OT - Best Buy bungling CD promotion

[TheEqualizer]

Thought this would be appropriate to post here given what I think is Best Buy's bungling of Certifiable

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/i ... why-black-
ice-beat-chinese-democracy-the-tale-of-wal-mart-vs-best-buy/

QUOTE

It’s the tale of two retail giants and two highly anticipated albums. While Wal-Mart and their exclusive release, AC/DC’s Black Ice, continue to sell like hotcakes, Best Buy’s investment in Guns n’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy is an industry flop. So what’s to blame for the giant disparity? There’s Best Buy’s lack of promotion or Axl Rose’s reluctance to give interviews, but the Wall Street Journal also credits Wal-Mart for superior handling the promotion and execution of their exclusive product.

While Best Buy housed their Democracy in tiny cardboard kiosks, Wal-Mart essentially constructed AC/DC gift shops, selling band merchandise like T-shirts and the group’s Rock Band game, plus an AC/DC bus drove around select cities to build buzz. “Rock N’ Roll Train” debuted with fan interpretations, a music video, a Microsoft Excel video and a spot in the playlist at every sporting event, while “Chinese Democracy” simply hit radio and faded. AC/DC toured, Gn’R didn’t. Angus Young did interviews, Gn’R didn’t. More former members of Guns were willing to talk about Democracy than the band’s current members — even Dr Pepper promoted Chinese Democracy more than Axl Rose did.

Still, Universal Records won’t feel the punch of underselling “the most anticipated album in rock history”: As part of the Best Buy deal, the electronics giant agreed to purchase 1.3 million Chinese Democracy copies upfront with a pledge not to return the excess to the label. There is a silver lining, however, as Rose’s epic can expect a huge bump in strip club spins after two Chinese Democracy songs were sent on a music sampler sent to over 2,500 exotic dancing spots.

END QUOTE

[DirtyMartini]

Oooh, I haven't gotten to bitch about shoddy marketing in a good week or so.

QFE:
[quote="TheEqualizer"]While Best Buy housed their Democracy in tiny cardboard kiosks, Wal-Mart essentially constructed AC/DC gift shops, selling band merchandise like T-shirts and the group’s Rock Band game, plus an AC/DC bus drove around select cities to build buzz. “Rock N’ Roll Train” debuted with fan interpretations, a music video, a Microsoft Excel video and a spot in the playlist at every sporting event, while “Chinese Democracy” simply hit radio and faded. AC/DC toured, Gn’R didn’t. Angus Young did interviews, Gn’R didn’t. More former members of Guns were willing to talk about Democracy than the band’s current members — even Dr Pepper promoted Chinese Democracy more than Axl Rose did.[/quote]

Hm. Familiar.

Thanks for the link, EQ.

[Susan]

[quote="DirtyMartini"]Oooh, I haven't gotten to bitch about shoddy marketing in a good week or so.

[/quote]

HA HA HA HA HA...EXACTLY my thoughts.

I'm starting to pay more attention to the stock market.
At the moment:
Best Buy - $28.10
Wal Mart- $56.05

I am starting to disrespect Best Buy even more than I disrespect Wal Mart.

[GinaSuperCat]

Best Buy's sales are down 75 percent this quarter from what PCat was reading to me while I bakes this morning...that's freaking disastrous, even in this economy...

[samburusunset]

Best Buy didn't even have Certifiable in their Sunday circular this week. Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of logic to their issuing it right before Christmas?

[irishrose1969]

I was just over at worst buy today and they had a mega bunch of "Certifiable" on their shelves and some Vinyl Police albums..Outlandos, Regatta, Zen, GITM and Synch as well. I almost fell over when I saw those in the store.

Too bad WB idiots have no concept of proper marketing. These things should be flying off the shelves, yet they sit.

Sad really.

[Susan]

We could peel away the layers of bad marketing and sales distribution channels for music all night. But I wonder if part of the problem is that a Best Buy store has TOO MUCH CRAP on sale.

If I'm going in to buy a TV or computer, and I figure out what to buy, get someone to help, bla bla bla, then I'm going to stop and buy a DVD? Well for the POLICE, yes. But that is an exception.

Remember your little local record store? In my mind, I can still see the one of my childhood and teenage years when they had a giant BRUCE poster in the window when The River came out. I mean, I was ten freaking years old and I knew BRUUUUUUCE because he was on the same street where I got my school shoes, Dad got his socks and pajamas, and Mom bought a coat. And even at ten years of age I knew he was fucking cool. And that was it, after that the record store was always a stop when I had spare allowance money or at Christmas time.
I remember making a beeline for that store when Synchronicity came out. That same street now is a shell of what it once was....junk stores and a few semi-decent chain stores in its place. And Best Buy off in the distance, most people have to drive to it. Who's going to get in a car to buy a DVD? OK, again, WE are the exception but I know several friends who would probably enjoy "Certifiable" but they probably don't know it exists!

Ok, I feel better now.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

VINYL POLICE RERELEASES??? (runs out door)

[Charliearnoid]

Those morons bought 1.3 million unreturnable copies UPFRONT... in their fiscal situation.

Unbe-fucking-lievable.

If I was Best Buys bankruptcy judge (cuz you know it's coming!) I'd make the CEO sell his house and construct a new one out of Chinese Democracy cd's!

Dumb fucker...

I notice they never even got to the shitty customer service part did they? Probably because noone ordered anything!