from NZ Herald - a business angle on FFD success.
Fat Freddy's Drop let music walk the talk
27.10.05, By Liam Dann
When Peter Baker, general manager of record distribution company Rhythmethod, sat down to talk to his new clients, Fat Freddy's Drop, about marketing plans he was a little taken aback.
The band and manager Nicole Duckworth had a clear vision - no marketing.
"It's not that I wanted to do a big marketing campaign, but there are things that you traditionally do with any new release," Baker said. The band wanted none of them.
When Fat Freddy's released its debut studio album in May there were no street posters, print ads, music video or single. And, Baker recalls, there wasn't even a definite release date to promote.
But the plan worked - big time. The album's commercial success is unprecedented. It was the first independently distributed album to go straight to number one in the New Zealand charts. It was a gold record by the end of its first day (10,000 sales) and has since gone double platinum.
This week, Baker is doing the paperwork on an order that will see it top sales of 40,000.
Big mainstream retailers like The Warehouse are among the album's biggest buyers, something that was unimaginable in the band's early days as part of Wellington's underground dance music scene. [NB- The Warehouse account for over 60% of all CD sales]
But the "anti-marketing" philosophy is not about nihilistic rock'n' roll posturing.
Duckworth, who knows plenty about marketing, says it's part of a clearly defined strategy.
"We've always been pro-active about establishing a marketing plan," she said. "That plan was based on a couple of philosophies."
The first was to let the music do the talking, not the advertising.
"We'd come across - and been impressed by - marketing theories like the whole 'word-of-mouth thing'," she said.
"The loyalty that a word-of-mouth recommendation creates from a fan is much more powerful than someone discovering the music or the brand through a print ad."
The idea was to encourage a sense of ownership in fans.
"Then the audience is actually out there working for Freddy's."
That audience - which grew from years on the live circuit - created a huge advance demand for the album.
"With a creative business, you must let things happen organically," Duckworth said.
The loyalty, which saw the core fan base buy the album so quickly, has in turn created an industry buzz making Fat Freddy's one of the hottest acts in the country.
It's ironic given that the original plan was to ignore New Zealand and concentrate on foreign markets.
"The whole New Zealand thing surprised us," Duckworth said. "Seven years ago, we decided to focus on the international underground dance music scene because we didn't want to have to move into commercial music to be successful in New Zealand."
The band felt it was better to carve out a niche and sell themselves in places such as Germany, where that niche was big enough to be commercially viable.
That focus has meant that until this year most of Fat Freddy's work was only available on vinyl - something that only heightened demand for the album.
Duckworth said the vinyl release strategy was deliberate.
"You promote music through the DJs. When someone buys a CD, they'll play it in the car or at home and a close network of people will discover that music. But if you put it on a piece of vinyl and a DJ plays it over the weekend, then thousands of people start hearing it."
The Fat Freddy's sound - soulful lyrics layered over a slick brass section and heavy reggae beats - is part of a local movement dubbed Aotearoa Roots.
But, unlike so many Kiwi exporters, New Zealandness is not something the band has pushed.
"We've been careful not to market or brand the band as New Zealand," Duckworth said. "There is little interest, in the European market particularly, in music being from a specific country.
"There is a lot of pride here in New Zealand that the music is home grown but, overseas, you really have to put music out there first."
Fat Freddy Facts:
* Release music through their own label - The Drop.
* Debut studio album has sold nearly 40,000 copies.
* Picked up four New Zealand music awards this month - including best album and best band.
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//"We've been careful not to market or ...
//"We've been careful not to market or brand the band as New Zealand," Duckworth said. "There is little interest, in the European market particularly, in music being from a specific country.
"There is a lot of pride here in New Zealand that the music is home grown but, overseas, you really have to put music out there first."
that bit is especially fascinating. . . .
Who has marketed themselves as a NZ ...
Who has marketed themselves as a NZ band?
The relatively successful Moana and the ...
The relatively successful Moana and the Moahunters, currently touring Russia and England.
[ http://www.moananz.com ]
Yeap, so the ratio is currently 1:2000 ...
Yeap, so the ratio is currently 1:2000 (and counting). It's only a lazy newspaper and radio media that have accidentally made it seem like there is a "NEW ZiLuND MUSIC" movement. It's largely due to documentation around government initiatives being quoted too literally.
Sure there are lots of organisations and individuals working in an area best summarised as the New Zealand Music Industry or Scene, yet they are in general not marketing anyone as 'Brand New Zealand' first and foremost.
It seems strange to me then that reporters claim that someone is doing something unique by not trading on 'Brand New Zealand' when in fact its the norm.
>who has marketed themselves as a NZ ...
>who has marketed themselves as a NZ band?
Think of this in nz exporters context - many businesses trade on NZs image when selling overseas... but not music. As Kirsten Morelle of Golden Horse notes in Music Making in New Zealand (great book!), no-one cares that you're from NZ, it doesnt make you stand out - having good songs makes you stand out.
>It seems strange to me then that reporters claim that someone is doing something unique by not trading on 'Brand New Zealand' when in fact its the norm.
But thats NOT the norm for many exporters.
Dust, some good points on govt funded ...
Dust, some good points on govt funded bodies and their noo ziland music movement. They may not be marketing for export as made in nz, but govt bodies such as Tradenz are pitching in here, as Aunty Helen sees the Crreative Industries as potential export earners, and face it, meat exports just ainth= that sexy.
I liked Andrew Penmans comments in the SST on govt funding ...
"We're touring with several other bands under the Dub Conspiracy banner," says Penman. "Basically Dub Conspiracy is an attempt to bypass idiots like the New Zealand Music Industry Commission or New Zealand on Air. I sound like a hypocrite, 'cause Salmonella has taken a few NZ On Air video grants, but really, I think these organisations and most major record labels encourage dependence and stop bands from devising alternative ways of working independently."
Penman believes bands end up competing against each other for audiences, media space, record contracts and funding, instead of building "a community where bands get together to tour, to appear on each other's albums and to share knowledge and resources."
Hey cool comments – I didn’t expect ...
Hey cool comments – I didn’t expect anyone to bother with this issue.
I better fess up quick... Don't get me wrong I believe in the government (and it's many agencies) approach to 'Brand NZ'. It's the only manageable way to focus government groups on this sector (or similar ones) and have a productive result. I don’t believe in band funding however that’s a different topic altogether!
In the creative sector there are “Brand NZ” believers. Shockingly (for me personally) it’s incredibly apparent (and transparent!) in the fine art areas these days. Rar rar NZ ID! gag.
But what irks is that it’s simply not the case for local music (bands from our streets, towns and cities). I’m sick to death of reports say NZ music is working for the world and how its SOOO interesting etc etc. It’s completely out of touch. Its only interesting to the reporter or commentator because its news to them that a band thinks 'Brand NZ' is not the way to go.
Whats worse is they are now responding to their own spin and saying hey look at this band bucking the trend. Look at the new recipe for success.
Seems to me FFD just did what they know is right. And it is right. Brand NZ works for exporters of regional brand oriented goods such as wine but not for music. Music coonecting with consumer has nothing to do with regional values. Even average street level dumbarse musicians know this from day 1.
//Penman believes bands end up ...
//Penman believes bands end up competing against each other for audiences, media space, record contracts and funding, instead of building "a community where bands get together to tour, to appear on each other's albums and to share knowledge and resources."
But NZOA dates back what, 15 years? And as far as I can see that dire prediction hasn't been borne out at all - most musicians I know socialise and collaborate within really strong communities.
Not that I'm against the de-branding of kiwi music, mind... and I think kiwi musicians are capable of looking after themselves now, without bickering over who's (un)worthy of getting government support, here and overseas.
Mind you, it's still kind of hairy, just because different musicians disagree on what they expect to be able to achieve. NZOA or the NZMIC are probably a good idea if you think it's good for decent musicians to live off what they do, or get world famous in the conventional sense, or for people that don't really care that much about music to hear music made by kiwis...basically if you think kiwi musicians should be more heavily involved in a commercial (in the purest sense of the term) music industry. But I don't think govt support would have any impact on my preference for going to cool little gigs of bands with day jobs that I've heard on bFM or that my friends rave about. I guess that's the community thing to which Penman's referring, and I like that just fine.
Blah blah blah, sorry, slightly off-topic, just got on a bit of a thinking spree there.
there is further discussion on the ...
there is further discussion on the topic of marketing on the repeat of musical chairs at 7.30 tonight
/"Basically Dub Conspiracy is an ...
/"Basically Dub Conspiracy is an attempt to bypass idiots like the New Zealand Music Industry Commission or New Zealand on Air. I sound like a hypocrite, 'cause Salmonella has taken a few NZ On Air video grants, but really, I think these organisations and most major record labels encourage dependence and stop bands from devising alternative ways of working independently."
Any band worth their salt have got a bunch other things in motion in between funding rounds. I mean, I'm all for DYI 'n that, but I don't know about the 'culture of dependancy' angle Penman's putting into this- for a start, it's about developing an industry. NZOA is providing support to bands who have the best chance of commercial success/least need of support. Is it just me, or is he making it sound like there's this big line of kiwi bands who are setting up camp outside NZOA instead of doing the hard yards?? I dunno, it just seems a little detached/pessimistic.
good stuff! not being one to slam any ...
good stuff!
not being one to slam any of these org's for what they do. it's good to see at least something in place and working the large otherwise commercial middle class nz.
i'm seeing penmans point tho'.
so much hard work is wasted shit fighting for a grant that is far from accessable. even if you have a name for yourself already.
and it's not that muso's aren't helping themselves and eachother. but industry environments like having 90% of people fighting for a 5% share in the market.
those aren't real figures but it is a typical strategy.
// so much hard work is wasted shit ...
// so much hard work is wasted shit fighting for a grant
seriously? how long does it take to fill in that sheet of paper? christ, a band probably spends a combined total of 1 hour per year filling in applications to NZOA. Watch one less episode of survivor and get over it.
I reckon Penman's full of shit. If he was really upset about NZ bands dependence on NZOA, maybe he should make a point of giving back the $200,000 that Salmonella Dub have recieved from them over the years. Then maybe I'd listen to his whining. I think he just realises that Salmonella Dub owe a fuck load and were very dependent on NZOA so maybe everyone else is... well, I got news for that fool, nobody I know is dependent on them one little iota.
You wanna talk about hard work getting a grant...shit spare a thought for the people who can't get shit from creativeNZ...cause those applications actually take a hell of alot of time to put together and usually mean chasing down people for references, preparing budgets, sending in back up materials like multiple copies of albums, videos etc...
and if penman thinks this: "a community where bands get together to tour, to appear on each other's albums and to share knowledge and resources" isn't happening, he should pull his head out of his ass and go to some shows.
//...shit spare a thought for the ...
//...shit spare a thought for the people who can't get shit from creativeNZ...cause those applications actually take a hell of alot of time to put together and usually mean chasing down people for references, preparing budgets, sending in back up materials like multiple copies of albums, videos etc...
Word brother.
My time spent completing NZonAir applications over the years : 1 hours
My time spent completing ONE CreativeNZ application : 14 - 18 hours
But personally I'd like to see the NZonAir grants run more like the creativeNZ stuff.
Jesus Blink! You got riled up real ...
Jesus Blink!
You got riled up real fast! I hope you've chilled out some mate. Besides it's your business who you want to call fool for voicing opinions that don't match yours.
I'm sorry your claws came out, but I supported someone who I saw as working hard enough for long enough to say what he wants to say.
//You wanna talk about hard work getting a grant...
You know that creative NZ grants come bigger than NZOnAir?? That's the way it's set out there don't ask me.
And for the record I don't watch TV. Let alone survivor.
Blink you took my comments all the wrong way.
You can file your form for NZOA but the shit fight starts when it's up to the board to decide for the general public who gets some radio pie.
Both yourself and Penman work hard for Music. I want to be clear that you know I realise this.
But you don't be such a cunt about it bro'...
//My time spent completing ONE ...
//My time spent completing ONE CreativeNZ application : 14 - 18 hours
Ummm... and my time spent writing it and getting it edited and getting it to Scott... just as much.
Hehe yeah man that was such a mission ...
Hehe yeah man that was such a mission (I was really glad I didn't have to do all the set up work to start with!).
// You got riled up real fast! I hope ...
// You got riled up real fast! I hope you've chilled out some mate.
wasn't fast bro...been watching people bitch about NZOA for about 4 years now on these forums. kinda over it eh...
// You know that creative NZ grants come bigger than NZOnAir??
not nessacarily. Alot of creativeNZ grants are around the $1000-$1500-$3000 mark. Creativenz don't have set amounts. They give you the money you need to fufil your project so you don't lose money (generally)
this isn't about me pitching a battle between creatnz and nzoa, I was simply pointing out that NZOA grants take sweet fuck all time and only shitarse bands actually "depend" on them.
//But you don't be such a cunt about it bro'...
thats who i am man.
I just think Penman made some calls having no grasp on reality or what was happening...just some silly statement made from his cosy hotel room on tour somewhere in france enjoying the benefits of the status that band has acheived partly due to the support of NZOA.
I'd suggest Penman's comments have a ...
I'd suggest Penman's comments have a very solid basis in reality and good on him for not toeing the party line and thanking all them that have stuck their hands into the govt's coffers to lend the band a hand.
To bad mouth his comments doesn't add to any debate that might bring about any change to the current funding models that whilst applaudable could be administered better and whose focus is I'd suggest becoming redundant. The fight for the commerical ear has been won, now lets focus on supporting musicians of artistic merit that are representitive of our nation not US styled radio playlists
From open discussion and debate comes a better system one would hope, one that might benefit more artists and do more than provide video fodder for content hungary broadcasters etc.
Not that there is any real debate unfortunately as to the roles of these govt funded organisations, as no one wants to bite the hand that has or may feed them, that in itself is a shame
but "bob".... who are these bands that ...
but "bob".... who are these bands that Penman is referring to that "depend" on NZOA funding and whom don't "devise alternative ways of working independently"
i don't know who they are...but people shouldn't give a fuck about any bands who follow Penmans rule.
His comments do sound like he has lost touch with what is happening in NZ. Occasionally bands might get a hand out from NZOA every now and then, but $5k doesn't change their lives. Do you think The Datsuns depend on NZOA? Do you think that Die! Die! Die! sit around at home and wait till the NZOA round is announced until they book their air tix for OZ, the UK or US? Do you think Signer even bothers handing in a form before going and playing overseas? Have the Futurians ever thought about handing in one to fund one of their more then a dozen releases, here and internationally? Do you think that Pumice waits by the phone before beginning his residency in Venice? or that Disasteradio would stop writing like a song a day until his funding gets accepted? Did Batrider wait for funding before moving overseas? Did coco solid rely on NZOA funding to pay for their video and recent trip through europe and the US?
The list goes on and on and on. Good bands don't depend on anybody but themselves.
PS. I'm not angry. I just take offence to people (who should know better) thinking that all bands in NZ sit around waiting on NZOA.
>>The fight for the commerical ear has ...
>>The fight for the commerical ear has been won, now lets focus on supporting musicians of artistic merit that are representitive of our nation not US styled radio playlists
Bob, this is partly what Penman is getting at, I think - NZOA has consistently denied they have a cultural agenda under the act, deferring to a commercial one. NZ music successes that Labour love trumpeting about generally fall into the commercially successful.
Fat Freddys are the delightful antidote to all that crap - commercial radio has even started playing them (after they did a radio edit of Wandering Eye), hence their album bounces back to number one on the charts. Brendan Smythe is very touchy on the issue of NZOA's lack of a cultural agenda.
@Blink - them phase four grants can ...
@Blink - them phase four grants can really help if one plays the NZOA and subsequent media game and of course also fit the mould that the system enforces currently - commercial airplay. If a artist sits in the right zone the help can be substantial and whilst no career in itself them grants certainly take a lot of pressure of all vested parties and by virtue of having the govt's support also gains them support in many areas all but denied those who do it for themselves
Them that don't fit the mould have no option but to do it for themselves and I applaud any artist who does so. Having said that I also applaud those who do fit the mould and make the most of it, for why should they not.
IMO NZOA does an amazing job for those who fit NZOA's criteria, to say anything otherwise would be uncharitable in the extreme.
Totally agree with you - good bands cannot rely on anybody but themselves and in the context of this thread Fat Freddy's Drop are a perfect example of this.
Fat Freddy Facts: #4 The fastest and ...
Fat Freddy Facts:
#4 The fastest and biggest selling item on NZM and Smoke ever, period.
Blink, With all due respect: Sorry ...
Blink, With all due respect:
Sorry but I think you've hijacked the debate here and missed the point. I'm not convinced that Penman was strictly having a go at NZOA in the terms you are referring to.
I don't think you should presume to define the direction of topics here either - NZOA could be debated a lot more and I am certainly not "over it eh".
It also kinda irks me that you tend to make it about how people are 'out of touch' and you are 'in touch with the scene' as evidenced by the inevitable 'list of bands' near and dear to you that you'll throw into your posts. This is a debate, often involving taxpayer funds going into creative industries and shaping our cultural identity - its a topic of discussion for everyone who cares to throw in. OK so its not just about NZOA - but bring on more debate about funding! It's healthy to debate and this is a good a place as any.
Lets strip out the emotion and keep a topic like this alive.
sorry, didn't realise i was killing ...
sorry, didn't realise i was killing the forum. Quite the opposite actually...the forum HAD died until sweetleaf spoke up opposed to something I said.
I really can't understand how the direct quote " I think these organisations and most major record labels encourage dependence and stop bands from devising alternative ways of working independently."
could be taken any other way?
//This is a debate,
I thought thats what we were doing.
//It also kinda irks me that you tend to make it about how people are 'out of touch'
only when they are. I might have made that claim about 3/4 times in the past four years?
// I don't think you should presume to define the direction of topics here either
Sorry...didn't realise that I was doing anything of this nature, just enjoying the debate.
// I'm not convinced that Penman was strictly having a go at NZOA in the terms you are referring to.
what is your take on his statement?
haha, and cheers for the due respect ;)
Well I didn't want to sound ...
Well I didn't want to sound confrontational which I find very hard in forums. :)
/// I'm not convinced that Penman was strictly having a go at NZOA in the terms you are referring to.
// what is your take on his statement?
Actually I'm not sure - it's probably a little out of context. Ignoring the personal attack aspect of "idiots" I'd like to think he's getting at a broader point than "all bands in NZ sit around waiting on NZOA". I say it's hard to deny that bands and labels are affected by who gets a NZOA grant in one way or another.
My beef with NZOA is another topic. However I do like Bobs phrasing:
"current funding models ... whilst applaudable could be administered better and whose focus is I'd suggest becoming redundant. The fight for the commerical ear has been won, now lets focus on supporting musicians of artistic merit that are representitive of our nation not US styled radio playlists"
/The fight for the commerical ear has ...
/The fight for the commerical ear has been won
That's a fairly interesting statement, although I'm sort of aware that he doesn't expect his soundbites to be put under the microscope...
Whose fight is it? Who is the opponent? Have they really been beaten? Is the fight over?
I think the whole situation is rife with internal conflicts & duplication of effort, but it's better for NZ music as a whole if we discuss fresh perspectives, rather than tear existing dysfunction to bits. There has been encouraging results the last few years, it's not all bad.
I have some new thoughts about this, actually... I can feel a 'NZOA is *(&(' thread coming on...
Well Blink I didn't mean to nail you ...
Well Blink I didn't mean to nail you up there either. It's not the first time in here I've done that for mates... forget about my shit.
To me Fat Freddies is a little like Sal Dub in a way that the majority of audience members are diehard supporters. My guess is that kind of affords a luxury for these guys to release material without much of the marketing xmas lights. Another guess is that that sort of support is won by a lot of playing, a lot of collaborations and a lot of great but hard work. And I wouldn't consider either of the bands music would be on many commercial playlists compared to the generic bands like Tadpole and May30something. Maybe not Sal Dub but even their 'entry into the nz mainstream' has been a recent thing considering all they've done. (And yeah that is, with everybody else, probably a direct result of CreativeNZOA). And so I see here that Freddies had another stint to No1 now that it "makes acceptable listening" all of a sudden.
Which is a shame because Midnight Marauders is still a Fat Freddie favourite.
I don't know. I've only been able to stream Radio Active and BFM anyway so.
Even with this type of momentum I doubt, with taxes, that making music is getting them any richer (in terms of wealth not spirituality!) Thinking I suppose it becomes a business before too long. Ha. The music business!? Now I've heard that one before...