Marketing Reflections: Google Analytics (Assigned School Work)

via Google website

            According to Oxford Dictionaries, the word analytics is both the, “systematic computational analysis of data or statistics,” as well as the, “information resulting from the systematic analysis of data or statistics.” In other words, analytics are the data and statistics that are gathered by a computational analysis as well as being the human analysis of the gathered information. To me, analytics are simply the gathering of specific information from the past to allow people in the present to be able to measure, analyze, and therefore predict the future based on trends and tendencies.

            My original goal in this course was, and is, to develop a greater understanding of digital marketing and its benefits. I’ve learned many things these past couple weeks, but none has piqued my interest more than analytics. Within the first week, we were required to add analytic capabilities to our blog sites using Google Analytics. We can now track valuable information from these sites about visitors, keywords used in search engines, and much more. We’ve also uploaded sitemaps to our blogs, using Google Webmaster, in order to index pages on our blog sites across search engines. Essentially, these tools assist websites with search engine optimization (SEO). According to Stokes (2008), SEO is the “practice of optimizing a website to achieve the highest possible ranking on the search engine results pages” (¶2). I look forward to learning more about these areas during the final two weeks of class.

            I have already implemented these tools within my own blog site and will continue to measure and analyze the data and statistics that I receive from it, in order to make educated decisions from the analytics. Once completed, I plan to apply these tools to my business website, as well. These tools are available for free and can be found online. If you have a website for business, then I highly recommend getting started with Google Analytics today.

Works Cited: 

“Analytics.” Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved on September 14, 2014 from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/analytics

Stokes, R. (2013). eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a digital world (5^th ed.). (p. 231). eBook. Quirk Education.

XV (@XtotheV)

Photo by Shane McCauley

I first met Warner Bros. recording artist XV at the Austin, TX festival known as South by Southwest in March of 2012. He had just finished an electrifying performance and was making his way through the crowd when I was able to stop him for a moment in order to inquire about the possibility of taking a picture with me. You see, a friend of mine put me onto his music not more than two months earlier, when he played me XV's most recent mixtape release (at the time) titled, Zero Heroes. I was absolutely impressed by his creativity, lyrics, hooks, concepts, and ear for selecting exceptional beats for this project, so I felt compelled to stop him to inform him of my appreciation of his work. I have since caught up with most of his catalog and have only become an even bigger fan of his music through doing so.  

Two years later, XV was in town to perform for the students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus when I was fortunate to be able to catch up with him beforehand. 

For those who don't know you, who are you? 

XV: I am XV, rapper from Wichita, Kansas; created on the planet Squaria and I've been making music since the age of 15. 

What is the origin of your alias? 

XV: When I was turning 15, I realized that I wanted to do music for a living. When I realized this, I took into account how young I was because of how many people laughed in my face when I did this. I wanted to make sure that I made it a moment for myself so I named myself the age I was when I started rapping. I had the idea that when I got older, I would always be able to say, "I got my rap name from the age I started rapping." For instance, let's say when I'm thirty years old, and I'm huge, people will be able to say, "Oh yeah, 'cuz he's been going at it for 15 years now." I knew this wasn't going to be easy once I heard my first laugh. [laughs]

Which song of yours are you most proud of? 

XV: Due to the fact that I was scared to release it too early, I would say "Pictures on my Wall." I wrote that song so fast that it was beyond my lyrics. I felt like I actually had something to say and that's a very powerful feeling for a rapper, especially when you've been writing songs your whole life. I wrote it so fast. It wasn't a hard thing to tackle, and I love what I related to with that song. I wasn't about to put it out on Zero Heroes (ZH), you know, I was saving that record for so many different reasons. Now that it's out, I'm glad that I did put it out. I don't regret putting it out because it was a part of that entire ZH project and it was a part of me relating to the world that I have now. I'm still holding onto The Kid with the Green Backpack (TKWTGB), which is filled with songs that I love, but that was the main song that I was willing to let go because I knew it was already completed. I'd say that it was my favorite because it was a complete song and I was holding on to it. I had a really big idea for a feature on it, and I'm still doing that for the album, so you'll be able to hear the rest of the story through this other version when the time comes.

Which project or mixtape are you're most proud of? 

XV: I would say The Square in the Circle. I went through a lot in my life during that time and for me to have tackled that album… people don't even understand, when I made that album I had lost one of my kids and me and my chick (we've have been together for ten years) were going through some crazy shit. It's a lot of that. You don't notice the metaphors of it, but the escapism that that album is about, is me escaping from that reality. It wasn't the reality of my childhood. It was a reality of the "right now." A lot of my other projects are "moving forward" projects, and that was a very "in the now" project that I made without anybody telling me to make a new project. I wasn't XV yet. I was still trying to get on and that project could've been a project where I would've been like, "I'm trying to get on with this project," and I wasn't. I was like, "I'm going to do something different with this project." Square in the Circle is the reason why we have "Squarians" right now. So without that, we're just calling ourselves the "Everybody's Nobodies." 

Speaking of, what is a Squarian? 

XV: I look at it as somebody who knows and accepts that they don't fit into that circle that life tries to throw you in. After becoming aware, they accept the fact that they're supposed to be doing something bigger and that their purpose is something bigger. That's what Squarian is all about and that's what the Square in the Circle project was all about. The Squarian fanbase came from people understanding that that's what my music is all about. So, Squarian is my fanbase. Squarian is my sound. Squarian is what I am and I feel that everybody at one point, is a Squarian. It's just happening to the fact that you are accepting of being a Squarian. That's the hard part. It's not about being a square. It's about being a Squarian 'cuz a Squarian is equal on all sides, like a square. You're an equally balanced person. You're an equal opportunity person. Everything about you is equal on all sides. Me? I'm ill with the flow, I'm ill with the beats, I'm ill with the business, and I'm ill with just being myself. That's just me being equal on all four sides and I feel like that's what a Squarian really is.  

What have you been working on recently? 

XV: I've been working on the final phase of the album. The final phase of The Kid with the Green Backpack has really been tying together all of these songs I've been writing for five years. So I've been working on that and just finishing up all of the writing and guest features for that. I'm also planning a real big summer. A huge summer for my season. My birthday's in summer, so it's going to be my season.  

Run us through a typical day of yours… 

XV: I take my son to school then I start my shit. After that, I normally just work on music at the beginning of my day. Right now, I've just been in the Bat Cave (the lab) everyday. I'm in the lab literally from 8:00 in the morning 'til 8:00 at night. Then I watch all my shows and figure out what I'm going to tackle tomorrow. I'm in the studio everyday. That's the thing about me, I'm never not in the studio unless I'm on the road. Either I'm in the studio making a beat, or I'm in the studio on my drawing board, or I'm in the studio writing or making a tracklist… I'm always doing something in the studio because that's my Bat Cave and if I'm not in there it's because I'm out here being Batman. [laughs] 

Run us through a typical day of yours five years ago… 

XV: Man, five years ago was almost around the time when I was trying to get my record deal, so I was making Everybody's Nobody. I was playing a lot of video games because they were relaxing to me. It's a nostalgic reason. I was making a lot of projects, including Square in the Circle, based off of me playing video games. Everyday I would wake up and play video games. That's how you got "Mirror's Edge." A lot of the songs that I created back in the day were from me playing video games, including "Nevermind." I was playing Rock Band one day and heard the sample. The video games were treatments because that's where the ideas were coming from. So yeah, five years ago I was waking up, sending emails out to 2DopeBoyz, Nahright, Rap Radar, and others just hoping that they would put some of my music up. 

What inspires you to create music? What motivates you? 

XV: What motivates me to create music is a new message.  The main thing with me is knowing that there's a possibility to acquire a new listener every day. You know what I mean? I mean, like, even with someone being born. There's a new opportunity every day and I'm a very opportunistic person. I want people to hear my message. I want people to see what you can do if you just persevere no matter where you're from. I don't want to give people the idea of false hope in something that isn't possible. I want to give people a belief in, a hope in, work paying off. I feel that every new song I make needs to continue carrying that message. That's why I never stop making music. That's why I'm always in the lab because that song could be made today. That song could be made tomorrow, you know? 

Is there any advice that you'd like to offer to any producers who are interested in working with you? 

XV: Try to find the sound that's going to take that artist, including me, to the next level. Don't give them something that you know they've already accepted. Don't give them something that they know they already want. You wouldn't do that to no girl in a relationship. You wouldn't do that to no job. You wouldn't do that to nobody else, you know? I don't know why people use that technique with rappers. Producers need to come original and do something that is unique and would take them to the next level. Not something that you think is going to take the game to the next level, but that person to the next level. There's always a sound for that. I feel like that's what makes music move forward and that's why music is at a stand-still so much, because many producers aren't willing to make that sound that's going to make music move forward. So give me that because I definitely want to be someone who makes music move forward. Let me be that person. That's what a producer is supposed to do, produce that. 

Is there any advice that you'd care to offer to any rappers who are interested in working with you? 

XV: Create your own lane. Create a following and a fan base that identifies with your personality and with you 'cuz you're not the only you out there. I feel like that could help a Squarian like me because you're allowing me into your world just as I'm allowing you into my world. That's how we all could merge. I feel like so many people are still apart and there's really no unity in the music scene, especially the Rap [music] scene. I feel like if you create something that will not only bring unity to that, but bring it to that Squarian brand, because there's no team right now that's bringing that. You know, something that I feel is new or original, as Squarians. You know, Odd Future has that unity and they've created that. Create something like that of your own and come visit Squaria. That's what I would fuck with. 

Is there any advice you'd be willing to share with those who aspire to work in the music industry? 

XV: Follow the "L7" motto, that's "Love Life, be Loyal, and Live Long Like a Legend." Get into this game to create something that's going to stand the test of time. Don't get into this game to create something for "the now." Don't get into this game because it sounds good right now. Get into this game for the 10-year goal, the 15-year goal, the 30-year goal because that's what OutKast got into it for. That's what Biggie would've been here for. That's what Tupac would've been here for. Those are people who inspire us. That one hit on the radio didn't inspire anything but a cheap trick. So do something that's going to move music forward. 

Lightning Round - (random ass questions, seeking short answers)

Favorite food at favorite restaurant? 

XV: McDonald's cheeseburgers, for sure

Favorite drink? 

XV: Root Beer

Favorite TV show? 

XV: South Park 

Favorite movie? 

XV: The Dark Knight 

Favorite cartoon growing up? 

XV: Doug 

Favorite video game? 

XV: Mass Effect

Other than Hip Hop, which music genre(s) do you enjoy listening to? 

XV: Jazz, original soundtracks, Rock, and Electronic 

Favorite Smashing Pumpkins song? 

XV: Zero 

Name an album that you're embarrassed to liking, owning, and listening to. 

XV: Trinidad James EP 

Shockers or Jayhawks? 

XV: Jayhawks 

Tupac or Biggie? 

XV: Tupac

Favorite Professional Wrestler? 

XV: Triple H

Marvel or DC? 

XV: Marvel 

Favorite Super Hero? 

XV: The Punisher

Favorite Villain? 

XV: The Joker

Favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle? 

XV: Donatello 

What's the first thing you'd do if you had the money? 

XV: Go to Rome 

Will The Kid with the Green Backpack be released before or after Astronaut Dreams? 

XV: Before… the order goes Kid with the Green Backpack, Astronaut Dreams, then 2015. 

Lastly, what's something about you that many people aren't aware of? 

XV: I was horrible in school.

I would like to take this moment to thank XV for his time and willingness to make this interview possible. 

To hear more from XV you can follow this link to stream his videos on YouTube. You can also find, follow, and tweet XV on Twitter using the widget below. 

Tweets by @XtotheV


Thank you for your time, XV, and thank you to my readers.

-QW

Becoming Hard to Watch Hard Knocks (Assigned School Work)

            Partnering with the National Football League (NFL), the premium cable television network Home Box Office (HBO), is currently in the process of airing its ninth season of the popular reality sports documentary known as “Hard Knocks.” Debuting in 2001, the show follows one NFL team per preseason throughout its preparation for the upcoming season. The show includes footage of front office operations, training camp, scrimmages, and preseason games.

            To present elements of the people for the viewers to identify with, the show follows a more personal route of four-to-eight players, coaches, and staff members of the roster, by attempting to capture an idea of what life is like for an NFL player, coach, or staff member when they’re not at work. This can be a wise decision, if the candidates are selected carefully. More often than not, the candidates that are selected are nauseating at best. Somewhere, somebody thought it was a good idea to invest more camera time into these candidates. In my own opinion, there isn’t a tolerable person in the entire lineup this season.

            HBO is documenting the Atlanta Falcons franchise this year. According to Ledbetter (2014), the first episode of the season attracted just over 3 million viewers (¶1). Apparently, not all teams are eligible to be filmed by the show. There are certain rules or credentials that would make an NFL franchise ineligible for being selected for an upcoming season of Hard Knocks. I should replace the word “selected” with the word “chosen,” as the chosen team really has no choice and would be forced to participate or force serious consequences from the league. According to Graziano & Weinfuss (2013), certain teams would be exempt from being forced to participate, those with new coaches, those that reached the playoffs in one of the previous two seasons, and those who have appeared on “Hard Knocks” within the preceding 10 years” (¶2). Of the nine years that HBO has broadcasted this series, seven NFL teams have been chosen, including both the Dallas Cowboys (2002, 2008) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2009, 2013) twice.

            While the entire idea behind HBO’s “Hard Knocks” is a golden egg, the network’s executives must keep it from turning into a goose egg by focusing more on capturing the “documentary” side of things and less on staging the “reality show” side of it all. A “shutout” is what a zero equates to in the NFL, and unless the show cares to focus more on the original concept, then I’m going to shutout HBO’s “Hard Knocks” from my viewing schedule.

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Works Cited

Graziano, D. & Weinfuss, J. (2013). Nfl owners ok ‘hard knocks’ rule. ESPN. Retrieved on August 26, 2014 from http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9791975/owners-ok-nfl-pick-hard-knocks-team

Ledbetter, D. O. (2014). Falcons a ratings hit for hbo. The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved on August 26, 2014 from http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/falcons-pulling-down-ratings-for-hbo/ng2W6/

NFL Hard Knocks: About the show. HBO.com. Retrieved on August 26, 2014 from http://www.hbo.com/hard-knocks/about#/

Under Armour No Longer The Underdog If Durant Deal Is Approved (Assigned School Work)

Kevin Durant, photo courtesy of NBA.com

            In a market ruled by Goliaths, a David has emerged. The athletic apparel company known as Under Armour could be on the brink of carving out a much larger share of the athletic footwear market, if the rumor of the lucrative offer sent to Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant were to develop into the truth. If this were to emerge as a fact, traditional fans of the National Basketball Association (NBA) may be stunned to learn that the reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league isn’t inking a deal with a typical athletic footwear giant like Nike or Adidas, but instead choosing to sign with an underdog in the market; much like himself being casted in the shadow of league-megastar LeBron James. That shadow, however, is quickly fading as records show that Kevin Durant’s shoe sales are on pace to pass “King James” very, very soon.

            According to Stock (2014), “Last year U.S. sales of Nike’s Durant line of sneakers rose fivefold, according to bar-code data collected by Princeton Retail Analysis, which tracks the sports apparel industry. If Durant posts a similar jump this year, his shoe sales will surpass those of James” (¶3). Many believe his success to be driven by leading the league in points for five straight seasons (Warren, 2014, ¶8). Others feel it is a combination of many factors like his humble personality, natural-born talent, and his excellence in execution when he’s in his element on the court.

            Unfortunately for Nike, Durant’s seven-year, $60 million deal is expiring soon. In that time, Nike has released six versions of specialized “KD” shoes. Under Armour has relatively recently executed a deal with Golden State Warrior star Stephen Curry. The partnership has recently released the first edition of “SC” shoes since the deal was struck last October. Durant can expect the apparel company to do the same with their partnership if a deal is struck. According to Isola (2014), this deal could be worth up to $320 million over a 10-year period. To put that into perspective, LeBron James’ current deal with Nike brings him around $20 million per year, this would be a cool $12 million more per year. To rationalize this amount, let’s have a look at the sales of the four top selling sneakers in the NBA, from 2011-2013. 

            We can expect a company like Under Armor to be extremely aware of these trends and numbers displayed on the graph. According to Rovell (2013), Under Armour’s key attributes in players they are interested to have on their team are, “young, underdog, and next” (¶2)and Thunder forward Kevin Durant. They are also both very humble athletes who always display sportsmanship when they play the game. They are very well respected as players and are even more respected as people.

. These are qualities that describe Warriors guard Stephen Curry

            According to Rovell (2013), Under Armour’s market share currently sits at 0.35 percent of the U.S. basketball retail market, according to SportsOneSource. Nike, which includes the Jordan and Converse brands, owns 92.6 percent of the U.S. retail market” (¶7). Both Under Armour and Nike can expect to see their numbers fluctuate accordingly if Durant decides to sign that astronomical contract. Only time will tell.

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Works Cited:

Isola, F. (2014). Kevin durant could sign with under armour for $30 million a year, a deal that could help push nba mvp to wizards. New York Daily News. Retrieved on August 19, 2014 from http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/kevin-durant-earn-30m-year-armour-article-1.1891586

Rovell, D. (2013). Stephen curry joins under armour. ESPN. Retrieved on August 19, 2014 from http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9752857/stephen-curry-golden-state-warriors-signs-armour

Stock, K. (2014). Durant’s sneaker stats approach lebron’s. Businessweek. Retrieved on August 19, 2014 from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-07/durants-sneaker-stats-approach-lebrons

Mastery Journal - Sports Management & Operations

            I consider myself to be a sports fanatic. More specifically, I consider myself to be a sports-statistics junkie who is extremely interested in how the sports-world works. For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with the puzzle pieces that form the bigger picture, not only in the sports realm but also in business (and life) in general. The largest department within these industries that captures my undivided attention, more so than others, is management. My current course at Full Sail University, Sports Management and Operations, successfully combines all of these categories into one class, and I absolutely love it.

            While delving deeper into many sports-related aspects like player representation, facility issues, media rights, and fan loyalty and engagement, I was able to increase my knowledge of these topics tenfold. Now I can actually have an intelligent conversation with someone about these matters and not feel like I’m just someone who is only familiar with these subjects.

            As someone who grew up loving sports, but was rarely able to participate on an “organized team” level due to being considered by many to be “too skinny” or not as talented as the next man, I began looking into the athlete representation and management side of the equation, for the possibility of a sports-related career of my own. This is why I enjoyed learning about sports agents during the second week of this course.

            By learning more about sports management and operations, I wouldn’t say that my career aspirations have changed as much as I would consider them to be even more reinforced and much stronger now. After learning what I have in this course, not only am I still interested in a career in athlete representation or management, I am now even more interested in these fields. 

            I will apply the knowledge that I’ve accumulated during this course into being better prepared for the possibility of working in this industry in the future.

Fan Loyalty Promotions in Sports

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Moller

 1.)       Fan loyalty and engagement is important to sports organizations for a variety of reasons. It provides a way for organizations to monitor, measure, and analyze the trends and tendencies of their fans. The dynamic of a loyal fan of a sports franchise is basically identical to that of a repeat customer for a business. Aside from certain aspects that are usually known to lead to the success of a business such as a solid foundation, integrity, innovation, and overall makeup of the brand or business, the repeat customer is what generates recurring revenue and drives a business to continue to keep it alive. This is no different in the sports world.

            If a sports organization were to be interested in learning what their fan base is thinking, then perhaps creating a social media profile (or two) would benefit them. If the sports organization were interested in learning how to track their loyal fans across their social media platforms, then perhaps they would choose to follow a few individuals who happen to have influence over other fans within the same organization. There are companies that exist solely to measure, analyze, and assess a “fan loyalty index” across the world of sports. According to Passikoff (2013), the 21^st annual Brand Keys Sports Fan Loyalty Index shows that the most loyal fans in the NBA (as of April 16, 2013) are Miami Heat fans with the San Antonio Spurs fans at number two. There could be a correlation between this statistic and the fact that these two teams were the best two teams in the league at this current time. I’m sure teams that win more often than they lose will have a higher fan loyalty score than those who lose more often than they win. I suppose a “bandwagon” mentality could be addressed here, but this would begin straying from the original topic matter. Speaking of the Miami Heat, and bandwagons, as of this current week in sports, the Miami Heat’s best player, LeBron James, has signed a deal to return to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. This should have a dramatic effect on the annual Brand Keys Sports Fan Loyalty Index of the Miami Heat during the next year.

2.)       Some professional sports organizations are already running campaigns that encourage and benefit fan loyalty. According to Fischer (2012), the Miami Dolphins introduced a “new consumer loyalty effort called The Fin Club, powered by New York-based startup CrowdTwist” (¶ 1). The Fin Club awards points for “virtually any Dolphins-related activity” including ticket and merchandise purchases. There are other incentives that reward fans with points including following the team on social networks like Facebook or Twitter. These fans can redeem their points for unique rewards such as the chance to run out the team flag during player introductions at a home game, interviewing players, or hosting a business meeting in the team’s locker room. Through the services provided by CrowdTwist, The Fin Club will allow the Dolphins to “measure, analyze, and reward all trackable fan behavior around the team, both online and offline.” Many fans are responding very well to the existing fan loyalty programs across the sports industry. It allows the loyal fan to interact more with their favorite team through engaging activities as well as providing them special benefits that wouldn’t be available or accessible to other fans. Loyal fans enjoy their exclusivity. Unfortunately, the Miami Dolphins aren’t necessarily the “choice” team to experiment with fan loyalty rewards programs, given that the Dolphins aren’t necessarily a winning team. I would be interested to see how this type of program would affect a team with a rich tradition of sold-out home games and fan interaction, like the Green Bay Packers.

3.)       Three ways to engage fans before, during, and post game to increase fan attendance may include either running multiple promotions at once, having one large promotion to encompass it all, or both.

            In order to engage fans before a game, a sports organization could offer discounted concessions and/or merchandise up until the scheduled game time. A sports organization could also offer some kind of seat-selection drawing to reward a fan that’s already in attendance before the game. An organization could collect the data from each ticket scanned upon entry to the facility until the scheduled drawing when one lucky fan’s seat number could be called to win the prize/reward. Another way to engage fans before a game could include a tailgating promotion where a player or two from the home team walks around the lot with the mascot for a couple of hours before the game begins. These “tailgating tours” could reward fans with upgraded seats or vouchers for the team’s in-stadium merchandise shop or concession stands.

            In order to engage fans during a game, a sports organization could have a promotion that occurs during the game’s “break time(s).” This would occur during halftime of a basketball, football, or hockey game, as well as during the seventh-inning-stretch of a baseball game. Smaller promotions could also occur during the team’s timeouts. In order to cut back on the congestion of the concessions and bathrooms during these special breaks, this promotion could be viewed on the “Jumbotron” to keep many people in their seats during the break. Sports organizations could also bring in local or national entertainment acts in order to perform during these breaks. Organizations could also run discounted concessions for a limited time after the home team scores. They could also build up the discount as the game progresses too. Let’s say, for each goal the Chicago Blackhawks score tonight, fans will receive an additional $1 off of a standard Chicago Hot Dog at the concession stands (up to a total of $4 off). They could always choose a different item to promote, or a different cause as the destination for their “build up” promotion to be paid to. For example, let’s say for the length of a baseball series in Chicago, the Cubs have agreed to donate $1,000 to the United Way for each run scored by the home team over the next three home games.

            In order to engage fans after the game, a sports organization could offer a chance to “come on back” by awarding tickets for the team’s next home game to five lucky winners whose names will be announce over the loud speakers after the game has ended. These lucky fans will have to claim their tickets on their way out of the facility that day in order to redeem the promotion. I’ve found that most sporting events like to usher people out as soon as possible in order to begin cleaning up. If this is the case, then an organization could offer promotions that fans don’t need to physically remain at the facility for, like a chance to win an autographed piece of merchandise to those who upload a legible photo of their ticket stub to the team’s social media page before midnight of that night, or by attending an official team “after party” whether it’s at a recurring designated sports bar, tavern, restaurant, etc.

Works Cited:

Fischer, E. (2012). Dolphins launch ‘fin’ loyalty club. Sports Business Daily. Retrieved July 10, 2014 from http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/08/13/Franchises/Dolphins.aspx

Passikoff, R. (2013). The most loyal fans in basketball. Forbes.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2013/04/16/19766/

Scibetti, R. (2013). Sports fan loyalty index. TheBusinessOfSports.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014 from http://www.thebusinessofsports.com/2010/03/30/sports-fan-loyalty-index/

Music Industry Liabilities (Assigned School Work)

            For the purpose of today’s blog post, I was instructed to analyze three different legal controversies recently associated within the music industry. I will touch on the vast topic of copyright infringement through articles involving musical artists Prince, Robin Thicke, and Maroon 5.

            In an article about Prince, dated January 30, 2014, the artist and his legal team filed copyright infringement suits against 22 individuals alleged of “bootlegging” his concert recordings. Prince explained that his priority is to provide a “high quality experience for his fans” and that these versions were simply not up to that standard. The article states that locating the links to the videos shared on Facebook were how the perpetrators were tracked down. Each defendant was facing $1 million in fines unless they removed said content. As you may have guessed, all 22 bootleggers cooperated by removing their unauthorized recordings of his concerts from the Internet.

            I agree that artists have every right to prevent unauthorized distribution of their work. I understand why Prince wants only the highest of quality when representing his brand. I wonder how come more artists haven’t taken this route because it would clear up many of the user-uploaded videos that often clutter YouTube search results with lower quality material. In doing so, viewer-generated traffic would be more focused on “authorized” uploads, as views would certainly increase. I understand the want to make the concert experience so exclusive that you have to show up in order to experience it. This will keep the demand for the artist’s concert tickets to remain high. On the other side of the coin, I can also identify with the other artists who would rather their music be shared with everyone. I can relate with those who really don’t mind how many people share their video recordings of their concerts across the Internet. The more people/fans that upload videos of their favorite artists in concert should translate to more views and more potential fans, right? I would certainly think so. If artists don’t wish footage of their concerts to be uploaded to the Internet, then make it known that this event/concert prohibits camera use, unless a press pass is present. I’m sure there are always exceptions to this rule as there will always be people sneaking in recordings however they can. It’s difficult to decide where I stand on this topic.

            The next article that I read was about the copyright infringement suit between Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and rapper T.I. against the family of Marvin Gaye. Thicke’s 2013 single, “Blurred Lines” has been declared as infringing upon the intellectual property of Gaye’s songs, “Got to Give it Up” and “Sexy Ways. “ Upon reading and reviewing a few articles on this matter, I’ve decided that it’s one big mess. Apparently, the Gaye family also pursued a lawsuit with Thicke’s record label, EMI, as well. The EMI case was dismissed in January of 2014. Both the family of Marvin Gaye and EMI, came to an agreement including that this case cannot be brought forth to court again in exchange for an undisclosed amount of money. What’s odd is that reports of the lawsuit between Thicke and the Gaye family remain active.

            I feel that in order for a work to be found to infringe on copyrights, it needs to be blatantly obvious. I can clearly hear the similarities between works and would have taken legal action as well. This song should have never made it as far as it did without first clearing any sort of use of someone else’s intellectual property. This is the fault of the artist and the record label as this act is definitely considered to be a legal liability.

            The final article that I read is about the band Maroon 5. In the summer of 2012, a cover-version of a song they hadn’t officially released yet cracked the British top ten charts. This action compromises the intellectual property of the band and record label as well as depriving them of any monetary gain they may have lost out on while song wasn’t officially released yet. This is in every way copyright infringement as the musician(s) who made the cover version of the song is (are) benefitting from the sale of it across Internet platforms like iTunes and Amazon. Some fans may not even realize that what they purchased is a replication of what they were actually looking for. During the week that this cover song reached the top ten, they reportedly sold 34,492 downloads.

            I believe musicians should not be able to sell a cover version of a song without paying the majority of that money to the copyright owner of that song. That may sound ridiculous but that cover song would not exist if it weren’t for the work of the writer, composer, and copyright owner of that recording. Copying songs in order to make money from them doesn’t sound too legitimate to me. In fact, it sounds like a legal liability. 

Works Cited: 

Fekadu, M. (2014). Marvin gaye’s family & robin thicke’s label settle in ‘blurred lines’ dispute.” Huffington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/marvin-gaye-family-robin-thicke-label-settle-blurred-lines_n_4601388.html

Herzfeld, O. (2013). The blurred lines of copyright law: robin thicke v. marvin gaye’s estate. Forbes. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverherzfeld/2013/08/20/the-blurred-lines-of-copyright-law-robin-thicke-v-marvin-gayes-estate/

Leach, B., & Lusher, B. (2012). Maroon 5 and the new phenomenon baffling the music industry. The Telegraph. Retrieved June 5, 2014, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/9367019/Maroon-5-and-the-new-phenomenon-baffling-the-music-industry.html

Riemenschneider, C. (2014). Prince stirs another controversy with $22 million lawsuit. Star Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2014, from http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/242495671.html

Dima "The White Russian" (@UniFiRecords)

My fourth installment of Qwik Interviews brings us to a man who makes the majority of his moves behind the scenes. Dima, co-owner of the Milwaukee, WI based independent record label known as Uni-Fi Records, has been working around the clock to ensure that his label is always moving forward. Within the past year, music from Uni-Fi's artists have been placed on websites from music industry giants like MTV and Rolling Stone. However, Uni-Fi isn't the only business that Dima is invested in. He's created an online radio station named WRAP.fm and a production company called PayDirt Productions as well. Many people within the community of the independent Milwaukee music scene view Dima as an inspiration to their own entrepreneurial ventures. While very few, truly very few, work as hard as Dima.

For those who may not know you, who are you and what do you do?

Dima: My name is Dima Pochtarev, aka "The White Russian." I am a civil engineer in the AM, and a record label, online radio, and music production company owner in the PM and weekends. I'm a self-taught audio engineer and producer, as well as music project manager for Uni-Fi Records and much more. In my personal life, I'm a father, an immigrant, and part of the 99%; who has a dream and is here to make that dream a reality.

What is the origin of your name?

Dima: "Dima" is short for Dmitriy, and although many guess Greek, it's Russian. Born and raised in Moscow, I moved to Milwaukee, WI at the age of 10 with my family in 1994. "The White Russian" originated during the creation of my first full length album collaboration as a producer in 2009 with Dana Coppafeel and Mike DNA, when we were working on Cups & Bottles. Cups Buckingham and Bottles Bagsworth were their nicknames during the creation of the project. I frequently sat at the Digi 002 console with a bottle of vodka during our Wednesday night sessions. I acquired the name and it stuck. Another one was "Dima La Rock," given to me by A-Biz. He's another artist who has worked with Uni-Fi. His album was produced heavily by me.

What is the origin of Uni-Fi Records?

Dima: The very origin of Uni-Fi Records is my college bedroom plugged up with backlights and throwing parties. Somehow, I always ended up in that room with a laptop and dozens of people rounding up in a circle, playing industry instrumentals and freestyling. Step two was the acquisition of a 4-track tape recorder, setting it up in the basement, and proceeding to record the freestyles. Man, were they bad. I freestyled as well.

As I received an internship for the summer shortly after my Junior year in college, I was transferred to Appleton, WI, were I had no friends. I spent my spare time reading books on music business and other books such as Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of Notorious B.I.G. and Life and Def by Russell Simmons. I began brainstorming ideas for starting a record label and coming up with a name based on soundclick "hi-fi" and "lo-fi" download formats. I thought that "Uni-Fi" would be something I may want to lock in as it symbolized what I wanted to do to the multi-faceted scene in Milwaukee that I was just beginning to discover.

Tell us what your duties are at Uni-Fi Records.

Dima: I do whatever it takes to be labeled as a label. I came up recording and mixing many faces for free in the Milwaukee scene around 2009. I was definitely getting taken advantage of, but I can't complain as I met some amazing people and learned throughout the process. I sure wasn't good enough to charge at the time that I began to record people on ProTools. I've always dabbled in production. I picked up an MPC1000 around the same time as my 4-track tape recorder back in college. This was my salvation during the time when my day-to-day grind of work, school, and partying just seemed to blur together.

Nowadays, it seems that management is taking over for what I need to be doing within this team and I'm ok with that. I also handle the everyday emails, booking, promoting, scheduling, budget analysis, task allocations, and so much more in order to ensure a constant forward motion at the label. I cannot be without (a) my calendar and (b) my notebook on a day-to-day basis to make sure I keep my shit organized.

Who does Uni-Fi Records have on their roster? 

Dima: Artist-wise, it's Dana Coppafeel and SPEAK Easy. The roster dwindled unintentionally. Life got in the way of many people's drives to do this music shit, and I'm glad. It made me realize that we were spread out too thin and doing too much for too many people. It's always been a learning experience. Now, working with two very solid artists allows us to plan accordingly and allocate proper resources to make shit happen.

As far as the rest of the team, the close-knit peeps are Charles aka Mammyth (DJ, producer, engineer), Da Ricanstruckta (DJ, producer, rapper, all around talented ass dude!), Michelle (my fiancé) who is co-owner and consultant even though she hates me for what I do sometimes... ok, most of the time because it takes me away from her. Amir, who is co-producer and consultant for the production company, DJ EROC from New York who helps man the WRAP.fm radio station, and a handful of DJs and administrative personal (Point Blank Duarte - interviewer) that have shows on our radio.

The remainder of the team is usually for hire, the PR person, the mastering engineer, the bio writer and so forth. We always keep coming back to those who treat us how we would treat others, in business and in personal matters.

What do you look for when considering welcoming an artist to your label? 

Dima: I think talent, creativity, and writing skills with delivery capability are what's most important to me. One must also be willing to invest in self, whether time or money. Understanding the reality of the situation of the independent scene in Milwaukee, rapping is not a career. I'd also like them to understand the history and current happenings in the industry. They need drive and consistency from one record to the next, and have the ability to step outside of the box if necessary.

What do you look for when considering welcoming an employee to your label?

Dima: We've never made more than what we've invested into the business and therefore don't have employees. It's basically all volunteer work for now... a big fucking money drain. In some ways I find this to be a blessing because you get to know who the true soldiers are; who do what they say they will and are there for the long run. The same people you can depend on and can count on.

Trust me, if money ever came into the picture, the team that's getting employed is already here.

Describe WRAP.fm.

Dima: We Revolt Against Programming is a 24/7 online radio station that will deliver that Hip Hop that you can't hear on your Clear Channel dials. The goal was to build a home for the independent, in hopes that the independents will support. We're still in the building process but hope to eventually get into videos, mixtapes, and singles. WRAP.fm is the go-to place when you need Hip Hop and you're sick of the regular same old shit on the radio. We're "mobile and global."

Run us through a typical day of yours. 

Dima: Weekdays: I'm up at 5am. I commute to my daytime job (3 hours total) while reviewing videos, songs, albums, and mixtape submissions in order to place them in appropriate folders for later action. Sometimes I scribble notes while I drive, usually about ideas and items to add to my to-do list. I make calls, promote, or send texts to start the day and get rolling on things that need to get done. I perform my job tasks while still doing all of the above.

I get home between 5 and 6pm and have dinner, then I download and upload music to the radio station to get ready for the scheduled air shows while promoting them on social media. Nowadays, I talk business with the wifey as she is starting her own. I try to spend time with the baby aside from tutoring my fiancé's older daughter in math. I also lay down the law of the house and enforce the rules we set like bedtime, chores, and all that BS.

Sometimes I search for samples, which has now turned into a digital task versus vinyl. This is much more efficient for my lifestyle. I take care of the house pets and try to help out with other house tasks when I can. I'm usually reading and replying to the never ending email flow that's blowing up my phone while planning the next Uni-Fi event. I'm always contacting the next person that's getting involved with whatever Uni-Fi, WRAP.fm, or PayDirt (Productions) has going on in the surrounding months such as events, projects, interviews, or meetings.

After all of that, I try to wind down by watching a recorded show before bed as I sip on a beer to relax my mind. It's usually around then when I notice that 10pm is too late for me to be awake, but I end up staying up until 11 or midnight handling all of the above. This starts over every day.

Weekends: When our artists aren't performing live shows, which happen frequently, I usually schedule meetings for something that has to do with Uni-Fi, WRAP.fm, or PayDirt. There's always at least one extensive recording/brainstorming session per weekend. There's the usual family errands and such. We may make it out to eat for dinner as a family on Fridays, but it's always hard to justify the spending of cash. I try to take my dogs out for a run or walk to the park because they've been cooped up all week. Sundays are usually spent running more errands, replying to more emails, reviewing more submitted music and videos, and taking trips to the parent's house for dinner.

Describe the local Hip Hop scene as best you can.

Dima: Crabs in a barrel... non-supporting fans... and non-supporting venues. The scene in general is just not conducive to developing artists. Milwaukee is like the weed killer of music artistry. Anyone who has any connection to the industry never replies to anyone "under them" or exerts any effort to further something that may have potential unless it benefits them. It's an everyone-for-themselves mentality where the only way you may get a call from one another is when someone has something to benefit or is looking for a handout or even making connections when it benefits them.

It's an unorganized chaos that doesn't know how to step to the "mainstream industry." If they do know, then they are not willing or unable to put forth the resources. Most often, it's money. It could also be described as a cut-all-possible-corners mentality as well. I imagine it has something to do with the non-recouping environment for all who live here.

Who are some local artists that you'd recommend to someone from out of town? 

Dima: Literally, Milwaukee is a garbage disposal of music. There are too many to go through if I were to list them all. Of course, I stand behind my artists Dana Coppafeel and SPEAK Easy. Other rap dudes I'd suggest would be Prophetic, if you still consider him a Milwaukee artist. Yo-Dot, who is making a lot of music. Haz Solo has always been dope to me and has a good online following. Dylan Thomas, although it's been a while. Klassik, SNYD, and Maal are good too. There's a lot of young dudes coming up such as A'K and DexterX who've caught my attention.

Leaning away from Hip Hop, there's Fresh Cut Collective, D'Amato, Ras Movement, Evan Christian, H.E.R. Crew, Kane Place Record Club, Fable and The World Flat, Fly Phoenix, Skillz, Safs Crew, Kevin Getzen, Rusty P's (who've been in it for a long time and have just recently dropped some new ish), and so many more artists of all genres that I can't even name them all. Many of them are very, very good at what they do.

What makes a "White Russian" beat, a "White Russian" beat?

Dima: A sample-driven sound and a meeting with me, the "White Russian." I enjoy the process of building songs with artists and not a cold meeting of a listening session just to walk away with a CD full of beats and never be heard from again. It's the process of building and collaborating that attacts me to creating tracks with people. Money doesn't hurt either. [Laughs] So, if you want a beat, then you better show up at your scheduled time or I probably won't bother to reserve my time for you in the future. I've got real shit going on, sorry.

Besides Rap/Hip Hop, what are some other genres of music that you enjoy listening to? 

Dima: My latest purchase was the theme song to The Sopranos called "Woke Up This Morning." I enjoy Bob Marley's greatest hits, The Eagles, Lionel Richie, Scatman, and "Tom's Diner" by Suzane Vega. I like all sorts of shit. If I like it, I like it. To me, good music comes from the feeling, and if I feel that in the song, I'll probably fuck with it. From Classical to Dance, I'll listen if I have time, which is not often.

What's your "must-have" album to bring with you when you travel?

Dima: The Uni-Fi "works in progress" playlist, whether it's my beats or songs that are halfway done or unmixed or unmastered. I make notes and aim towards perfection. I collect production from the team and pick the best shit. Sometimes it's samples that I can listen to for chops. The work never ends.

What type of "milestones" has the label reached with their latest compilation EP featuring Uni-Fi's own Dana Coppafeel and SPEAK Easy? 

Dima: I think the biggest of all the milestones, not including the accolades like MTV, Rolling Stone, URB Magazine, and Respect Magazine, would be the discovery of the "process" or "equation" (as I like to call it) to release a project whether it be a single, EP, album, or video. It's been a learning lesson for all involved on how to properly schedule, invest, release, etc. The "process" is the shit that most locals won't commit to for one reason or another. It's always a risk.

There is always more money that can be spent to perfect your release. Just do it!

What's the next move for the label? Are there any upcoming projects in the works? 

Dima: Respect Magazine just released the music video exclusive for "Da City" two days ago. Next up is the video for "Wait," then a single and video by Dana Coppa & Mammyth called "Brad Pitt," a single called "Drum Set" by SPEAK Easy on a mixtape that's being released by Jank One, a remix video for "Hot Shots Part Deax," a single deal duel-release by Loyalty Digital (out of NY) for SPEAK and Dana, a 2013 Uni-Fi mixtape, at least 3 videos for the songs on the mixtape, a 2014 album with SPEAK and Dana, and who knows what may pop up along the way.

What kind of advice would you like to offer to a recording artist who is interested in purchasing a "White Russian" beat? 

Dima: Schedule a time, show up on time, and suffer through going over many stems until you like one idea. Then, take the time to build on it together. Offer to pay for the beat, too. Nothing crazy, but something; you're here for a reason, so bring that green! 

What kind of advice would you like to offer to a recording artist who would be interested in joining the label? 

Dima: Show and prove, be consistent, join the movement and don't fall off. So far, after 9 years, I've only found two that have done the above... Dana & SPEAK. You need to be able to accept constructive criticism, and when you're good enough to tango, you too will hit that dance floor. Realize early on that this is a business, and there's no time to play and have fun. 

What kind of advice would you like to offer to a recording artist who would be interested in submitting music to WRAP.fm? 

Dima: Anyone can submit to wrapfm@gmail.com but only the ones that fit the format and make an impression will make it on the air. Of course, knowing us personally helps. 

What kind of advice would you like to offer to other independent record labels? 

Dima: I'd suggest that you really think about what you want to be doing, like, really think about. This is not a game and I hope you have a well-paying job to support your "label" habit. Yes, you do "live and you learn." I'd also suggest surrounding yourself with honest people.

If you could choose anyone, who would you love to welcome to the Uni-Fi roster?  

Dima: I have both up-and-comers to the mainstream and local talent in mind that I would consider putting under the wing of Uni-Fi. People who have a lot of potential and a lot of drive. I won't name them because every addition deserves an investment. We have a lot going on as it is and we need to make sure we handle that first. 

If you could choose anyone, who would you love to collaborate with on an upcoming Uni-Fi project? 

Dima: We're currently building up a list for the 2014 project. You'll have to find out then. 

Aside from music, what other works do you have in-store?  

Dima: The MINI Classy is a baby apparel shop Michelle started. I am giving them some business advice and cutting fabric for their clothes. Other than that, her and her business partner, "Rae Rae," have been hustling and I'm glad to see that. 

Speed Round - (Where one word answers are perfectly acceptable)

What's your favorite drink?

Dima: La Croix

Do you watch TV? If so, what's your favorite show?

Dima: Breaking Bad and the Food Network in general

Do you have a favorite movie?

Dima: Edward Scissorhands, The Green Mile, The Matrix

What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

Dima: Tom & Jerry

Name an album that you're ashamed to admit to owning, liking, and listening to.

Dima: You need to hear all music. You can't be ashamed.

Best memory of Moscow? 

Dima: Family, Dacha, Kremlin, Travel

What's something you miss the most about Moscow? 

Dima: Family, Dacha, Travel

What motivates you? 

Dima: My parents

What inspires you to create music? 

Dima: The sample or sound

Where can someone find your label's music? 

Dima: There are many free albums and mixtapes on www.unifirecords.com.

Lastly, what's something that many people may not know about you? 

Dima: I'm a first generation Ameri/Russian, living that American Dream.

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To learn more about Dima and his production, then visit this link here.

To hear more from Uni-Fi Records, you can find, follow, and tweet them using their Twitter widget below.


Tweets by @UniFiRecords

Thank you for your time Dima, and thank you to my readers.

-QW

For your enjoyment, here is the new video for Uni-Fi Records' artists Dana Coppafeel and SPEAK Easy's song "Da City," featuring SNYD.