When A Label Just Doesn't Get It

When it comes to major labels, some are much hipper than others. Warner Music Group (WMG) has always been thought of as pretty progressive in terms of keeping up and buying into the latest technology, but that doesn't mean that all departments get it.

Here's a rather sad commentary on not only the old-school way of doing business, but bad marketing as well.

WMG recently wanted to alert radio program directors to a new single by the Crystal Fighters. Now most companies these days (not only those in the music business) would simply send an email with a link to a download. Not WMG. Instead they:

• sent an standard letter via snail mail.

• included a 104 character link that the music director would then have to type into a browser.

• didn't indicate that a password was required.

OK, let's count the ways that this is particularly crazy in our Music 3.0 world.

1. Imagine what it cost the label to send this in the first place. There's the cost of the letter and envelope, the 45 cent stamp, and the labor cost of the person printing out the letters, attaching postage and putting these in the mail. Money that didn't have to be spent.

2. You're asking someone to type in a 100+ character URL complete with underscores, slashes and numbers? Ever hear of a QR Code?  

3. Then even if you happen to luck out and get all the characters in the URL correct, find out that you still need an password to download the music.

Of course, it's the poor artist that has to suffer with the end result of this boondoggle. They get charged for an expense that they never should have, plus some bad will has been generated with radio music directors on their behalf.

Boggles the mind, doesn't it?  Click here to view the letter.

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