Deadlines/Brief

Music videos are so 80s/90s, right? They belong with the era when MTV screened wall-to-wall vids instead of 'reality' TV? Try telling that to the millions who bought Gangnam Style; were they really simply loving the music? 1.6bn (and still climbing) have viewed the video on YT, not to mention the many re-makes (school eg, eg2), viral ads + celeb link-ups (even political protest in Seoul) - and it doesn't matter how legit it is, this nightmare for daydream Beliebers is making a lot of money, even from the parodies + dislikes. All this for a simple dance track that wouldn't have sounded out of place in 1990 ... but had a fun vid. This meme itself was soon displaced by the Harlem Shake. Music vids even cause diseases it seems!
This blog explores every aspect of this most postmodern of media formats, including other print-based promo tools used by the industry, its fast-changing nature, + how fans/audiences create/interact. Posts are primarily written with Media students/educators in mind. Please acknowledge the blog author if using any resources from this blog - Mr Dave Burrowes

Sunday 8 April 2012

FINANCE & MERCHANDISE: band wine

We've clearly established the importance of pushing tour dates within an ad ostensibly for a digipak, and also the usefulness of pushing an official fansite URL (it is likely these days to feature a subscription package). Here's another example of how bands are seeking to generate revenue outwith sales of their music:
Slayer‘s music is certainly meant to be consumed with an accompanying libation. So it’s no surprise that the band has launched its very own brand of wine, much like Motorhead and AC/DC before them. The first beverage in the brand is Slayer Reign in Blood Red. The Cabernet Sauvignon from California is available solely in Sweden right now, so it’s not like you can cruise on over to the local liquor retailer to nab a bottle for dinner. Yet.
Reign in Blood Red features dark berry fruits and spicy, oak flavors. What could go better with ‘Angel of Death,’ ‘Mandatory Suicide’ or ‘Dead Skin Mask’ than a nice, tall glass of Reign in Blood Red? It’s not lost on us that the band chose red wine as opposed to white for its first foray into the liquor realm.
Rock band-branded wines are popping up with increasing frequency and it’s a smart association, reaching the fans in a totally different way. Besides, what looks cooler on the table than a tall, sleek bottle of wine with a Slayer logo stamped prominently on the front of it?
Go here to check out more details on Reign in Blood Red and to order if you can’t wait to toss some back.
Here's a more detailed rundown, via Roadrunner Records:
California thrash metal legends SLAYER have released their own Sweden-exclusive red wine. The name of the wine, "Reign In Blood", is taken from the band's classic album, which came out in 1986.

In the past few years, hard rock acts like MOTÖRHEAD, AC/DC and KISS have all launched their own wines, and now it's time for SLAYER to join in the battle for the thirsty metalheads, reports Dante Thomsen of the Swedish business magazine Dagens Media.

Behind the launch is the start-up company Brands For Fans.

The fact that Sweden is the first market to enjoy the "Reign In Blood" wine is a well-thought-out strategy.

"Sweden is a good market to start with," says Brands For Fans founder Sari H Wilholm. "We are a small country but we have incredibly dedicated fans, which makes it worthwhile to do the test launch in Sweden."

For the launch, Brands For Fans hired Agent Kommunikation, which designed the bottle and wrote the press release.

According to Wilholm, the response to the wine has been astounding. If the wine is successful, she hopes to export it to other countries.

"The demand has been enormous; we never expected it to be quite like this," she says. "Given the reactions, there seems to be a lot of SLAYER fans out there. Especially the response we have received from Finland, which has a lot of metalheads."

When asked why it was a good idea to launch a SLAYER wine, Wilholm tells Dagens Media, "I think people understand that SLAYER would never sell their name without having been involved throughout the process and having tried and approved the product. That kind of commitment, I think, is different from other artists who release similar products."

She adds, "It is quite unexpected for a band like SLAYER to release a wine, but they are just ordinary guys who like the same things as you and I do."

The wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, is as uncomprimising and tough as the band. After a couple of Seasons in the Abyss, the wine has an undisputed attitude and a soft nose of dark berry fruits with oak and spicy nuances. Good mouth feel with hints of fresh fruit and juicy, smooth tannins. Well structured and rounded with subtle notes of oak, showing true Divine Intervention. Enjoy it while headbanging, riffing or with food, friends and great music. Reign in Wine!

Name: SLAYER "Reign In Blood" Red Cabernet Sauvignon
Item No.: 74527-09
Year: 2010
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: California, USA
Quantity: 6 bottles (cardboard)
Price: 714 SEK (approximately $107) per cardboard box (6 bottles)

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