Another Great Patronage Example
I wrote last week about Jill Sobule’s successful campaign to raise $75,000 direct from fans in order to finance her new album (she got more than that, and quickly). Now I hear, via David Jennings, via Billboard, that UK band Marillion have been doing this for some time and have just raised ten times that from more than 12,000 fans to record their 15th album.
The Marillion website has an extensive page describing the venture. They offered many of the same incentives as Sobule (name in liner notes) and some of what she did for anyone who paid the price, they did in contest form. In fact, they offered lots of prizes for people who paid up before the deadline. As a fan (though not of them), I read their list of prizes and thought “wow, they’ve really nailed what fans want” [forgive the funky formatting]:
 GRAND PRIZE – The Golden Ticket (1 Winner)
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An all-expenses-paid* trip from anywhere in the world for 2 to the Marillion Weekend 2009, including VIP and backstage passes for the entire Weekend.
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* All necessary travel and accommodation will be booked by economy/coach class and paid for by Marillion/Racket Records in consultation with the prize winners. Food & drink outside of the pre-booked meals at Marillion Weekend 2009 is the responsibility of the winner.
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Perform on Album 15 (1 Winner)
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Visit Marillion’s Racket Club Studio and perform* on Album 15, and be credited for your performance in the artwork.
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* Performance of a specific instrument cannot be guaranteed, and may be limited to various percussion (tambourines, shakers, hand-claps) and/or backing vocals. Final performance recording will be arranged upon arrival to the Racket Club studio. No performance fee and/or other royalties will be payable to the winner.
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Appear in the Artwork for Album 15 (1 Winner)
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Have your photo appear* in the album artwork of the pre-order Deluxe Campaign 2CD Edition
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* Winner will be contacted with full details of how to submit photos; final artistic usage will be at the discretion of the graphic designer and/or Marillion.
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Watch a Gig from the Stage (1 Winner)
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Stand on stage in “Guitar World” with our guitar tech for a prime view of the show at any choice of gig on the Snow-where Else Christmas Tour 2007 (2 tickets included)
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Watch a Gig from the Stage (1 Winner)
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Stand on stage in “Guitar World” with our guitar tech for a prime view of the show at any choice of gig on the Album 15 Tour 2008 (2 tickets included)
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Hand-written Autographed Lyrics (1 Winner)
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A Marillion lyric of your choice hand-written by Steve Hogarth and signed by all 5 band members.
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Autographed Album 15 Artwork Print (1 Winner)
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A one-off 12″x12″ print of the Album 15 cover, signed by all 5 band members.
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Your Own Private Marillion Gig (5 Winners)
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Visit Marillion’s Racket Club Studio with 3 other friends/family to meet the band and hear them play a short gig at the studio especially for you.
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A Phone Call from the Band (5 Winners)
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Have a chat with Marillion! Each band member will select a winner, and give you a phone call to talk about whatever you’d like.
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Sound-check and Front Row Passes (10 Winners)
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Admission for 2 to sound check at any choice of gig on the Snow-where Else Christmas Tour 2007 (2 tickets included), plus passes to remain in the venue and/or early admission passes to guarantee yourself a front-row view of the gig.
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Sound-check and Front Row Passes (10 Winners)
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Admission for 2 to sound check at any choice of gig on the Album 15 Tour 2008 (2 tickets included), plus passes to remain in the venue and/or early admission passes to guarantee yourself a front-row view of the gig.
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A ‘Special Thanks’ Credit on Album 15 (10 Winners)
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Your name listed not only in the pre-order list of names, but also in the main album credits under the “Special Thanks” section.
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Marillion Plectrums and Sticks (10 Winners)
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A pair of Ian Mosley’s drum sticks, plus plectrums from Steve Rothery, Pete Trewavas, and Steve Hogarth – all used for a Marillion show.
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Racket Records Gift Vouchers (25 Winners)
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25 winners will receive £25 each to spend on anything they like at the Racket Records online store.
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Signed Albums (50 Winners)
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Have your Album 15 pre-order Deluxe Campaign 2CD Edition signed by all 5 band members.
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It’s apparent from Marillion’s site that they’ve got this process down, though it’s also apparent that their strategy relies entirely on the fact that they already have a large, loyal fanbase and that some of this would not work with a new band. Still, it’s another example of a well-done and extremely successful patronage model.
The patronage model really resonates with me simply because I have often had the thought that some of the music I have bought is worth so much more to me than I was able to pay for it. I can think of at least two bands off the top of my head I would send hundreds of dollars if they just gave me a way to do it. And many others I’d gladly send ten or twenty.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 at 10:16 AM
and filed under Artists, Music.
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Deborah wrote:
The band Girlyman has made slightly more expensive than retail pre-orders available for all three of their albums so far, and they have encouraged people to buy the pre-ordered albums by explaining that without the pre-orders, they would not be able to afford to produce the albums. Aside from the pre-ordered albums coming pre-signed (which is actually not much of a perk, when you think about it, because it takes away the excuse to get your album signed in line at the concert and flirt with the band), there are no particular perks to pre-ordering the album except the knowledge that you are enabling the band to pay for production.
Although the pre-order for their third album, “Joyful Sign”, came “signed by the band and sealed with a very girly kiss”. And in the pre-order request for their second album, “Little Star”, they said that if anyone would send them $5,000 for production they would give those individuals a private house concert. (Jokingly, I assume, because Girlyman is a small folk band, and not the kind of band whose fans usually manage to come up with $5,000 to support fandom.)
Posted on 12-Mar-08 at 11:29 am | Permalink