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September 21, 2002 British
university praises
"The idea of partnership between the company and the tribe is another crucial dimension of the tribal approach." Sites dedicated to pop stars are very common. Taking the form of news sites, shrines or personal homage, they provide an important link for fans of an artist. Creating a link between a pop star (product) and the consumer is important. A new marketing theory suggests that creating links between consumers is as, if not more important. Tribal marketing, a method which encourages the creation of a tribe (a group with a shared identity) should create strong brand loyalty. Traditional marketing tends to start and end with the product. With tribal marketing the product becomes the link between members of the tribe. The benefit to the record company is that people will repeat-purchase the product to reinforce their link with the tribe. Christina Aguilera's website appears to have embraced this approach in its Fanorama section. It is an archive of fans websites, art work, photographs and messages. This section of the website is very personal and contains a message from Christina to her fans, one that reinforces the importance of her online brand community: "I so appreciate your support more than you'll ever know. Thank you for all of your hard work. You guys are the most incredible fans in the world. Thanks again for always keeping me in your thoughts. It really encourages me to keep going. You guys inspire me." xoxo Promotion of a pop star is about encouraging regular, repeat purchases. By creating a community of fans, the promotion is carried from one fan to another, just like word of mouth. However, the internet provides a vehicle that is far more powerful than tradition word of mouth: one fansite could reach thousands of fans. By encouraging the growth of fansites, Christina is increasing her reach.
Fansites exist for all major pop stars, but Christina is actively encouraging their development. Other artists have attempted to close down fansites, citing copyright violation. It is important for a record company to control the message but by closing down fansites they could be losing a valuable channel of communication. The tradition marketing mix will remain, the core product will be the CD album sold through music shops. However, the demand for the product is likely to be created in much more complex ways. Remember that marketing is not merely the process of generating sales; its objectives can be much more subtle. Christina Aguilera is one of the first major artists to embrace a wider range of marketing methods. Her web presence is far more co-ordinated and has a much greater impact as a result. - Nathan Robinson |
| 'Christina Aguilera is one of the first major artists to embrace a wider range of marketing methods. Her web presence is far more co-ordinated and has a much greater impact as a result. By encouraging the growth of fansites, Christina is increasing her reach.' |
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• 'Fanorama' - New fan sites and artwork Site
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