Madonna Understands

Led by the consummate front man Steven Tyler, Aerosmith has redefined age, vitality, and sexiness in an industry in which goodlooking twenty somethings are the norm. The band embodies energy and passion to connect with young music fans, capturing the Best Rock Song category for “Jaded” at the 2001 Teen Music Awards. In Chapter 6, you’ll learn how Aerosmith shows marketers the way to cultivate angel fans, how to involve them in building a brand, and how to transform a dying brand into one stronger than its predecessor.

Madonna Since she slithered onto the music scene in 1983 with her hit single “Holiday,” Madonna has proven that sex certainly does sell. Never afraid to offend the masses, Madonna understands shock value and rebellion, but most important, she understands her fans, to whom her antics and convictions are not offensive but expected and accepted. Her sexually charged (and often explicit) lyrics and videos don’t turn off her female fans because Madonna is not about using sex to degrade women; her goal is to empower them by breaking down barriers and touting equality, spawning as many Madonna wannabes as male fans. She makes a conscious effort not to promote a particular lifestyle, but to present different ones in an open-albeit revealing-light and let people choose for themselves.

Throughout her career, Madonna has remained true to one of her greatest strengths-a chameleon like ability to change and stay one step ahead of the times. Madonna is a better “product” now than she was when she started, continually improving her voice, dancing, and stage productions and imposing quality control whenever and wherever possible. Firms such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, and other fashion brands use similar appeals in their communication and marketing strategies, but few do it better than Victoria’s Secret, as you’ll see in Chapter 7.