For a while now, I have used the example of bands making more money out of live concert revenues than album sales to illustrate the fact that 'live' and 'real' experiences remain the most important things any brand can create. From the Michael Jackson to Andre Rieu, the demand for live experiences remains off the charts.
Now, thanks to a great post by Max Lenderman (whose new book, Brand New World is all about the power of limited, niche, exclusive, experience-based brands), I have a new favourite example of the all-trumping relevance of the experience.
Josh Freese (ex-NIN) is selling his new album with added-value experiences. See Josh's website for the full story, but for the quick version, just read this description of the $75,000 package (limited edition of one)...
- Signed CD/DVD and digital download
- T-shirt
- Come out on tour with me for a few days
- I write, record and market a 5 song EP about you and your life story
- Take home any of my drumsets (only one but you can pick which one)
- Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from TOOL's Lamborgini OR we play "quarters" and then hop on the Ouija board for a while
- If you have a band, I'll join it for a month....play shows, record a CD together, have a swim party, etc.... or none of the above. We could also just sit in yer basement and jam old Van Halen. OR If you don't have a band I'll be your personal assistant for a month (4 day work weeks....10 am to 5 pm) and then we take a limo down to Tijuana and I'll show you how it's done (what that means I can't legally get into here, right this minute). If you don't live in LA but are in the USA I will come to you and be your personal assistant/cabana boy for 2 weeks
- Take a Flying Trapeze lesson together in the San Fernando Valley and then Robin from NIN and his wife make us raw lasagna
Erm. Fully experiential, right