Adverts target Love Hounds

["Karen L. Newcombe" <kln@crl.com>]

I think someone working on publicity for Kate at Sony found out about 
r.m.g. a while back and they decided that advertising in computer 
magazines (Mondo, Wired) and in places specifically targeting those of us 
who can access the Net would be good for sales.

(The following is not griping, but utter bewilderment, for those who 
can't hear my tone of voice.)

Unfortunately they ignore the very wide array of people who buy Kate's
work who are not among this group.  While TRS was advertised in computer
magazines, I saw no advertisements in magazines oriented towards women,
who in my experience constitute a large part of Kate'd audience.  I didn't
see any ads in the Utne Reader, which is always stuffed with ads for new
albums by artists who share an audience with Kate. 

I didn't see any ads in general topic magazines, for the huge number of 
people who aren't Kate fans perse, but who buy one of her albums now and 
again.

I didn't see a poster campaign, but San Francisco is regularly plastered 
with record company posters and subway advertisements for everyone other 
than Kate.

Sony lost sales by deciding to focus on thee and me, the folks who 
least needed any advertising to inform them.  We already knew Kate had a 
new album.  We knew just about to the minute when the video would be out. 
Why waste the $$ preaching to the converted?  

People ask me about once a week, "Doesn't Kate have a new album?"  Yes, a
year ago now.  They have no idea because there was almost no ad campaign. 
They know because I mention it to them, or they heard a song somewhere.

I fail to understand why a major artist would be so undersupported.

I fail to understand how a major record company could have so 
pathetically little understanding of the demographics of their customers.

Does anyone out there have a different take on this?  


Karen  kln@crl.com