RE: loop device endorsement - was Santanas looping bassist

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

>
>Sure, I don't think anybody disagrees with that. I certainly don't. 
>It helps some, I just don't think it helps all that much more than 
>the fact that a known artist is using the stuff in the first place. 
>So far as I know Gibson intends to do various artist relation 
>efforts with whoever they can in relation to the upcoming Echoplex 
>Plus dealy. In fact, that's why I know about Benny's use of the 
>Echoplex. Gibson called me about wanting to get him a copy of 
>LoopIV. You guys talk about these industry folks like they don't 
>know this stuff, when they are the ones doing it every single day 
>for years. By now they have it pretty well dialed in as to when 
>endorsers are effective, when they are not, and how much to invest 
>in it. When it isn't happening it is more because it just wasn't 
>making sense budget or organizationally or timing-wise.

You told us repeatedly that noone listens to Santana and much less to 
his bass player and now you say that Gibson has the experience to 
select the right musicians to support... does that make sense?

>...
>I remember Boomerang went to the NAMM show one year. Their booth was 
>filled with people fascinated with their pedal every time I went by. 
>They never went to the show again, and later I recall them 
>complaining that the cost of going ended up being far higher than 
>the sales they ended up getting as a result. Electrix said the same 
>this year, and I've heard it before. That's a real danger for a 
>small musical instrument maker. The cost of advertising is high 
>compared to your income, and it might not do you nearly as much good 
>as the free advertising of good musicians playing good music in 
>front of a lot of people with your products.

depends on whether the employees stay in a expensive hotel or at 
friends. PARADIS has been at Frankfurt show about 10 years in a row 
and it was reasonable, although direct sales hardly covered.
In fact: without those shows, the LOOP delay would not have turned 
into the Echoplex and the looping comunity would be mainly european, 
probably ;-)
-- 


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