Whether you’re a fan of parody music or not, there is no denying that Weird Al’s music catches attention (see the video above.) In an effort to promote his new album “Mandatory Fun” which will be his first release in three years, Weird Al has released music videos routinely for the last week. Music videos have always been an essential part of Weird Al’s success, the visuals help to create even more of a buzz and lend tangibility to his catchy lyrics and clever parodies. When RCA, his recording label, refused to produce the music videos he reached out to different internet production companies and friends. Yankovic promised any and all of the advertising revenue that the videos would generate in return for covering production costs.
Many of the companies and parties that he approached hopped on board without question and even without promise of the videos actually going viral. It was a bet that most of the producers were willing to make and as it turned out they were wise. With only a week of exposure, Weird Al’s YouTube page has already received over a quarter billion views…that’s billion with a b. Deals like this are prime examples of how companies can hop on and cash in on the easiest way to reach today’s generation. Recognizing what has the potential to go viral and getting in on it early. With that sort of online presence it will be interesting to see if Weird Al Yankovic decides to partner with any brands or products in the future.
Gregory Okawachi
Copywriter AP
Mood: Regular