Wednesday, November 17, 2010

 
When brand loyality seems misplaced.



Physical State: creaky
Mental State: hazy
Music: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Fashion sense: jeans, blue polar fleece.

This week there are two brand activities that I have to comment on. Actions that can change the way we feel about a company and our loyality to it.

Last week Joe Fresh, the fashion line of the Loblaws group, had this lovely statement on their blog for Remembrance Day:

"Dear Joe Fresh fans,

Yesterday was Remembrance Day – an important day which got me remembering this season’s take on military-inspired chic."


That's what its come down to? Once a day to remember the war dead and those serving now a day to remind you of military-inspired fashions. No words really. Just baffling. Just...wow!

And this week eMusic the once venerable indie music legal downloading service has announced that major indie labels Merge, Domino and the Beggars Group of labels (4AD, Matador, Young Turks, XL, Too Pure, etc) have left their service and we have two days (TWO DAYS) to download any of their stuff. I would estimate about 85% of what made eMusic were these three companies who saw it through some tough times. The story is that eMusic has sold their bread and butter labels down the river so that they can make way for Universal Music to be in their catalogue (Sony and Warner are already there). Again, no words. Good luck with that.

"We want to be up front with our loyal indie fans and provide advance notice that music from Merge and the Beggars Group family of labels will no longer be available on eMusic as of Nov. 18, 2010 pending further discussions. This is as heartbreaking to us as it is to you. Please know we have done everything we could to keep them from leaving. Forging deals with our label partners can be pretty complex. As many of you know, labels have come and gone over the years, and we hope to see these labels back soon."

I don't think trying to compete with iTunes is a great idea business-wise, Jobs will probably crush you. What's more they have not only lost their street cred because of greed and mismanagement, but also broken a very distinct and important distribution link for up and coming bands to get noticed. eMusic's service was a cool alternative to the big corps. Not cool.

This quote comes from Matador:

"This is unfortunate, but as eMusic has brought more major labels into the fold, they have changed the terms on which they deal with labels, some of which we have found impossible to accept, in our own interests, those of our artists, and ultimately those of their fans."

I will continue to support the artists on these labels who got shafted by buying legal downloads from their own websites and you should do the same. Money talks.

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