Jay-Z x Diddy x 50 Cent Google Nexus One Proposal

written by Edwin St. Fort

Objective: To relaunch Google’s Nexus One by revamping online promotions and using a celebrity endorser to uplift sales.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Google’s Nexus One sold an overall of 80,000 phones in its first month of sales, pushing 20,000 units in its first week. Other Android phones had better success in first week results, T-Mobile’s myTouch made with Google sold 60,000 and Verizon’s Droid sold 250,000 in there debut according to Flurry, an analytics company. Google choose to sell and market the Nexus One device to consumers directly through its website with an option as T-Mobile being a carrier or without a cell phone company contract. Current promotions have been through online marketing via: YouTube and Adsense.

Comparing how the other Google phones performed in the market place and the marketing efforts behind it, Nexus One attempts weren’t comparable; Verizon’s launch of Google’s Droid, spent a record-breaking $100 million on marketing, including aggressive TV advertisements. T-Mobile’s myTouch 3G launch didn’t provide the same co-marketing support for the Nexus One. T-Mobile chose celebrity endorsers such as Phil Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Wyclef Jean, Avril Lavigne, and others to promote the myTouch 3G device in their TV ads.

Viewing Google’s Nexus One marketing campaign the results should have forecast an incorrect strategy. Timing, price, and strategic partnerships were lacking in their efforts, but here is an idea that could revamp sales.

Solution: Create strategic partnerships with Jay-Z, Diddy and 50 Cent to promote “Nexus One” to the urban demographic.

Jay-Z x Google Nexus One Proposal

The idea is to develop a strategic partnership with Jay-Z to promote Google’s “Nexus One” by using him as a celebrity endorser.

This helps Google promote the product to the urban demographic and creates music licensing opportunities for Jay-Z leaving this partnership beneficial to both parties.

A concept commercial can be created where Jay-Z’s latest single “On To The Next One” can be featured in a advertisement to promote the new device and its features. The single can be sort of a theme song for the product.

Also Jay-Z can have a customize phone labeling it the “all black everything” edition to boost sales for the new promotion. Verizon is rumored to add the Nexus One to their line up of products, if Verizon and Google establish a partnership this can also lead to in store promotions for Jay-Z and more if they choose him as the celebrity endorser.

The Blueprint to 50 Cents BISD Marketing Campaign

written by Edwin St. Fort

this article is also shown at WoooHa.com

Before I Self Destruct debuted number 5 on the Billboard charts, selling 160,000 copies in its first week of sales, 46,000 of which were digital downloads. The album came packaged with incentives such as the Jam Master Jay documentary 2 Turntables And A Microphone and 50 cents own film Before I Self Destruct which was produced by his production company Cheetah Vision. The second week of sales resulted in 66,000 copies and the third week of sales brought in 30,000 copies.

This release is 50’s lowest debut compared to Get Rich or Die Tryin’ which sold 872,000 copies, The Massacre selling 1.1 million and Curtis selling 691,000 copies in the first week of sales. Several factors effected the outcome of this album. For starters BISD changed its released date several times which could resulted in consumer confusion and mistimed marketing. It was supposedly set for release early 2009 but Interscope decided to focus on Eminem’s anticipated release of Relapse. It was stated for a Fall 09 release where 50 could have possibly faced Jay-Z in September on the Billboard charts, but the label decided to push it back.

October would have been the perfect month for release, 50’s Behind The Music VH1 special aired to over 2.2 million viewers making it the highest rated premiere episode since the year 2000. That same month 50 held “This Is 50 Festival” at The Beach of Governors Island in New York. The roster included G-Unit members, Kid Cudi, Wale, Manio, Jim Jones, D-Block and more. Initially that month would have been used to promote the album effectively but the label decided on a November date to capitalize on Black Friday sales.

Unfortunately the album was leaked on the internet on October 28 a month before its planned November 23,2009  release date. The marketing plan changed, pushing up the album to a November 16 release and was made available on iTunes November 6, 2009. 50 responded to the album leak and the effect it had on sales during a interview with radio personality  Jenny Boom Boom.

“How can I focus on album sales now when it’s to the point where my record is released four weeks before schedule. The marketing, everything that’s planned to sell the actual record, is happening four weeks late, now that the record is out a month early. You know, those things are happening after they had an opportunity to hear it and it’s confirmation to the doubters that the record wouldn’t be good.”

Lets recap the marketing campaign behind BISD. Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 campaign revolved around strategic partnerships where as 50 promoted his album through social media.

The Blueprint to Jay-Z’s BP3 Marketing Campaign

written by Edwin St. Fort

The success of “The Blueprint 3″ is highly credited to the marketing campaign behind it and to Jay-Z’s loyal fan base. Despite the album being leaked on the internet prior to its official release, The Blueprint 3 sold 476,000 copies in its first week of sales. The achievement help Jay-Z pass Elvis Presley to become the second artist with more No.1 albums in the 50 year history of the Billboard 200. The second week of sales resulted in 301,000 copies being sold dominating the Billboard #1 spot for two weeks straight. A month and a half later, Mr. Carter goes platinum selling nearly 1.3 million copies.

Let’s recap the blueprint to the  marketing campaign that resulted in successful results. The key features to this campaign were strategic partnerships and media coverage. The release became more of an event rather than just another album on the shelf. It built anticipation and sustained momentum unlike many previous releases. To begin the buzz Jay-Z released “D.O.A” creating controversy to obtain the attention of listeners to usher in the following events.