February 19, 2010

Dead Theory

Did anyone happen to catch the feature in The Atlantic about The Grateful Dead? Apparently management theorists and academics are using the band as a sociological case-study for business strategy and brand identity:

[The] musicians who constituted the Dead were anything but naive about their business. They incorporated early on, and established a board of directors (with a rotating CEO position) consisting of the band, road crew, and other members of the Dead organization. They founded a profitable merchandising division and, peace and love notwithstanding, did not hesitate to sue those who violated their copyrights. But they weren’t greedy, and they adapted well. They famously permitted fans to tape their shows, ceding a major revenue source in potential record sales. According to Barnes, the decision was not entirely selfless: it reflected a shrewd assessment that tape sharing would widen their audience, a ban would be unenforceable, and anyone inclined to tape a show would probably spend money elsewhere, such as on merchandise or tickets. The Dead became one of the most profitable bands of all time.

Most enjoyable.

posted by in business, magazines, pop culture | * | 6 comments 

comments

  1. Matt on February 20th, 2010 at 3:20 am

    I’ve never heard/seen a Dead Show in person so you shouldn’t trust me. The taped shows I have heard I think are the worst music in the American songbook. Really. Awful, just awful.

  2. What Managers And Freelancers Can Learn From The Grateful Dead | Lifehacker Australia on February 23rd, 2010 at 4:07 pm

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  6. What Managers and Freelancers Can Learn From the Grateful Dead » paulwoods.ca on February 24th, 2010 at 4:32 pm

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