Marketing Rehab

Marketing Rehab
British singing sensation Amy Winehouse may be the best
musical marketing story since Madonna. In case you weren't
paying attention to the music scene - or to the tabloids -
over the last year or so, Amy Winehouse is the 24-year old
singer, songwriter, (and the latest celebrity train wreck)
who sings the hit "Rehab."

If you've heard her sing, you'd know her distinctive style
in an instant. And if you've ever seen the singer, I
guarantee you'll never forget her. Covered in tattoos,
with heavy eye-makeup and her trademark beehive hairdo,
Winehouse is impossible to miss.

Sadly, her enormous critical acclaim and six Grammy
nominations have been overshadowed by her public
self-destruction and reckless drug and alcohol abuse.
She's a favorite target of the tabloids and is right up
there with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan when it comes
to personal train wrecks. In fact, People magazine calls
her "a perfect storm of sex kitten, raw talent and poor
impulse control." Amy Winehouse makes Janis Joplin look
like a saint. Let's just hope she doesn't share Joplin's
fate.

What's any of this got to do with marketing, you ask?
Consider the fact that in the cutthroat music industry, the
chances of stardom are one in a gazillion. And when
someone bursts on to the music scene like Amy Winehouse,
you have to sit up and take notice. Her unique, soulful
singing style, her distinctive looks and, yes, even her
wacky behavior, create a remarkable brand identity. In
"Sethspeak," Winehouse is a purple cow in a huge herd of
me-too musical cattle.

Sure, she's immensely talented, but so are thousands of
other performers. What makes Amy Winehouse stand out is
that she's so... Amy Winehouse! She's carved out an
unforgettable image and an unmistakable identity.
Unfortunately, her personal turmoil is now part of that
image but, if it doesn't kill her, it definitely keeps her
in the news.

Minus the drama, marketers should learn from Amy Winehouse.
I'm not suggesting that you don a beehive wig or run out
and make a drunken spectacle of yourself. But you do need
to develop a brand. You need to be distinctive. And you
need to decide what you stand for. Does Amy Winehouse
stand out in a crowd? There's little doubt about that.
But do you? If not, what can you do to grab your share of
the spotlight? (Preferably, without breaking any laws!)
What can you do to make sure that you're not singing the
same tune as your competitors? Think about it, then go
forth and build your brand!

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Lou Bortone is an author and entrepreneur with extensive
experience in marketing, branding and promotion. Before
starting his own company, Lou was a marketing executive in
the television industry Today, Lou helps entrepreneurs
navigate their online businesses with creative services
such as copywriting, video production and brand-building.
Visit http://www.OnlineBrandingGuy.com