Get Lucky: The Re-Branding of the Grammys

2014 Album of the Year winners Daft Punk
(with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers)

Last night, CBS aired the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Once the ratings are in, it will be interesting to see if the renowned awards show will pull in respectable, or even record, numbers. Back in the mid 1980s, circa Thriller-Madonna-Springsteen, Grammy night was THE night for musicians and the fans. But as loyal viewers aged and younger audiences flocked to the more hip American Music Awards or MTV Video Awards, Grammy ratings slipped. In fact, the Grammys of 2007 and 2008 were among the lowest rated ever. But then two years ago, the awards show had its second highest ratings ever. So, what happened?

Well, certainly one factor that parallels the show's popularity is the music scene itself. When there is a powerhouse singer on the charts, such as a Whitney or Adele, people tune in. Lagging music sales in any year mean losing interest in the show itself. But the factor I believe is most helping ratings is what CBS bills as the Grammy Moment -- the network's clever move of putting artists together from different genres and generations to create a musical morsel one cannot see anywhere else. With the easy access to music videos and concert performances online, it is no longer such a special event to watch an artist perform a popular hit. But pitting artists together can bring magic (or sometimes, scandal, as in Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke from last summer's MTV's VMAs).



10 years ago: Prince and Beyonce
perform "Purple Rain" at 2004 Grammys
courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

Perhaps this newfound interest in unlikely duets can be traced back to Frank Sinatra's wildly popular Duets CD, released in 1993. Elton John, Ray Charles among others adopted the formula. Couple that with the rising popularity of mash-ups and CBS has re-branded and revitalized the Grammys such that the more exciting reason to tune is to ensure you are present to view that Grammy moment; that unique collaboration. In this age of social media-fueled instant gratification, CBS has marketed the program as one where something legendary is going to happen. And really, who wants to miss that.

A few comments from last night's telecast...

• So, I wrote the above before the telecast started and true to fashion CBS kicks off the show touting the Grammy Moments and highlights a few from past programs: Prince and Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, Usher and James Brown and several others.
• Is it me or do we hardly see Beyoncé and Jay-Z perform together live? The power couple open the show. Though someone is a little heavy handed on the fog machine.
• In case you want to forget "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke just won't let you. He performs a snippet from his mega-hit backed by members of the group Chicago who I believe still sound good. It was hard to tell--Thicke sang over them as they performed their 70s era single "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
• Jamie Foxx is supposed to present an award but seems to first want some attention. How else to explain his rambling on about Beyonce looking hot (while the songs he is supposed to announce skip by him in the background)
• Rap and rock come together in the high-octane performance of Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons--for me, the best performance of the night so far.
• Paul McCartney performs a new song while Ringo Starr takes to the drums to help out his Beatle buddy. Plus, how cool to see Yoko Ono on her feet, dancing along.
• Another standing ovation (there seemed to be a lot during the night) as Daft Punk (who would later pick up Record of the Year) perform "Get Lucky" with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. The Grammy Moment comes when Stevie Wonder joins along and the set features a little of Chic's "LeFreak" (Rodgers' old group) and Wonder's "Another Star."
• Phil Everly and Phil Ramone garner the most applause during the In Memoriam segment. Though I'm still trying to figure out why comedian Jonathan Winters was included here.
• And finally, Grammy did create what was arguably THE Grammy moment on the telecast. As Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed the critically-acclaimed "Same Love," more than 30 couples, some of which were same-sex, exchanged rings as Queen Latifah presided over the "ceremony." And behind closed doors, out comes the performer who needs no introduction: Madonna, who adds a few chorus of "Open Your Heart." This, I imagine, is the water cooler segment that CBS hoped to create with the re-branded, not-your-grandfather's Grammys.

Now the Oscars? That's another story...








-- Tom Quash

15 Inspiring Quotes from Dr. King

It was in 1983 that President Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday (the third Monday each January) to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., though it was first observed three years later. However it wasn't until 2000 when all of the 50 U.S. states officially observed the holiday. Prior to 2000, either resistance or the move to combine the King holiday with other state observances would come from Arizona, Virginia, South Carolina and New Hampshire.

photo courtesy of History.com

Today you've probably heard the holiday positioned as the King Day of Service, encouraging citizens to use the day to offer volunteer services in some way (such as helping to feed the homeless or pitching in to clean up a park) in the spirit of Dr. King. This certainly is just but one meaningful initiative to support his legacy and help rally others to make a difference. It's difficult to succinctly sum up the impact Dr. King has made on this country, and the world. So I honor Dr. King by highlighting just a sampling of powerful messages and words of inspiration that he first shared decades ago. For it is the meaning in his chosen words that live on today and hopefully still touch generations for years to come.

1. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

2. "Life's most persistent and urgent question is 'what are you doing for others'?"

3. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

4. "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

5. "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."

6. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

7. "Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals."

8. "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way."

9. "We must rapidly begin the shift from a 'thing-oriented' society to a 'people-oriented' society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism and militarism are incapable of being conquered."

10. "The day we see the truth and cease to speak is the day we begin to die."

11. "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."

12. "We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers."

13. "It does not matter how long you live, but how well you do it."

14. "A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus."

15. "We must use time creatively -- and forever realize that the time is always hope to do great things."


--Tom Quash

Why We're Wild About Wine

This week, the 2014 annual Silicon Valley Bank State of the Wine Industry Report is due out. Through this survey of approximately 600 wineries, the report gives a prediction of wine sales and growth this year. There are several factors that affect wine sales, from global economies to production costs to grape planting and harvesting. Although the volume of beer consumed in the U.S. (and the world) outnumbers that of wine, beer sales are stagnant or slipping in some regions (including, Germany!) while wine continues to grow in popularity. What gives? Why did we shift our tastes?

According to the current report, wine consumption began to lag in 1987 as anti-alcohol messages began to hit consumers. Then in 1994, after a 60 Minutes segment cited findings from French scientist Serge Renaud that linked wine consumption to lower risk of coronary heart disease, wine sales increased. This was a critical tipping point in the branding of wine. And in particular, red wine. Suddenly, there was seemingly a health benefit to wine. Indeed, since 1994 wine consumption has increased every year to date. Today, the U.S. is now the largest market for wine consumption. Sorry, France and Italy.


Coupled with the new research, which was racking up headlines over the years, wine also fed into our collective new infatuation with diversifying our traditional tastes. As we explored more gourmet fare and challenged our palates, wine seemed to fit better with meals and during networking receptions rather than the traditional cocktail or cold beer. Through this journey toward today's "foodie" culture, wine was the perfect co-pilot, complete with new brands, players, packaging and marketing opportunities. This all kept wine, well, interesting. Likewise, shifts in brand positioning helped other alcoholic beverage markets gain traction with consumers when you also consider the sales growth of craft beer and premium spirits.

Courteney Cox holds her "Big Joe"
wine glass on the TV sitcom
Cougar Town

Additionally, one cannot ignore the buying and decision-making power of women. Women make up more than half of the U.S.'s core wine drinkers today. And a cursory glance at television shows alone reveals how networks today are far more comfortable depicting this representation than in recent memory: Olivia Pope (portrayed by Kerry Washington on Scandal) rarely makes it through an episode without her nightly glass of red wine; wine is part of the cultural fabric (and marketing) on the sitcom Cougar Town; and actress Swoosie Kurtz, as Joyce Flynn, is most often found with a wine glass in hand on the popular comedy Mike & Molly. But it's not just U.S. women that prefer wine. A study by Vinexpo, host to one of the world's largest wine trade fairs, found that women in Asia opt for wine as well. Consider that wine is viewed as more healthful and elegant than most other alcoholic beverages and it's easy to conclude why many women prefer wine.

For the wine industry, the last ten years have been nearly a perfect storm in brand positioning: health claims that benefit your product, major shifts in consumer tastes that are aligned with your product and a key demographic that finds your product more attractive than your competitors. And the wine industry creatively leveraged these factors by keeping its product relevant and fresh.

As the lyrics to UB40's hit single Red Red Wine state:

     Red red wine you make me feel so grand
     I feel a million dollars when you're just in my hand.

Well, now you know why...


--Tom Quash

Brand it Like Justin: 5 Smart Tips Learned from Mr. Timberlake

Next month's Super Bowl marks the 10th anniversary since the excessively referenced "wardrobe malfunction" occurrence that took place during the Janet Jackson / Justin Timberlake Super Bowl halftime show back in 2004. You may recall it was Timberlake who added the phrase to the pop culture lexicon during his public apology for the controversial mishap that resulted in Jackson's fully exposed breast. In the ten years since, Jackson's star status has spiraled downward. But Timberlake continues to propel even higher into the celebrity stratosphere. How does he do it? In an age when today's hottest personalities can quickly become tomorrow's footnote, what branding lessons can we pick up from Timberlake's continued successes. I offer a few observations...

Stay Relevant

Since his solo album debut in 2002 (Justified) after departing from N' Sync, Timberlake has released only four studio albums; the last two in 2013. That's not a lot. But Timberlake has done a nice job of branding himself as a modern-day Renaissance man. That is, he is able to transfer his skills as an artist into other areas: fashion, writing, business and most notably, acting, from his voice work in Shrek The Third to his comedic turn in Friends with Benefits and supporting roles in such critically-acclaimed films as The Social Network and Inside Llewyn Davis. Cleverly, Timberlake recognizes that the days of his early career come with the boy-band stigma and he aligns himself with projects that keep his name and presence in the forefront and help support his brand as a pop culture icon.

Explore New Markets

As Timberlake ages, so too do the fans that followed and supported him since the mid 1990s. How do you still remain relevant to your loyal fan base and also appeal to new markets? It's a tricky juggling act and Timberlake succeeds by ensuring he has a presence on platforms that were attractive to not only his fans, but also to new audiences less familiar with him. For example, in 2006, he leveraged the opportunity to create both buzz and hip appeal by appearing with the comedy troupe The Lonely Island in the music video short D*ck in a Box, which achieved more than 35 million views online after its bleeped-out airing on Saturday Night Live.  Timberlake deftly utilized his comedic chops and musical talents again with SNL, hosting an additional five times to date, including last month's (December 21) episode which gave NBC its highest ratings for the program in nearly two years. Through SNL and hosting gigs for the ESPY Awards (2008) and Kids' Choice Awards (2007), Timberlake is effectively extending his brand into new markets.

Maintain A Positive Presence

Tired of hearing about that other Justin? That is, Justin Bieber and his pee-in-the-bucket-carried-up-the-Great-Wall-by-his-bodyguards antics? Sick of the Kardashians? Yeah, me too. You can be a big name on the A-list but still find that many are frankly just sick of hearing about you. However, smart branding means you maintain a public presence... where it counts (i.e. scoring a hit duet with Madonna, touring with Jay Z) and while you may still face scrutiny, if you align your choices with the attributes of your brand, you really should not tarnish brand integrity in any way. Consider that Apple, Amazon and Google are solid brands that have all made missteps, but we forgive them and allow those companies and other organizations and individuals to carry on because we still believe these detours will likely happen from time to time. For Timberlake, we forgive every Bad Teacher or Blake Snake Moan because those decisions still support his brand as an artist who embraces experimentation.

Be Innovative and Creative

Many artists, and likewise, brands, run the risk of becoming stale if they do not periodically add a dose of innovation and creativity into their positioning. Otherwise, they become formulaic, predictable and then dull. As if pulling pages from the playbooks of Michael Jackson, Madonna or Prince, Timberlake challenges himself, particularly in both music and film, and invites you to take the ride with him. His musical style has infused influences from pop, R&B, hip hop and rock at various stages of his career. He can lean on his comedic talents on TV and is comfortable with heavy, dramatic depictions on film. Timberlake pushes himself to expand and we watch, listen and laugh.

Leverage Smart Partners

Despite the wardrobe malfunction, teaming up with Janet Jackson to deliver the MTV/CBS Super Bowl halftime show was the best way to reach a global stage in one night. Partnering with Jay Z was smart. And Madonna (well, maybe she had more to gain than he did). And Saturday Night Live (marrying Jessica Biel can't hurt either). Smart brands collaborate for an even stronger foothold in the marketplace. Taco Bell and Doritos, for example. Timberlake chooses his partners wisely; those that do not conflict with his own brand and can prove beneficial to his own goals. A smart partnership can readily support the previous principles of relevance, new markets, presence and innovation.


So good luck to you, Mr. Timberlake. Your rise to stardom and continued accomplishments create a fascinating real-life case study on how to live the brand.


- Tom Quash