It’s easy to give the do’s and don’ts of marketing. But it’s not always easy to execute. It takes planning, lots of time and effort, and often a team of people to help. But if it works, it works well. Two artists that know how to reach an international audience through their tight marketing research, planning and execution include Jason Mraz and Lady Gaga.

Jason Mraz: You look at him and think, “This is a guy I could be friends with. He’s chill.” Everything from his CD artwork, to his website to his partnerships tell us, as consumers, that Jason Mraz is the down to earth, yet slightly irreverent guy next door. He has defined and refined his image.

And he knows his ideal fans will support the things his supports. They’ll have similar worldviews and believe in the organizations he supports. He has made a stand for what he believes in, knowing that his fans will be of a similar mindset.

Jason’s clear brand identity, coupled with clear communication to his target audience has been a major factor in his success. His last album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and was internationally recognized. His fans are now eagerly awaiting his next release, due later this year.

Lady Gaga: You never know what she’s going to do next. And that’s the way she likes it. Lady Gaga has built her career around not only being a skilled musician, but by being a creative, and sometimes shocking entertainer. Everything that Lady Gaga does, wears and says fits with her brand, and this is no accident.

She has a clearly defined brand image and she has targeted those she knows will support it – her “little monsters.” A big part of Lady Gaga’s marketing strategy has been her outreach via social networks. She was able to make her fans feel like they were part of something exciting from the early stages of her career, and this helped her create a loyal following.

Jason Mraz and Lady Gaga have clearly defined brands, targeted fan bases and clear methods of communicating to help them stand out from the crowd.

Are there any artists you can think of that have a very strong brand?

Up next: Music marketing: Asking for the sale. How to make your fans aware that you have CDs for sale and make enticing offers for fans to buy now!

The SongCast Crew

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