Your GN'R marketing ideas

[Dave_Rose]

It should begin, with splashing, a shit load of posters around the world. A television commercial to hype the album like a WWE PPV Commercial you how they hype the PPV's I was thinking that kinda of way around. Premier the video on MTV late night. Also they should record a sort unplugged gig in a small venue. Show off a few new songs, loads of magazine and radio interviews, drop the album, do a store signing, play a loads of festivals around the world... BEGIN THE TOUR!

myspace and facebook can play a huge part in this as we all know!

[kollemann]

Release Chinese Democracy is marketing enough

[russtcb]

I think a viral campaign would do the trick

[Ulises]

4 words: Just Launch Chinese Democracy (that's my idea and, i think, the best possible idea...)

No matter the way is launch...

[ben9785]

Yes, I would love for them to just get the album out to stores as quickly as possible..
But I really doubt this is going to be a traditional release. I don't think its just going to be
a case of a mere listing in your local cd store "NEW RELEASES XX 2008: Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy".

As I've repeated in the past, there has been far too much hype, mystery and even criticism surrounding Axl and the album. It's not just a case of a new album being released by Guns N Roses - its a new band and 7 out of 8 of the band members are most likely unknown to the majority of the commercial music world.
If Axl's true intentions are introducing his new band members as part of the GNR name and legacy rather than hired hands, then they need to have a proper introduction to the world, they can't just remain as anonymous band members who are on tour with the Axl Rose show. Sure they get introductions on stage, but some of the long time members like Tommy and Robin need to have their due recognition alongside Axl.

[mrbucketfoot]

1. Redesign of GunsNRoses.com with Tour Photos and Member Biographies.
2. Post the album art and tracklisting
3. Rolling Stone exclusive on the album, play the album for other magazines.
4. Release single
5. Start tour
6. Release album by September
7. Rock faces
REPEAT

[cyllan]

3. Rolling Stone exclusive on the album, play the album for other magazines.

I know that RS has supported GNR in the past and I still think that Kim Neely's interview with Axl was one of the most insightful and honest pieces that I've ever read about him, but do you think that the magazine carries the same weight as it did back in the '90s and are there still people on the staff of the magazine whom Axl would know and might trust enough to give an exclusive interview to?

mrbucketfoot:  This is a sincere question; as a non-American I find it difficult to guage the influence and importance attributed to foreign (to me!) media.
 

[mrbucketfoot]

I'm not sure if they will or not, but I think that some people who have appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone have been against the wishes of some.

Regardless GNR finally releasing this album and Axl getting to speak about it will be undeniable. It'll sell a lot of magazines. And no, I don't think it carries the same weight, but it's very mainstream and it'd get the attention of people who don't even know or care about GNR or the album.

Not to mention what it'd do for morale. I'm sure people will be excited when the bands announces whatever, but if they hear something from Rolling Stone or someone like that they'll be like "okay the album is finally coming out, we can get excited now".

I don't mean that in a negative way, we all know that the album has been delayed for whatever reasons.

[cyllan]

Regardless GNR finally releasing this album and Axl getting to speak about it will be undeniable. It'll sell a lot of magazines. And no, I don't think it carries the same weight, but it's very mainstream and it'd get the attention of people who don't even know or care about GNR or the album.

Thanks for that.     From what what you say it sounds as though an in-depth article in RS would remain an effective means of communication.   

I'm no longer a regular reader of the music press here in the UK - having got disillusioned with most of them long ago - but of course, being a much more compact country, it'd be easy to achieve saturation coverage on national radio/TV over here.  And if the band would consider a live performance on something like 'Later...with Jools Holland' (kind of like a modern day equivalent of 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' - for those old enough to remember!), I think they'd reach an even wider audience.  Actually, Jools is a pretty mean ivory tinkler himself and a duet with Dizzy would definitely be something worth hearing! 

[LunsJail]

3. Rolling Stone exclusive on the album, play the album for other magazines.

I know that RS has supported GNR in the past and I still think that Kim Neely's interview with Axl was one of the most insightful and honest pieces that I've ever read about him, but do you think that the magazine carries the same weight as it did back in the '90s and are there still people on the staff of the magazine whom Axl would know and might trust enough to give an exclusive interview to?

mrbucketfoot:  This is a sincere question; as a non-American I find it difficult to guage the influence and importance attributed to foreign (to me!) media.
 

RS doesn't carry the weight it did in the 90's but it still carries the most weight amongst rock mags.  And if Axl is going to hold this deep distrust of the media, then it will be hard to promote this thing properly

[Angel Down]

How about a live satelite link up on the day of the release. A live performance beamed across the world would ROCK!

[wight gunner]

How about a live satelite link up on the day of the release. A live performance beamed across the world would ROCK!

They would have to do an improptu gig, say on top of a landmark say the Needles light house on the Isle of Wight.

[AxlsMainMan]

On the day the album is released, the band could go around New York City peforming on a flat-bed truck like U2 did a few years ago.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Start the ransom release a.s.a.p. 

Set a deadline for Thanksgiving, 2008.  Two million orders world-wide.  Once 2 million orders have been taken (non-refundable if the target is reached in time) those 2 million fans get the album first and a special on concert tickets once the tour comes 'round their neck of the woods.

If the target isn't reached, money is refunded and the wait begins again.  Yeah, I'll let the record company play with the target number.  Whatever they're cool with is fine...

...and of course, a kick-ass Rolling Stone cover story along with a huge fucking special issue highlighting the talents of the GNR monster.   

[gunns1]

Start the ransom release a.s.a.p. 

Set a deadline for Thanksgiving, 2008.  Two million orders world-wide.  Once 2 million orders have been taken (non-refundable if the target is reached in time) those 2 million fans get the album first and a special on concert tickets once the tour comes 'round their neck of the woods.

If the target isn't reached, money is refunded and the wait begins again.  Yeah, I'll let the record company play with the target number.  Whatever they're cool with is fine...

...and of course, a kick-ass Rolling Stone cover story along with a huge fucking special issue highlighting the talents of the GNR monster.   

thats fucking genious,
I agree, it certifies a profit for the band well at least some money,
and it gives something to the fans that dont rob the band

[cineater]

If GNR were on the Dreamworks Label I have a whole movie script worked out just need to plug in the songs. 

[Axl4Prez2004]

Start the ransom release a.s.a.p. 

Set a deadline for Thanksgiving, 2008.  Two million orders world-wide.  Once 2 million orders have been taken (non-refundable if the target is reached in time) those 2 million fans get the album first and a special on concert tickets once the tour comes 'round their neck of the woods.

If the target isn't reached, money is refunded and the wait begins again.  Yeah, I'll let the record company play with the target number.  Whatever they're cool with is fine...

...and of course, a kick-ass Rolling Stone cover story along with a huge fucking special issue highlighting the talents of the GNR monster.   

thats fucking genious,
I agree, it certifies a profit for the band well at least some money,
and it gives something to the fans that dont rob the band

Seriously, how fucking hard would it be to set something like this up?

The very nature of this marketing strategy would generate free publicity...yes, some negative, but when the hell has that ever stopped Axl?

2 million, 3 million, 5 million?  Who cares!  Buying the cd and getting the deal on concert tickets would basically pay for the album itself! 

It eliminates any risk on the record company's side.  It eliminates the risk of leaks because a leak of the final version would void the pending sales.  The record company wouldn't be stupid enough to leak the final versions.

Will some thieves simply wait for the album to be released and uploaded to p2p networks, probably.  But...the more of them there are, the more time until they get the album, and if they're interested in going to a concert, it would be full price for them.

[AxlsSweetChild]

how bout surprise appearence during the opening ceremonies during the 2008 summer olympics in beijing, how fucking crazy would that be

[Angel Down]

how bout surprise appearence during the opening ceremonies during the 2008 summer olympics in beijing, how fucking crazy would that be

What is crazy, is that I had exactly the same thought last night! 

[Spirit]

Before you read on, I'll post this link.

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/puzzle/guitarheroaerosmith/news.html?sid=6186099&mode=recent


Now, picture this..

Many people don't really know the new people in Guns N' Roses, or haven't even heard their names. When GN'R release their new LP, they could do it with Activison on board, and we'll have 'Guitar Hero: Chinese Democracy' to coinside with the album. The game could have a proper presentation of each member of the band, and of course contain all the songs from CD as well as B-Sides and live performances of songs not included on the CD (Sway, Sailing, Back In the USSR, different guitar solos...etc.)



Something like this?