Copyright Law

Mariah Carey CD Insert to be Ad-Supported

By soulxtc

“Memoirs of an Angel” album insert will be ad-supported, with advertisers that reflect her “jet-setter” lifestyle paying enough to recoup the costs in producing the 34-page booklet.

The record industry has long failed to think outside the box, but every now and then we see a glimmer of hope that it’s changing its ways.

Enter Mariah Carey and her upcoming album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” Due to be released August 24th, her 12th studio album is taking a remarkably bold leap by placing ads in the 34-page CD insert. The ads will recoup all the costs of producing the booklet.

In partnership with Elle magazine it will include ads from upscale brands like Elizabeth Arden, Angel Champagne, Carmen Steffens, Le Métier de Beauté and the Bahamas Board of Tourism.

“The idea was really simple thinking: ‘We sell millions of records, so you should advertise with us,’ ” Antonio Reid, chairman of her Island/Def Jam record label, told MTV. “My artists have substantial circulation ? when you sell 2 million, 5 million, 8 million, that’s a lot of eyeballs. Most magazines aren’t as successful as those records.”

He said that care was taken to ensure the ads reflected her “jet-setter” lifestyle.

“I wouldn’t want to do Mariah Carey and Comet abrasive cleaner,” he added. “I wanted things that really reflected her taste.”

If the experiment is a success more collaborations could be in store with other Island/Def Jam artists like Rihanna, Bon Jovi, and Kanye West.

I find it kind of scary that ads have trickled down to what once was considered sacred. I mean can you imagine the Beatles or Pink Floyd have ads in “Rubber Soul” or “Dark Side of the Moon?” But, then again maybe that’s the point. Neither were selling branded perfumes or clothing, and neither were on tours sponsored by Pepsi or Nokia.

Either way, at least somebody in the record biz has had the gumption to take a look at other ways to make revenue. Maybe it’ll soon take up sponsors to produce the actual album.

Bon Jovi’s “Album X” brought to us by Pepsi?

Lets just hope they don’t start placing ads in between CD tracks.

Stay truned.

jared@zeropaid.com

Full post as published by ZeroPaid on August 05, 2009 (boomark / email).