"Better" starting to gain MAJOR steam.

[SLCPUNK]

I heard Better played in Best Buy today.

I don't know why, but that strikes me as hilarious.

[D]

The only thing I can speculate and say about it is, Axl wasn't into the Best Buy Deal


I think Axl was pretty much forced into the deal so the label could recoup the money and Axl is protesting by not doing any promotion or anything else.

I just don't believe Axl would let his life's work be treated this way. So something had to happen, I mean take the booklet for example, that pissed Axl off and made him not want to participate.

[rabia]

The only thing I can speculate and say about it is, Axl wasn't into the Best Buy Deal


I think Axl was pretty much forced into the deal so the label could recoup the money and Axl is protesting by not doing any promotion or anything else.

I just don't believe Axl would let his life's work be treated this way. So something had to happen, I mean take the booklet for example, that pissed Axl off and made him not want to participate.

but he's the one who suffers, not the label. he has out his blood and sweat into this music and people are not getting to hear it because of the lack of promotion.

[sandman]

On the one hand people think there's some rift between GNR and Best Buy and that's why there's been no promotion by the band, but there's really no proof to that that I'm aware of. 

Best Buy's promotion has been very limited.

Judging by their in store displays, they do the same stuff for some popular DVDs.

Universal Music hasn't done a lot either.


It's like a tripod and I guess they expect one leg (Axl/GN'R) to do everything. It's no wonder they're waiting with the promotion.




/jarmo

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

i saw Best Buy do commercials, ads in the newspapers, in-store displays.

talk about throwing Best Buy under the bus. sure, i would have liked to see Best Buy do a little more, but to say that BB wants Axl to do everything is just ridiculous, cause obviously they've done quite a bit themselves.

i think a more accurate statement is that Best Buy was expecting Axl to do SOMETHING.

[D]

The only thing I can speculate and say about it is, Axl wasn't into the Best Buy Deal


I think Axl was pretty much forced into the deal so the label could recoup the money and Axl is protesting by not doing any promotion or anything else.

I just don't believe Axl would let his life's work be treated this way. So something had to happen, I mean take the booklet for example, that pissed Axl off and made him not want to participate.

but he's the one who suffers, not the label. he has out his blood and sweat into this music and people are not getting to hear it because of the lack of promotion.

yeah but his debts are completely paid off and he has that huge monkey off his back.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I can't be mad at Best Buy.

Thanks to them, we have a wonderful Guns N' Roses album to enjoy.

[carmiedisco12]

On the one hand people think there's some rift between GNR and Best Buy and that's why there's been no promotion by the band, but there's really no proof to that that I'm aware of. 

Best Buy's promotion has been very limited.

Judging by their in store displays, they do the same stuff for some popular DVDs.

Universal Music hasn't done a lot either.


It's like a tripod and I guess they expect one leg (Axl/GN'R) to do everything. It's no wonder they're waiting with the promotion.




/jarmo

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

i saw Best Buy do commercials, ads in the newspapers, in-store displays.

talk about throwing Best Buy under the bus. sure, i would have liked to see Best Buy do a little more, but to say that BB wants Axl to do everything is just ridiculous, cause obviously they've done quite a bit themselves.

i think a more accurate statement is that Best Buy was expecting Axl to do SOMETHING.

Spot on.

Its a really good album though One thing about CD is that its a major grower......shit promo though and the bands 90% responsible for that. Blaming Best Buy when theres been no vids, interviews etc....hmmmmm

If Axl does just want to record and release cool music and avoid the hollywood soap opera that is fame kudo's to him though....assuming thats the reason??? Otherwise it's a balls up pure n simple, im, not convinced cool music requires the soap opera and millions of $$ that led up to it though

[jarmo]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

[sandman]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

agreed. so your other statement that they are expecting Axl to do everything doesn't really make sense. cause clearly, Best Buy did do some promotion.

if the other two legs of the tripod has stepped up and done ANYTHING, the overall promotion wouldn't have been so bad. 

two things i'm forgetting though are the video game and the movie. who was responsible for that?

[jarmo]

agreed. so your other statement that they are expecting Axl to do everything doesn't really make sense. cause clearly, Best Buy did do some promotion.
 

"Some" is the keyword.

Axl explained his part.

Judging by what that "some promotion" has been from Universal and Best Buy, it's clear that they didn't seem to take it too seriously.

two things i'm forgetting though are the video game and the movie. who was responsible for that?

Not Best Buy.



/jarmo

[Methanol]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

What else can they do when the artist himself doesn't do anything? No interviews, promotion or videos... 

[jarmo]

What else can they do when the artist himself doesn't do anything? No interviews, promotion or videos... 

So that's the reason why CD was featured in the Best Buy circular like 3-4 times? And that the TV spot was aired the same amount of times?

Is there a formula for that?

If Axl interview == true then TV spot > 4





I'm glad you're all happy with Best Buy so far.




/jarmo

[adman2374]

What else can they do when the artist himself doesn't do anything? No interviews, promotion or videos... 

So that's the reason why CD was featured in the Best Buy circular like 3-4 times? And that the TV spot was aired the same amount of times?

Is there a formula for that?

If Axl interview == true then TV spot > 4





I'm glad you're all happy with Best Buy so far.




/jarmo

It seems to me that you are blaming Best Buy for the sales. You are completely off base. BB has actually done a lot to promote the cd and they spent a lot of money to promote it for THEIR OWN SAKE because they are on the hook for 1.3 MM copies! So, it is in their best interest to get the word out and promote it so they can at least make their money back. You blaming them is completely wrong just from a plain economics point of view. You should think about the facts before you go off on your fallacious arguments...

[falungong69]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

i get the feeling that best buy and the label intentionally sabotaged axl and the album's release.  it's the only possible explanation for why they fucked up so badly.  

but for the life of me, i just can't figure out why they did it.  it's like they personally want to tear axl down.  i don't get it at all.

[GNR4L]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

i get the feeling that best buy and the label intentionally sabotaged axl and the album's release.  it's the only possible explanation for why they fucked up so badly.  

but for the life of me, i just can't figure out why they did it.  it's like they personally want to tear axl down.  i don't get it at all.

I wouldn't say Best Buy sabotaged the release I say more of the record label.  First single no video ? There was suppose to be two album covers that didn't go well, the booklet was messed up.  If there hyping it up as the Most Anticipated Album Ever than how come it gets no airplay on Radio hardly and no mention on TV ?

[jarmo]

Best Buy's massive promotion consisted of a cardboard display, stickers, posters etc in their stores. In many stores that lasted a week or so.

So you go to a Best Buy store a week after the release and the album is at the cd section. Great promotion?

Then they had a few mentions in their circular.

Was the album ever a full page in the circular? They had a picture of Axl and a mention that the album would be out on Sunday November 23rd.

That's kinda easy to miss.

So unless you were at their store or looked in the circular, you might've missed it.


The TV spots and advertising outside of the Best Buy stores (billboards, print etc.) might be up to Universal Music to do something about.



If you think what Best Buy did was awesome, good for you. I guess we have different views on what an awesome promotional campaign in a store means.

I've read about what Walmart did for AC/DC. Seems like that was something special. The stuff Best Buy did for GN'R just didn't seem all too special.

Sorry all Best Buy and Universal Music fans if I hurt your feelings.






/jarmo

[younggunner]

i get the feeling that best buy and the label intentionally sabotaged axl and the album's release.  it's the only possible explanation for why they fucked up so badly. 

but for the life of me, i just can't figure out why they did it.  it's like they personally want to tear axl down.  i don't get it at all.

you know why you cant figure it out? Because they didnt sabotage anything!

Best Buys promotion was hideous. The label could careless because they got their money back.

For me it comes down to Axl and Best Buy. As crazy as it sounds, the release was rushed. As crazy as it sounds, Robins departure impacted this as well.

Best Buy has said that all they have required from GNR was a few singles and a video. That was pretty stupid on their part because a single and a video is not enough to promote and push an album. They should have requested/required more from Axl and the band. So that is where I think they are wrong

As for Axl and the band. They play a big part in this as well. We are two singles in and there still isnt a video. We are 3 months in and Axl and the band have not moved an inch to promote the album. (no performances, tv/radio interviews/magazine, etc)

When all said and done its up to the band to make this happen. You cant expect other people to do the grunt work. And frankly Im really surprised Axl didnt have a positive approach with the release of this album. I am surprised that he let this monmumental release come and go and not fight for it. But if hes content with everything then it shouldnt really matter to us because we have the album in our hands. Its his life not ours.

I've read about what Walmart did for AC/DC. Seems like that was something special. The stuff Best Buy did for GN'R just didn't seem all too special.

Best Buy is not Walmart and GNR arent ACDC. You cant compare the two

[D]

the end of the day Best Buy were just hurting themselves. I don't think it is fair to let Axl completely off the hook. I honestly dont think he was comfortable with the deal and how the album was released. I think he turned in the album expecting one thing, and when he realized it wasn't gonna go down that way, it was too late for him to take the album back.

[Uber-Tech]

It seems to me that if the record company were going to go down the route of a exclusivity deal with a chain store for one of the most awaited albums of the decade, then the chain would have had to come up with a mega deal to get that exclusivity.  I don't think money alone would have been enough to seal the deal.  There would have had to be a promise of certain levels of promotion and publicity by Best Buy themselves, which would then have run alongside promotion and publicity by the band themselves.

I have only read about the Best Buy stores and their levels of promotion, but I find it difficult to believe that the level of promotion Best Buy provided was what the record label and the band expected.

Therefore, rather than promote the album at present, thereby putting money into the pockets of Best Buy, promotion is being left until the end of the Best Buy deal, when the album will be re-released with the level of publicity that a band like Guns N' Roses and an album like Chinese Democracy deserves.

[bodine]

weren't you defending Best Buy's promotion efforts a couple months ago?

Maybe I was.

I like to believe that things can change.

When I saw the ads etc. I thought it was the start.

Well it was, but it also ended were quickly. Three TV spots? I was expecting a bit more...

A cardboard display with the album? Cool, but they also had a similar stand for the Hancock DVD....




/jarmo

i get the feeling that best buy and the label intentionally sabotaged axl and the album's release.  it's the only possible explanation for why they fucked up so badly.  

but for the life of me, i just can't figure out why they did it.  it's like they personally want to tear axl down.  i don't get it at all.

The reason you can't figure out why Best Buy/Universal sabotaged Chinese Democracy is because it never happened!

I agree that BB's promotion was not monumental, but they could have done everything under the sun to promote the album, but if Axl himself wouldn't do it, sales were going to suffer.  They probably stopped promoting it when they realized GN'R was not promoting it.  What were they going to do, the "Album that's so great, even the artist won't acknowledge it" campaign???  But if at the end of the day, it makes you feel better to lay blame at the feet of anybody but those it belongs with, so be it.