Over the next few weeks, I will be profiling certain individuals within marketing, hip hop and fashion. We will be starting this series with a man who has definitely inspired me with his viewpoints. That man is Seth Godin, NY Times Best Selling Author and popular marketing blogger. Seth has a unique sensibility about his writing and you will learn more than just business when reading his work. I am a strong supporter of his work and you will definitely learn and grow from his writing.
As an aside, I mentioned Seth as one of the writers to pay attention to in my first piece for Brooklyn Bodega. I am very proud to start this series with such an influential individual in the marketing community.
-------
1. For the readers who are unaware of your work, who is Seth Godin?
My work: I’m the most popular marketing blogger in the world, author of ten bestelling books that have been translated into 25 languages and the founder of Squidoo.com. I used to be VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo.
Me: I like to disrupt the status quo and spread ideas that change things. I used to run a record label that failed. I have no musical talent.
2. I am a huge fan of your latest book, Tribes. Tribes tackles the issue of leadership and how to build a movement behind you. What inspired you to write about this topic?
Tribes are everywhere. They are amplified by the internet, but they’ve been around forever. And leadership is the new marketing. Marketing is no longer about yelling at strangers. It’s about leading people where they want and need to go.
3. You write extensively on how important it is to be a heretic in order to lead. Why is going against the grain so important in the creation of a following?
Why would someone follow an ordinary person? If you’re happy with the status quo, you’re not going anywhere. So, the only place to find growth is if you are willing to go to the edges. “He’s just like Britney, but taller!” is not a recipe for growth.
4. In regards to the music industry, technology has changed how we acquire and use media. In your view, the industry didn’t adapt to this change due to a lack of heretic leadership and has suffered for it. Do you think these issues for the Big Four (Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, Universal and Warner) will continue?
They won’t continue for long, because the Big Four are going to fade to dust.
Look, the entire industry is based on a business model that used to be perfect. The model was: sell music on a physical substrate. Vinyl was perfect. CD was not. That’s because it’s digital. And once it’s digital, it spreads. So now you can’t sell the physical substrate. So the edifice you built around this model has no foundation.
5. Recently, a lot of the newer acts in Hip Hop have used social media effectively to grow a fan base and become successful. It seems that this is the new method of thinking when it comes to gaining exposure. Do you feel online has taken over radio & tv for music?
Simple: The internet is the new radio.
6. My writing for BrooklynBodega.com is specifically to share my experience from selling advertising. On your blog, you wrote about the stalling mechanism used in business to business sales by most companies and the opportunities that have been created recently. Do you feel that sponsorship is an effective form of marketing?
I think sponsorship can work where ads can’t, If it’s priced appropriately. Sometimes sponsorship is worth more than ads, but often, on a CPM basis, it should be priced at less. Marketers desperately need to be associated with leaders, and sponsorship can help with that.
7. With layoffs and doom and gloom news consistently being reported about the marketing and advertising industry, do you feel this is a reflection of our current economic state or is there reason to panic if you are a marketer?
I think it’s a reflection of what media companies like to write about.
We’re in the middle of a revolution. The old stuff dies before the new stuff grows, but you can bet there’s a lot of new stuff growing.
8. Being a successful writer, I am sure you are influenced by many people. Who are some authors that you read regularly?
I read a thousand books a year, at least part of them. I read hundreds of blogs. It doesn’t take much time and it’s so useful. Don’t take my list, make your own.
9. A consistent concept in your writing is The Dip. A lot of Americans are currently in the midst of one, what advice do you have for individuals striving for success during such unique times?
This is a huge opportunity. Right here, right now. A lot of people are giving up. Guess what? The people who don’t, those that push through, will have a huge win in just a little while.
--------------
You can find more about Seth on his blog as well as keep abreast of all the happenings in the marketing and business community: SethGodin.TypePad.com
You can purchase Seth’s books from his website
------------
Plug time
To conclude, my group Monsters Ink has a new record out. Please download and share.
Streets Buchanon ft. U-N-I, BK Cyph and Lex One – Different Over Here (produced by Lex One)
-Jrosen
Position: Brooklyn Bodega is looking for one or two dedicated individuals to work directly with our President and Festival Executive Director, Wes Jackson.
Description:
The position is a volunteer one with the distinct possibility of transforming into a paid position.
Assistant will report directly to the President and will assist in all day-to-day duties regarding The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and Brooklyn Bodega.
In these tough times when so many are either unemployed or underemployed this position is a great resume builder as you will gain experience in virtually every facet of the music business. Event Production, Talent buying, Marketing, Finance and more. As stated the position is unpaid but there is a clear path to compensation for the right person. The Bodega and the Festival are run like a non-profit. Our focus is on the culture and inspiring those around us. If you feel the same way then this is the perfect place for you.
Projects you will be working on:
• The 5th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
• “Show and Prove” MC competition
• Brooklynbodega.com
• Savannah Boogie Music and Song (new digital record label)
• Brooklyn Bodega Consulting and Branding
Responsibilities:
• Daily communication with President and key staff
• Serve as key advisor to President
• Help execute initiatives
• Coordinating schedule
• Setting up meetings
• Corresponding with staff, clients, and patrons
• Manage the execution of BHF project plan
• Supervise interns and volunteers
Skills:
• Above average communication skills
• Ability to work independently
• Self starter
• Proficient with MS Office suite of products
• Experience with Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver) is a plus
• Experience with basic HTML is a plus
• Passion for Hip-Hop music and culture
More details:
• Minimum 20 hours/week
• Can work remotely but at least half of the 20 hours will be in the Bodega office
• Position runs through June 26th. Can be extended.
• College credit available
Send resumes to moses@brooklynbodega.com
“Vinyl Is Forever"
DJ Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love
Monday, March 20
APT. (419 W 13 St)
11pm-4am
$10.
NYC’s longest running “Feel Good Music” party going eight years strong!
Afro-beat, Latin, Jazz, Soulful House, Raw Funk 7”s, Remixes, Nu-Jazz,
Breakbeats, Progressive Hip Hop, Sweet Soul, Roots, Ballads
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love spins at APT. the last Monday of every month.
Sister Shawne' along with Djembe percussionist Nyemba Seales & friends come
together every Friday, taking you back in time to feel the culture,movement
& rhythms of West Africa. Good vibes, and lots of fun! Beginners welcome~
Friday, March 27, 2009
Every Friday
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
All Ages
cover: $15.00 | Half price for the peeps bringing a friend!
blckempress368@aol.com
Embora Wellness and Movement Studio
900 Fulton St.
Brooklyn, NY
With more than 5,000 crime fighters and villains in its library, Marvel Entertainment is looking for some help in adapting those characters into films.
Comicbook giant is readying to assemble a group of scribes who will pen scripts for various properties Marvel wants to develop.
The writers group will be similar to that created by the fellowship program the Walt Disney Co. has been running since 1990. Latter enlists a dozen scribes to work with creative execs to develop films for the studio and TV shows for ABC, the Disney Channel and ABC Family.
Variety
Snagged this from makingthemogul. Dope site and dope piece on Dru Ha, head of Duck Down and big supporter of The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. DD has been in the house every year of the Festival. And the buzz is that trend will continue in '09...
-----
As CEO and co-founder of DuckDown Records, Dru Ha is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in hip-hop. He’s helped influence a flood of independent record labels that continue to develop their own empires and hold weight against the majors.
I caught up with Dru recently and had a great conversation with him in which he discussed today’s music business, getting Bootcamp on Twitter, and President Barack Obama.
The rest of the article
Comcast and AT&T on Wednesday emphatically denied participation in a Recording Industry Association of America anti-piracy crackdown that involves terminating internet access to repeat copyright scofflaws.
The denials underscore how skittish the ISPs are when it comes to public perception that they might be in bed with the RIAA. And the ISPs don't want to lose customers during harsh economic times as they undercut prices.
That said, ISPs have the power to terminate internet access of copyright scofflaws under their terms of service agreements, so their failure to publicly embrace of the RIAA plan might be of little consequence.
From ESPN
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell considers Michael Vick's potential return to the football from his indefinite suspension, he will be looking for evidence that the Atlanta Falcons quarterback is truly sorry for the mistakes he made.
Vick, who was once the NFL's highest paid player, owes millions of dollars to creditors. He is also facing fresh charges from the U.S. Department of Labor that he illegally withdrew more than $1.3 million from a pension plan of a company he owned.
His plan for paying his creditors is based largely on his intention to resume his NFL career.
Education software company Blackboard Inc. has released its free software that allows users to access Blackboard services on their iPhone or iPod Touch.
The new software lets users of Apple Inc.’s mobile devices get Blackboard alerts about grades, assignments, tests and other updates from teachers and other Blackboard users without logging on from their computers.
Business Journal
“Vinyl Is Forever"
DJ Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love
Monday, March 20
APT. (419 W 13 St)
11pm-4am
$10.
NYC’s longest running “Feel Good Music” party going eight years strong!
Afro-beat, Latin, Jazz, Soulful House, Raw Funk 7”s, Remixes, Nu-Jazz,
Breakbeats, Progressive Hip Hop, Sweet Soul, Roots, Ballads
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love spins at APT. the last Monday of every month.
Sister Shawne' along with Djembe percussionist Nyemba Seales & friends come
together every Friday, taking you back in time to feel the culture,movement
& rhythms of West Africa. Good vibes, and lots of fun! Beginners welcome~
Friday, March 27, 2009
Every Friday
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
All Ages
cover: $15.00 | Half price for the peeps bringing a friend!
blckempress368@aol.com
Embora Wellness and Movement Studio
900 Fulton St.
Brooklyn, NY
