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Posts Tagged ‘the Current’

What does “Sold Out” mean?

Posted in Cool things in Minneapolis, Cool Things in St. Paul, MKTG 3350: Buyer Behavior and Marketing Research, Music, Word of Mouth, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2012 | 4 Comments »

I realize that’s an odd question, but one that pertains to how we buy and value products and services.

Here are some examples:

  • You see a house go on the market in a great neighborhood and it’s sold in 3 days.
  • You hear a song on the radio and think, “Cool band, I’d like to go see them.” Then you find out the show sold out in 2 hours at First Avenue.
  • You attend an awesome networking breakfast that sells out in 20 minutes with 3 ticket drops.
  • Your favorite band is in town, but there are still tickets the day of the show–how can that be?
  • You just need a cheesy hamburger, but the line’s 30 feet out the door and it’s only 20 degrees out.

What do these experiences (all real) say about value?

  • You want to buy a house near Mattock’s Park in St. Paul? Get in line. It’s one of the most popular micro-neighborhoods in St. Paul.
  • The first time I heard Mumford & Sons on the Current, I was intrigued, but too slow to buy tickets in time.
  • The Java Meetup 612 group is entertaining and educational even if it’s at 8 in the morning–but maybe I shouldn’t tell you about it if I ever want a ticket again?!
  • Bob Mould played First Avenue Saturday night. I’ve followed his music since I was not-so-sweet 16. I couldn’t believe the show didn’t sell out until Friday. Doesn’t everyone know how brilliant he is?
  • And the storied, Juicy Lucy. You can buy them all over town, but if you go to the Blue Door in St. Paul, expect to wait.

As consumers, our value perception changes based on product availability. Are Mumford & Sons any better than Jeremy Messersmith just because its slightly harder to get tickets to them? No. But then music is subjective. How do we think differently when everyone’s talking about something? Despite Bob Mould’s stunning show on Saturday night, most of the buzz I heard last week was about Dessa’s sold out lipstick unveiling. I really like her, too, but Bob, well Bob takes precedent and he doesn’t play here that often anymore. Was the buzz shining for Dessa because she’s local and Bob moved away a long time ago? Does she have better public relations? And, oh, Dessa Red is sold out…

My point really is when something is continually sold out, when do we lose interest? How much hype is too much?

If you have an answer, find me Saturday at the Minnesota Blogger Conference — that is if you have a ticket. It’s been sold out for weeks!

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Great Moments in Minnesota Marketing

Posted in Minneapolis / St. Paul Marketing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

My personal favorites, in some particular order…

1) The Current

A snippet about their recent birthday party from Chris Riemenschneider at VitaMN.com, the arts and entertainment weekly from the Strib. Click here for City Page’s review. We are so lucky and the show really was awesome.

Four of the five acts playing the Current’s Sixth Birthday Party have filled First Ave on their own, so the soiree is sort of a wham-bam thank-you overview of numerous weekends at the club. The acts certainly owe gratitude to the nonprofit radio station for making those gigs possible. And the station owes a giant thanks to the music scene for making it something more than just another Radiohead-spinning hipster rock outlet. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Trampled by Turtles will open the show — late arrivals, be damned! — followed by Roma di Luna, Jeremy Messersmith, Free Energy and Brother Ali.

I suppose I should say why this is amazing marketing. All you have to do is go somewhere else in the US and turn on the radio. Public radio stations typically have talk and classical music formats. Commercial stations are naturally dependent on advertising and are excruciatingly format driven. Is this target marketing at its worst? Are musical tastes really that “siloed?”

About 6 years ago, MPR purchased a beloved and unique public radio station in Minnesota. People were mad. Then people were shocked — happily — to hear this new station. And it’s only gotten better. Where else can you regularly hear local music on the radio and then go see them perform live — all the time?

2) The Pillsbury Doughboy. Seriously, I’ve loved him since I was 3. Why doesn’t he have his own YouTube channel, though?

Tara Jarmon for Target

3) Target’s Guest Designers. Where else can you buy toilet paper AND William Rast denim? Target’s Go International brings innovative new designers to my neighborhood big box. I need Tara Jarmon’s reissued dress for the spring!

I would not be able to find this anywhere else, so why would I go anywhere else? Doesn’t it save me time to combine all my shopping into one, big trip? Time, maybe…

4) Minnesota Professional Sports. Here’s how I sum them up:  We live in the State of Hockey, we love to hate the Vikings (and the Dome), and we play baseball outside in Twin’s Territory. How could you not love that?

5) Winter. From the surreal beauty of the City of Lakes Loppet, to quaint and campy St. Paul Winter Carnival, and the St. Paul Parks and Rec ice rinks, but especially the one at Groveland Park; we love winter. Yeah, not just LIKE it, but love it. We’ve turned the terror of 20 below into thinking 32 in February is a heat wave. I can’t begin to explain to a non-Minnesotan how incredible 33 degrees feels in the middle of winter. You have to live here, a long time, to feel that way. But we don’t want to get it too much warmer because then the sledding hills will turn to mush and the ice rinks will get choppy. Thank goodness for the refrigerated ones…

A BIG THANKS to all my students who offered me their own Minnesota Marketing Faves when I got stuck on the Pillsbury Dough Boy (and his Crescent Rolls).

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On my radar this week – December 7, 2010

Posted in Getting the word out, Minneapolis / St. Paul Marketing, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Too much, as usual, to write about, so here’s my random list of interesting stuff.

The Jayhawks new website – either it’s new or I missed it. Either way it’s incredible. It is perfectly branded with incredible photos from Steven Cohen to set the mood. I’m also impressed with their current PR campaign of Facebook and recent press in Rolling Stone.

Discover Card’s deceptive and misleading product add-ons via telemarketing calls. Minnesota Attorney General files suit.

The Minnesota Governor’s Race. Minnesotans believe Emmer should concede. And the Economist bestowed upon us a new season:  Recount (to go with Winter and Road Construction, in case you are not from Minnesota).

Web Advertising and internet tracking. While I definitely see the correlation between an internet tracking opt-out and the do-not-call telephone registry, a better parallel is how advertising funds commercial television. Yes, we can purchase cable or satellite television, but at least we have the option of not.

The Current’s Rock the Cradle. How fun! I can’t think of a better way to spend (besides sledding and just plain hibernating) a Minnesota winter day. Kid’s will be dancing all over the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

The Snow Falling on my Blog. I’m note sure I like this or if it annoys me. But I love snow. For now, I’ll keep WordPress’ Extra for Snow Falling Around the World.

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First Ave goes….modern?

Posted in Minneapolis / St. Paul Marketing, Music, Positioning, tagged , , , , , on October 5, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Photo by Steve Cohen

It was hard enough to see an old haunt…remodeled (nice new bar upstairs), but then they painted over the stars. I have to admit, I much prefer it without the smoke of  my youth. I used to love going to concerts.

Used to…can’t miss the past tense of that verb. I’m a whole new demographic now — married with young children at home.

I love live music, so I’ve made it a goal to experience more now that I’m back in the music city. A goal! a goal? When did having fun become a goal? So how am I doing? One show in June, an old favorite the Jayhawks played 3 sold out nights at First Avenue. I’m not sure it was ‘transcendental,’ but it was close. One this week, again an old favorite that I once flew to Amsterdam just to see. I’m not being too adventurous here.

I’m in a rut. What’s on my iPod? The 90s and anything I played on college radio back in the day….plus a few new artists, like Adele. I listen to the Current and adore the “on now” feature that is front and center on their home page. I need it. Someone at MPR was thinking about what information their listeners (and contributors) would want. Just look down from there and boom! A button to contribute. MPR knows what they’re doing.

Sunday, I was driving down the road at 3:17 pm and this cool song came on the Current. I noted the time and checked the web (later, not while driving) to learn it was a new-to-me band Mumford & Sons who would play First Ave in October. Sold out (of course), but I will never miss a show again, First Ave has an (Apple) iCal link. I used to learn about shows via concert ads stapled on telephone poles all around Minneapolis (before it was illegal) or phone calls from friends who had heard from friends…about who was playing tonight. And now I’m part of their online community, though I’m not sure what that entails.

Poking around the Current’s website, I found their concert calendar. Bob Mould at the Dakota later this month. The Dakota! A lovely place, but really, isn’t he a First Ave kind of guy?

In case you missed the Jayhawks reunion, here’s a snippet:  

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Mark Olson performs in The Current studios | The Current from Minnesota Public Radio

Posted in Getting the word out, Minneapolis / St. Paul Marketing, Music, tagged , , on October 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Mark Olson performs in The Current studios | The Current from Minnesota Public Radio.

Another old favorite making new.

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