Well known marketing expert, bestselling author, and lifelong Deadhead David Meerman Scott, co-author with Brian Halligan, took the time to answer a few questions about their brilliant and insightful book Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History.
David Meerman Scott describes how this iconic, counterculture rock band, without the aid of hit records and massive radio airplay, created one of the most revolutionary and enduring marketing concepts in history.
Thanks to David Meerman Scott for his time, and for his informative and thoughtful responses. They are greatly appreciated.
What was the background to writing this book Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History?
David Meerman Scott: Not only had we both been going to concerts for years, we had both been inspired by the Grateful Dead as an example of great marketing. In each of my previous five books, there is a reference to the band and most speeches he’s delivered since 2007 includes riffs on how the Grateful Dead culture of “losing control” benefits organizations of all kinds. At HubSpot, the market position that my co-author Brian built for his company around the new category of “Inbound Marketing” was significantly influenced by how the Grateful Dead created its own music category (they watched “competitors,” but never followed them).
In March 2010 we collaborated on a free Webinar called “Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead.” We quietly announced the virtual gig and were amazed when 1,700 people signed up with almost no promotion. So on April fools day, taking a page out of the Grateful Dead concert playbook, we improvised a discussion on the band’s marketing and what companies can learn from it. The feedback from over 300 tweets and a bunch of blog posts was so overwhelmingly positive, we knew we had to do more. The book was born.
Were the Grateful Dead using social media long before the term was even coined?
David Meerman Scott: Grateful Dead shows were a place where people bonded. The travelling caravan was a true community—a collaboration between the fans and the band—providing “Dead Heads” with a sense of belonging (as well as some damned fine music). The concert experience was a counter-culture adventure and many people treated the shows as a pilgrimage. Inside the arenas 25,000 fans would come together as one organism, bonding in a way not unlike that of a religious movement.
David Meerman Scott (photo left)
The Grateful Dead are legendary for the loyalty of their fans. How did the band create and retain that engagement and loyalty of their fans?
David Meerman Scott: The Dead created their own mailing list to communicate with fans, asking for addresses at concerts and on album covers, and they sold tickets directly to fans rather than using a ticketing service.
Unlike nearly every other band, the Grateful Dead not only encouraged concertgoers to record their live shows, they actually established "taper sections" where fans' equipment could be set up for the best sound quality. When nearly every other band said "no" the Grateful Dead created a huge network of people who traded tapes in pre-Internet days. The broad exposure led to millions of new fans and sold tickets to the live shows. Today, as many companies experiment with offering valuable content on the Web, the Grateful Dead teaches us that when we free our content, more people hear about our company and eventually do business with us.
The Grateful Dead (photo left)
Were there lessons to be learned from the band's business model as well?
David Meerman Scott: The Grateful Dead really created a category — they were a fusion of rock, jazz, and country, with improvisation layered on top. In the book, we talk a lot about their unique business model. Instead of building a band around selling albums, they made the concert experience the center of the business model. Every concert was unique, instead of the same songs played the same way, night after night. It created a strong incentive to see them over and over. And they let people tape the shows, because they figured that more people would be exposed to their music, which would get more people to pay for concert tickets.
The Grateful Dead were a tremendous brand name. How can business people learn about branding from the band?
David Meerman Scott: The Grateful Dead. If you stop to think about it, the name is sorta weird. Even a little scary. But boy is it memorable. A name--like the Grateful Dead--is an asset to an organization choosing wisely. When you select an uncommon name (and one appropriate to your company image and target market) it’s unlikely that consumers will confuse your product with something similar. They will remember you. And in today’s world of online communications and of search engines, unique names for your company, products, and services allow you to own the search engine results for your brands.
What is next for David Meerman Scott?
David Meerman Scott: New book coming November, 2010 - Real-Time Marketing & PR: How to Instantly Engage Your Market, Connect with Customers, and Create Products that Grow Your Business Now
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My book review of Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History by David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan.
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