Corey Vidal and Why Record Labels Might Be Their Own Worst Branding Enemies - Ministry and Business Marketing and Media Blog

Brand Management 101:
1) Promote brand love.
2) Don't promote brand hate.

On the heels of their decision to stop suing single moms and other small-time copyright infringers, record labels still don't seem to understand how to engender good will around their brands and build a long-term fan base. Case in point, Warner Music Group's decision to remove a YouTube tribute to John Williams.

The video in question by choreographer and musician Corey Vidal, featured a four-part a capella performance set to the Star Wars theme. It received 4,064,130 views and reminded many, including yours truly, of Williams' brilliance.

What was WMG's response to this incredible, free publicity among a new generation for the brilliant composer whose catalog they own? WMG had the video removed for copyright infringement.

The result, of course, is the loss of a promotional opportunity for WMG and now more bad will for WMG and all record labels. Want evidence of the incredible backlash against WMG on this front? Just check out Corey Vidal's YouTube page and read the comments. Though I'll warn you in advance that many of them are unfit to reprint here.

Perhaps a better course of action for WMG would've been to create a contest around the video and to feature the Star Wars soundtrack throughout. In fact, why not hire Corey and have him wear a t-shirt for a website where fans could download John Williams' music?

What do you think? How would you have managed your brand similarly or differently?

Update: Indeed, John Williams is not dead, as I erroneously alluded to in my original post. Thanks to the anonymous commenter for catching that one.