Music Industry and Public Relations
“Over the past couple of weeks, we have discussed the role of corporate communications and public relations and how those have evolved into parts of corporations and industries that are integral to how
products and corporate image is sold. We are now looking at a case study on the music industry, in which their traditional public relations and communications did not work with the consumer and their business model of selling music to the masses was badly disrupted.
First, from the material I have provided, what is counter hegemonic globalization? Why can it be incredibly disruptive to corporations and governments? And why might public relations and corporate communications not work when this occurs? Can you think of some current examples in the world where social movements are disrupting corporations and governments, even here in New Brunswick?
Now, apply this term counter hegemonic globalization to the music industry and the changes we have seen since the use of the Internet to download music in the 1990s. Can the changes brought by civil society and how we obtain and listen to popular music today be examples of counter hegemonic globalization?
Demonstrate how changes brought by Napster, torrent sites, music streaming, and the use of iPod/iTunes,can be considered or not considered counter hegemonic changes to globalization.
Now think about the public relations of the music industry. What various things did they do wrong when Napster appeared in 1999 and through the ultimate collapse of their business model once iTunes became the way in which consumers paid for music? What were the problems they faced and why did they fail?
Outline what you think they did wrong. Finally, what would you have done differently if you were in their position and were helping them with public relations and their image? Consider the Starbucks and oil spills crisis communications examples as well as the Campbell chapter on Public Relations from class.
