CREATIVE DIRECT-TO-FAN OUTREACH: THE RISE OF THE FANTREPRENEUR
At the risk of re-hashing what may be obvious, I’ve been thinking a lot about what differentiates one creative career from another – beyond the quality of work, of course.And I keep bumping up against that elusive, magical quality some folks seem to possess. The “it” factor + 10. That “something” that propels their relationship with their key influencing fans to a higher-than-usual level.
Without trying to analyze anyone’s genetic predisposition toward “engagingness” I’ve decided to coin a phrase of my own for that rare (but growing) breed of person/group who just knows how to wins fans and influence people: Fantrepreneurs.
A Fantrepreneur innovates beyond “business as usual.” These are people who have discovered ways to connect with their fans in ways that arehonest, transparent, unique, and ultimately - powerful in propelling their careers forward. They go way beyond pushing their art upon people in the hopes they’ll buy. What differentiates these guys is how they continue to provide overwhelming value to their audiences and inspire their fans to want to spread things around, while displaying great creativity along the way.
So here’s an initial short list* of some of my favorite Fantrepreneurs (not in ranked order – just randomly listed) and why I think they deserve the designation.
Hope you’ll add yours to the comments below, and that we can all learn from their innovation and fantrepreneurial spirit.
Glenn Hansard of The Swell Season, who has won legions of fans by connecting through Twitter and at shows where he often pulls fans onstage to perform.Here’s one fan’s story http://tommeny.com/2010/07/19/how-to-meet-your-hero/
Australian soprano/opera singer Natalie Peluso, who is building a reputation for herself as an online media publisher and philanthropist, while on a mission to help creative entrepreneurs to find their authentic voice through ”Fearless Karaoke” sessions that deliver her business message that music is for everyone.
Daytrotter’s Sean Moeller who had an idea to set up a live studio that would record one-of-a-kind sets by traveling bands and upload the content free for fans. “They are all live, no overdubs, straight to tape. What you hear is what happened in the room that day: four absolutely collectible songs that often impart on whomever listens to them the true intensity that these musicians put into their art, sometimes with more clarity than they do when they have months to tinker with overdubs and experiments,” says their website.
Classically-trained avant cellist phenom Zoe Keating’s use of social media to connect with fans and sidestep the confinements of a traditional label deal.Here she talks to NPR’s The Record. The code-savvy Keating also developed a tool that would allow people to download a song from her Into the Trees album in return for tweeting a link to all of their followers on Twitter.
Band OK Go’s creation offascinating, no-blink videos that entertain and amaze us and want to be part of their tribe.As of this writing “This Too Shall Pass” Rube Goldberg-machine inspired vid has over 16 million views on YouTube. The band’s frontman Damian Kulash sometimes makes big declarations like “We’re trying to be a DIY band in a post-major label world” or “Our whole bag is having good ideas and making cool shit.” They’ve been commentators on All Things Considered. They interviewed a member of N’Sync in the bathroom of Radio City Music Hall. They have a project where they walk the streets with fans handing out burritos to the homeless. They raised most of the money to buy a house for soul legend Al Johnson, so he could move home to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Indie music label Jagjaguar’s pioneering hybrid approach expanding to film distribution, starting with film, The Builder - screening in local bars and offbeat venues.
Smashing Pumpkins reaches out to fans directly to promoteVol. 1: Songs for a Sailor. Release comes in a silk-screened wooden box with a 7-inch vinyl single and carved obelisk - one of many bands embracing tiered pricing and unique offerings to fans.
Jill Sobule, the original “I Kissed A Girl” singer, set up a website, jillsnextrecord.com, to solicit donations for her 2009 album California Years. Sobule raised more than $85,000, offering gifts like signed CDs and private concerts for different sizes of donations. The top level: A donor of $10,000 would get to record a duet with Sobule for the album. A British fan went for it.
Imogen Heap once again forging new paths through new technologies like the 3DiCd interface for her new DVD release; but also with her cross-platform marketing/call-to-action plan to score a nature documentary using fans shooting their own footage of their world
And the Zac Brown band is flogging a home-style Southern cookbook for $32 that features front man Zac Brown’s signature recipes. It also sells tickets to fans for post-show “Eat and Greets” with the band that features Zac’s cooking. “It’s like a package deal combining all aspects of an artist’s career,” says the band.
Who are your favorite Fantrepreneurs?Let me know your thoughts!
[...] disappointed. Here, as usual, Guster’s marketing/fan outreach is chock full of smart “fantrepreneurial” practices, which I’m going to briefly point out below. OK, got your pencil ready? Here [...]
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[...] disappointed. Here, as usual, Guster’s marketing/fan outreach is chock full of smart “fantrepreneurial” practices, which I’m going to briefly point out below. OK, got your pencil ready? Here [...]
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