Lessons from Tom DeLonge, rock star marketer

GUEST POST: Michael Halligan | Founder & Chief Marketer | Engage Marketing

I’m going to tell you the story of a man that went from leading one of the biggest bands in the world to finding it all fall apart. What he did next would fill most marketers with envy.

Tom DeLonge was a founding member of Blink 182, an American pop-punk band that shaped the genre and sold over 35 million albums. In 2005 the band split up and DeLonge started a new band that would bring out his entrepreneurial spirit and true marketing genius.

Even in the early days of Blink 182, DeLonge demonstrated a knack for recognising opportunity by creating two clothing brands which the band wore in virtually all of their public appearances. ‘Atticus’ and ‘Macbeth’ are both still going strong today.

Photo source: 182 Online

Bound to contracts with music labels, Angels & Airwaves went down the traditional industry route for their first album but they became wildly ambitious with their second and did things their way.

For example, the band:

• offered their music for free – DeLonge figured that by getting their music into as many hands as possible, they would build a bigger community of fans that would spend more on higher-margin items such as concert tickets and merchandise.
• built a platform to curate a community full of fans – ‘Modlife’ gave fans direct access to the band through forums, video chats, daily video updates, blogs, merchandise and members-only band meet and greets.
• repackaged Modlife and sold it to other bands – today more than a dozen bands are paying DeLonge to use the platform to connect with their fans.
• gave fans a taste but offer a paid premium membership for full content – some of the content is free but live chats with the band and many blog posts, videos and photos are restricted to premium members.
• stood for something – Angels & Airwaves have strong themes of love, hope and inspiration, writing songs that promote the message that your life can be whatever you want it to be. Whenever they talk about the band they talk about these emotions and target an audience that connect with their values.
• extended their product line to a movie release – not since Pink Floyd in 1982 has a band made a movie, demonstrating the ambitious nature of the DeLonge. The movie titled ‘Love’ has just premiered at the Santa Barbara film festival and it’s public release will coincide with the free release of their fourth album.

DeLonge is a shameless self promoter – he may verge on the ridiculous, having been quoted that Angels & Airwaves has an “inner energy and a spiritual awakening that’s kind of magical” and describing their concerts as feeling “like an ascension to heaven”. Sure, claims like this are bound to met with a fair share of skepticism, but they will also be met with fans that buy into the message.

Speaking to entrepreneur.com, DeLonge notes:

“Music has lost 60 percent of its net sales, so, as a musician, I had to wonder where the opportunities were. Music is no longer the product. The circumference of the world around the musician is the new product.”

DeLonge offered a good product for free to increase the band’s exposure. They created and curated a community of fans and found innovative ways to monetize their love.

Could any of these lessons be applied to your business?

FURTHER READING:  Why Dave Matthews is Smarter than Most Marketers

MEET Michael Halligan. Small Business Marketing Specialist, Traveller & Blink182 fan. Founder of @EngageMrktingAU and @TheBlogDesigner. Making big small businesses.