The numbers from my Analytics and Adsense tell me I get more visitors on Tween Music from the Jonas Brothers - almost double - than when I mention Miley Cyrus. Ironically, the Tween market is not that into either of their TV shows, but focuses on their music and videos. After all, the Tween market is not about television.

More than a year ago I told you about first run movies over SmartPhones and why the FCC vacated the broadcast band for this function. Today you're seeing the first of it. This trend will escalate for more than a decade. Trust me if you didn't listen last year.

That's why the Tween market is not showing up on television numbers. Why wait for the next episode of Hannah Montana Forever when I can watch it a week before it airs on YouTube over my SmartPhone?

John Fields – a music guy I wasn’t aware of

As a music journalist, including for the biggest music trade, Billboard, I’ve known many back end people; producers, concert promoters, song writers, even roadies.

Today I was listening to Selena Gomez’ Disappear and it hit me – Hall & Oates. When I did my research, it wasn’t Hall & Oates; it was a guy name of John Fields – a production guy.

He has been credited with Jonas Brothers Don’t Speak, Hollywood, and Paranoid. Miley Cyrus’ 7 Things and Brandi Carlile Throw it All Away. He about owns Demi Lovato: Believe in me, Everytime you lie, Falling over me, Moves me, Party, Remember December, The Middle and U Got Nothin’ On Me. He produced Jon McLaughlin Beating My Heart.

Question is, did he really write Disappear, or get credit for being the producer? Found his discography, but Disappear doesn’t appear on it. Hope Mr. Fields sees this post, leaves a comment and gets in touch. This guy truly is MAGIC. Besides producing Tween hits, he can do something Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez can’t do – walk down the street without being bothered.

What’s his connection to Alice Melo of Brazil?

Top 2009 concerts held by oldies acts Miley Cyrus fails to break top 10 Yes, she makes $1-million per show

I’ve been waiting for this report! Top box office acts for 2009 tours followed last year trends of oldies acts. U2, Madonna, Springsteen, AC/DC and Fleetwood Mac were the top touring acts in 2009 according to Billboard.

According to Billboard, U2 had $300-million+ for its 44 venue 360 tour. Madonna had $222-million for Sticky & Sweet tour. Bruce Springsteen, $156-million and AC/DC, $135-million.

P!nk, who toured her butt off and Twitter-ed about it, placed five with $102-million.

Jonas Brothers came in with $73-million.

Miley Cyrus didn’t place in the top 10, being topped by Kenny Chesney, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band and Dutch violinist/composer Andre Rieu (don’t ask me). Yet Cyrus came in first for the Thanksgiving holidays, netting more than $6-million from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2. That was Charolette, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Columbia, S. Car.; Atlanta, Tampa and Miami.

For those who didn’t believe Cyrus makes $1-million per show, in the Mick Jagger league, do the math, as Hilary Duff said.

Lovesick over Lovesick Radio Building the Band Brand: Becoming famous in the 21st Century Savvy

This is how you market. I’ve had dozens of bad bands requesting an add on MySpace recently.

I’m exclusive. I’ve turned down some pretty good musicians. You have to be TOP NOTCH to be on my MySpace. You have to understand 21st Century marketing.

Tonight I got an e-vite from Lovesick Radio. Last band I heard this good were Tempe’s The Maine. Lovesick Radio blows them away.

If one of my heroes, Rick Derringer, is not one of their influences, I don’t know music. Yes, they’ve studied the hair bands and updated it for the 21st Century.

They’re doing the right things. Their MySpace songs are less than 90 seconds (except for one). They put their videos up on YouTube. If they are as Building the Band Brand cognizant with 21st Century technology, they’ll learn about this post by searching their name (and having a Google notification sent) daily at Twitter and blogsearch.google.com.

Believe they’re already on Last.fm. Way to go, guys. You’re doing all the right things. I love your sound – harkens back to my youth. Let me know when you’re playing the Sonoran desert. Want to see your act live. Bet you’re great. Who would get top bill, you or Emily Osment? That’d be a show I’d pay Jonas Brother or Miley Cyrus money to see!

To Lovesick Radio: remember the words of Zig Ziglar, See you at the top!

Only one complaint. After watching the live video, would love to help them with their stage presence – so important. Guys, it’s worth spending the $5,000 or so to have a Hollywood stage presence. Compare what Mitchel Musso is doing; or, shudder, Honor Society. Don’t change your sound, but please, change your stage wardrobe – except for the naked drummer there. Of course, I’m thinking that’s an early video and rough. Sure they’re fantastic now. If not, I could help!

Building the Band Brand Steal a song to launch your career, Part quatre Jonas Brothers Busted Year 3000

Building the Band Brand Don’t quit the day job Ashley Tisdale does not realize $100,000 on Guilty Pleasure

Time and again I meet the Mitchel Musso-type (but not on one of the most successful TV shows in history - wait, I take it back, yes two are on that show) who have aspirations of becoming first, famous, then rich. Used to be rich and famous, but today’s artists reverse it.

Today we have a case study of why you’re not going to be rich if you pursue your music. Her name is Ashley Tisdale. She was on the most successful basic cable broadcast of all time, High School Musical. She was a star on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Most people think stars like this, when they record an “album” (the term we will use for CD or collection of MP3s since it is what Billboard uses), they’re on gravy street.

Let’s look at the reality. Most stars make $1 to $2 (used to be a quarter in the ‘50s) for each album they release. Ashley Tisdale’s Guilty Pleasure released July 28 only sold 25,000 units its first week. Let’s be generous and say she got $4 of the $12 the label is charging (I’d ask what you're smoking to get that amount, but let’s be generous).

That would mean the first week she made $100,000 on Guilty Pleasure. Nice money for a week’s work. Reality is, she probably didn’t make $50,000, but more than either one of us made since the end of July.

See that Guilty Pleasure video? That probably took a third of that $100,000. What about hiring musicians? At least $25,000. The promotional tour she’s been on? About $30,000. Studio time to record – at least $10,000.

Looks to me like she spent $95,000 of that $100,000 before the album was released. Gee, I could live off $5,000 per week. Only problem is, the second week that 25,000 will fall below 8,000 and in a month or two less than 500 units a week.

Say you have a band and five members must split that $1,000 per week. Not a very good return on your investment (ROI), correct?

Then you look at artists like Tina Parol whom I just heard on Internet radio. Not even listed on Billboard. How about an up and coming band, The Maine? The Tempe, Ariz. based band hit #45 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums. That means they probably didn’t see Tisdale’s $100,000, but since they are independent, they could have. Again, studio and production eats that up.

The Maine is recouping its investment by touring with bands like Good Charlotte and Just Surrender. They are on the Warped tour.

Yet Billboard says they’re not making money touring (I bet). “The Maine has, however, garnered a devoted following via MySpace, which was helped along by the pop-punk band's connection to fans.”

Once again, like Taylor Swift and Jonas Brothers, 21st Century marketing like MySpace is creating stars.