Dr. Neil Hair

For some strange reason I spent a large part of last night and this morning searching youtube. It all started fairly innocently, I was looking for Queen's Live Aid performance and found it (22,000 views) plus so much more. Documentaries (4000 views), the music video originals (74,000 views – banned incidentally in certain states for years, one can only assume for the distressingly feminine looks of a dragged up Roger Taylor), interviews, arguments the lot. Bored with Queen (I had watched the live performance three times in a row) I went tubesurfing for Depeche Mode live performances (8,000 views), not content with that music videos for Loud Reed (900 views), Sisters of Mercy (25,000 views), and then (big mistake) David Bowie. Now, Im probably providing you with more insight into my personality and cultural frame than anything marketing related at this moment in time. But, when you think about it, is it not a marketers job to really pinpoint with a high degree of accuracy the wants and needs of its target market? THIS IS A GOLDMINE OF PSYCHOGRAPHIC INFORMATION! As as will be shown I am quite clearly psycho! The possibilities are endless (as too the ethical issues). If we put these issues to one side for a moment I'll finish the story. Now I have absolutely nothing against Mr Bowie. In fact I like his music so much I can forgive such appallingly kitsch music video's like 'Lets Dance' and EVEN his move into the movie industry. Point of correction. Whilst I can forgive Absolute Beginners, there really was no need to unleash Labyrinth onto the general peace loving public and strangely I found myself searching for Chilly Down taken from that film (sung incidentally by the cat from Red Dwarf). Thankfully I did not find it (try this instead, 46,000 views). However, I did stumble across perhaps the most bizarre form of internet culture I have ever come across. That of the Labyrinth remix video. This stuff is not for the faint of heart. There are spoof trailers (very well done), altered music clips (such as the GooGoo Dolls and Cold Play), countless re-enactments and literally thousands of people commenting about the quality of their efforts. So what has all this to do with marketing? Communities of interest, that's what. And for the marketer they offer a wonderful opportunity to target such groups in a setting where you know very well that there will be consumer take up. Do the copyright owners care about the use of their film and music being ripped up in such a manner? I'm sure they do, should they worry? Absolutely not. David Bowie actively encourages fans (as does Depeche Mode) to rip and remix his music. Why? Publicity. I for one would rush out now to buy the original sound track of Labyrinth on the basis of my tubesurfing foray.

Had I not already owned it like the sad man I am.