2.10.12 US Radio Promo info, In:Demand Interview

For the first time in 5 days -- I can honestly say I am up-to-date on Adam news!!!!

NOTE --- as you know I am a promotional strategy "wonk" and it is related to my real world professional career. I am really pleased with Adam's current promotion but have a couple critiques of what RCA is doing. That said I am very confident that Trespassing (album) will be bigger than FYE -- and I think it will really showcase his creative abilities. So if a comment that praises but also criticizes this era's promotional plan makes you angst -- SCROLL NOW. But there is not reason to angst. Almost everything is golden for Adam right now.[/color]

First -- let me start with what is really great this promo cycle. And for the most part I am thrilled. Actually beyond thrilled!

1. The sequence of promotion has been great -- they have positioned Adam as a global artist and for a global launch.

2. For the most part, all aspect of this promotion has been well executed -- and there were very few promo activities that made ineffective use of Adam. In the FYE era they had Adam work really hard on things that did not have a big effect -- like the UK Radio tour.

3. The ground game across Sony markets is being smartly run -- even in places Adam has not been like Japan.

4. What is even more impressive to me is the passion of Adam fans around the world. BTIKM is getting airplay all over the world and I lot of that is due to fans who request and promote Adam from their local stations. And that is brilliant!!!! [Many long time Idol watches have seen fanbases shrink dramatically a couple years after Idol -- and Adam seems to have more fans now than in 2009.] There is no need to worry that his fan base has faded away in the past 3 years - he is bigger than ever.

5. BTIKM music video got buzz and great reviews from press, fans and even some detractors -- credit for this goes to Adam and Ray -- not so much to RCA.

WHAT IS NOT WORKING -- the lead single

This has nothing to do with what I think of BTIKM creatively. It is about the selection of this track as THE lead single.

A lead single has a job to do -- for a major pop artist it needs to break through the clutter and get casual fans and non-fans excited about an upcoming album -- plus it is supposed to sell so that when the album in released people want to buy the album. With digital sales being more important - it matters even more because if fans own a tract or 2 or 3 they are more likely to complete the album on iTunes.

>> BTIKM is currently at #194 on US iTunes Pop -- in other words, not selling very much.

>> BTIKM is off to a slow start on radio.

>> BTIKM is not doing its job.

Why didn't the Dec buzz campaign work? -- IMO -- BTIKM is safe and conservative and kind of a standard label-selected track. IF they wanted to do an online buzz launch as they started in December, this "manufactured in the song sausage factory" song (even in the hands of possibly the best pop vocalist in the world) is just not going to create a lot of buzz. (NOTE I think it would have been a huge mistake to introduce the Trespassing era with a controversial single, so my opinion is they should have nixed that whole December internet launch.)

>> They missed on the concept of the buzz campaign. But it cost almost nothing and there was plenty of time to go with a traditional radio promotion.

We are now 8 weeks after BTIKM was sent to radio, 3 weeks past the HAC Impact Date and 2 weeks past the Pop Impact Date and BTIKM is at best off to a slow start -- particularly on Pop Radio. The track is doing OK on Hot AC -- but this is the radio format that loves Adam and was ready to play any Adam music.

>> When a station that has been a huge supporter of Adam's music like WSTW Wilmington DE and was an early adder stops playing this track, it is a sign that there is a lack of enthusiasm for this track.

>> When a significant percent of airplay is from fan voting and not from the PDs, this is a sign that the is a lack of PD support for the song. For example - Q102 had 9 spins of BTIKM last week. Only 3 monitored Pop stations played it more than 10 times last week -- plus on satellite channel.

Now it could all turn around next week and if it does, I will post a public apology to RCA on page 1 about being totally surprised and wrong. And I sincerely hope that I have to post that apology.

SO MY MESSAGE TO RCA

Why not just release "Trespassing" NOW? We are 5 weeks to album release. You have time. We're already been here before -- FYE (album) was released without a lead hit single. Don't let that happen to Trespassing (album). And don't wait until March, do it now or do it next week.

Finally, I am happy if you want to disagree with me and defend this lead single. But I have two requests.

1. Please do not post that I am "hating on Adam" or that I hate this track -- I am pushing for Adam to get the promotion he deserves and to have a single out before the album release the he created and co-wrote.

2. Please do not clip out one sentence of this and characterize it that I am saying Adam is not doing well, or similar comments. If you want to quote me -- then at least link to this entire post.

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL -- Quote this if you want my opinion in a "sound bite" -- Adam and his new album will be a big success but IMO he will sell more with a stronger lead single.

OMG. Q102. WOW do I wish I had the money to bid on that! Oh so close!!! What are the odds that Adam will come to Allentown to promo? Hahahah!! I just had a major head rush when I read he's coming to Philly! Yeah I'm not the least bit excited!?!?!?!?!

Wonderful write-up alongside the video. Fav excerpts:

"From the moment Adam Lambert walks in the room, you know you're in the presence of a star. Warm, funny, charismatic and unfailingly polite, the man is a class act."

"However, we were invited to a special media showcase the following night. Although we'd heard about Adam's reputation as a live performer, we'd never had the pleasure in person before.

To cut a long story short, we were blown away, so much so that we're going to make a prediction. As things stand now, Adam has a large and loyal fanbase. We reckon this album will make him the world's biggest male solo star - and deservedly so."

I SO agree with them!

AWW that was sweet! I agree too!!!!