Dope Strategy: Cwf+RtB=$$

Connect with Fans + Reason to Buy = $$ is the strategy I follow 100% of the time when it comes to creating and executing my online marketing campaigns. When Im working a campaign my focus is always on connecting with the fans online, whether its through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Getting placements and features on popular music blogs is cool but if your not engaging and energizing the fans then they’re going to show up when its time to buy the album.

The Cwf+RtB=$$ concept actually originated from Michael Masnick. Checkout his presentation on the concept below:

The Kid Cudi “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager” Campaign:

So the Kid Cudi Campaign that I’m working on is finally starting to pick up some steam and I want to invite everyone to see how a major label promotes a big release. So for the next couple of months I will be blogging and updating you folks on every step of the process. Enjoy!

Campaign Conditions (“what Im dealing with right now”):
1. The folks in the Radio promo dept have been working Cudi’s lead single “Erase Me” to try to spins in major markets but they’ve been unsuccessful (Cudi is not a radio artist so we kinda figured that already)

2. Cudi is unavailable for interviews, appearances and promo. (have to figure out a way to promote Cudi without Cudi)

3. Cudi has an incredible amount of energized fans that are very active online (a lot of room to do something creative online)

4. Cudi has a merch store full of cool merch but no one currently knows about it.

5. Cudi only has a MySpace page and Facebook page (he hates Twitter. FML)

6. No Assets except for lead single (no artwork or press photos)

7. Official release date is November 9, 2010

So with being faced with those conditions I had to create a social media campaign that would promote Cudi’s lead single & album, promote the merch store and energize fan for the “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager”.

So for the past month I’ve been working on Cudi’s social media campaign. Check it out so far:

Social Media Campaign Goals:
– Promote Kid Cudi’s new single “Erase Me” (wasn’t getting any radio play so the internet was its only outlet)
– increase Kid Cudi’s Facebook fans by 50%
– Drive traffic to the Kid merch store for fans to purchase items
– and finally i wanted to catch the attention of the people at G.O.O.D. Music

The Execution:
– Created a “Erase Me” Video Contest hosted on FB amongst Cudi’s 1.5 million FB fans. Grand Prize = $1000. User with the most FB Likes wins.
– Daily post of engaging content including giveaways, cudi facts, and new video/music.
– Created a FB tab for the Cudi merch store and had giveaways to drive traffic
– Promoted the “Erase Me ” video contest on popular music sites that Cudi fans visit on the reg.

The Outcome:
– More than 150 user created videos. Over 500,000 total views. Over 100,000 engaged fans waiting for the official video.
– The amount of Cudi FB fans currently stands at 2.4 million (well over a 50% increase)
– Soldout of every item in the merch store within 3 weeks
– multiple tweets from G.O.O.D. Musc staff trying to figure out who started it all

So it looks like the formula may work (CwF+RtB=$$$). I tried to told them. Now on to the next part of the campaign. “Kid Cudi Tagging”

New Music: CRS (Kanye West, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco) – Dont Stop!

WoW!!! I thought the whole CRS “super-group” thing was a fairy tale that the rap gods would tease us with (kinda like Detox). But its really true! The rap gods weren’t playing a joke on us. The super-group really does exist (atleast for this one song) with the new song that Kanye released this G.O.O.D Friday Dont Stop!

P.S. Pharrell murdered that verse!!! Im sure Kanye did too but I have no clue what he’s talking about.

Check it out below:

CRS (Kanye West, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco) – Don’t Stop! by DJ SQBIZ

Kid Cudi Covers Complex’s Oct/Nov 2010

Cudi has a lot on his mind and he took the time out of his schedule to vent about it for the new Oct/Nov issue of Complex.

Check out entire interview Here:

UPDATE:
The Homies at Complex decided to release a few outakes the original Cudi interview. Check out below:

Complex: Where did the whole attitude shift towards Wale stem from?
Kid Cudi: I really don’t understand what’s up with this guy, but he’s just somebody I don’t click with anymore. I started making changes in my life and started to realize positive energy around me, and he never really had a good energy. I never felt like he wanted to see me prosper, it was just one of those niggas that was envious rather than happy for a nigga. I could be reading it wrong, but I’m not making beef and rearranging my life. It’s pretty obvious he feels some type of way about it. I’m not into peer mediation and working things out, I’m just trying to provide for my daughter and my family and making music for my fans. I vibe with certain people and some people I don’t.

Complex: Last September you shot a page for GQ’s Men of the Year issue with him and Drake; was everything cool then?
Kid Cudi: The whole time me and him and Drake were doing the GQ shoot, Wale was bitching and being aggravated that clothes weren’t in his size, just really not cooperating and being difficult, and just being a diva. The photographer was like, “Wale, c’mon, smile a bit” and he was like, “Man, I don’t smile, let these other guys smile.” I was like, what kind of shit is that? In my head I’m thinking, “man, this is GQ. If these niggas want you to smile, smile.” We just got picked for “Men of the Year,” that shit is awesome. It’s wack to be on that shit when you’re at a photo shoot, he shouldn’t be getting all riled up. There was tension throughout the whole shoot. Me and Drake have a rapport, we’re cool. We were automatically hitting it off, and kicking it, and Wale was just not trying to be in the situation. He was trying to be too cool. He was acting like he’s too good for the situation, and that’s how he always is. He always acts like he’s bigger than what he is, and I don’t fuck with that at all.