Posted By
Jehanne Bowen on 03/08/2010
It’s true: Gaga has more Facebook fans than Jesus does. She
is clearly a pop culture star made so, in part, through the power of social
media marketing.
With an aggressive social media marketing strategy by not
only Lady Gaga herself, but by her music label Interscope Records, it is no
wonder that she has amassed 5.5 million fans on Facebook, while the “I Love Jesus” page sits at just 1.7 million fans.
Her Bad Romance video on YouTube has been viewed over
126 million times and is one of YouTube’s Most Viewed.
Lady Gaga’s social media campaign, launched by Universal Music
Group, was designed to be a mass marketing extravaganza where Lady Gaga’s
personality, actions, and statements were all tailored to grow her fan base and
increase her popularity worldwide. With sought-after content on her Web site, MySpace
page, and blog, and daily Facebook and Twitter updates (which at
times make the most hardened sailor cringe), she is stirring up a music media
industry that has been dull and traditional for many years.
The results are a marketing dream: over eight million albums
sold, 20 million digital singles, the most digital downloads of any female
artist ever, eight nominations and one award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards;
and a Brit Awards hat-trick, winning three prizes including Best International
Female and Breakthrough Act.
So, what can we learn from Gaga?
- Start with a great product.
Lady Gaga started playing piano by ear at the age of four
and went on to write her first ballad at 13. A few years later, she began
writing songs for Britney Spears under the Sony/ATV Music Publishing label.
- Clearly define your brand or positioning.
While working on her album debut “The Fame,” Lady Gaga began
working with Haus of Gaga who collaborated with her on her outlandish clothing,
stage sets, and sounds, which were to set the scene for her unforgettable takeover
of the music industry.
- Have a message.
Lady Gaga is a paparazzi dream come true by stepping out for
fish and chips in florescent leotards, wearing little or no clothing, or
dressed as Elizabeth I in latex when meeting the Queen of England. The music
industry to-date has seen no match to Lady Gaga’s eccentric and unorthodox
modus operandi.
- Target your audience.
By being the pop culture icon of the gay community; touring with Akon, an R&B
singer-songwriter; supporting Haiti relief; and being pushed on major
radio stations locally and around the world, Lady Gaga has managed to tap into
every major market, reaching a far wider audience demographic than is usually
expected from a pop artist.
Lady Gaga has taken advantage of an integrated social media
strategy that keeps her brand in front of her fans and fans-to-be. White Horse
is a staunch advocate of the power of social media and applaud Lady Gaga for
her savvy use of the medium. While we haven’t yet developed a social media
strategy for a pop culture icon such as Gaga, we do offer our clients social media strategies
that help make them stars, tailored to whatever their brands, messaging, or
audience happen to be.
Tags: Blogs, Web Communities, Social Networks
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