Thoughts about Ayumi's Marketing Strategy

[ImpactBreaker]

Many will hate me for posting this, but I will. I think ayu has kinda lost her interest in making music. I do know she hasn't lost her interest in performing, though, because we can truly see how much effort she puts into that, but honestly, sometimes it seems like she's set music production as a second priority on her list.

Just a little joke, but, sometimes it seems like ayu is just sitting on a beauty & care saloon, doing her nails, when suddenly an avex agent enters it and says:

Agent: hamasaki ayumi, we have to decide something important.
Ayu: What is it? Can't you see I'm busy! my nails~~~~ how am I going to look pretty in the next VIVI cover if they don't look good enough?
Agent: Well, it's about your next song. H/\L and CMJK are already ready to prepare the composition and arrangements.
Ayu: hmmm...ok....look, I left my diary on my desk...go there and...*thinks of random number* use the writing N. 145 as the lyrics. Show them to H/\L and they'll know what to do.
Agent goes and finds ayu diary. It's separated by sections: "My summer memories [500 notes]", "Winter time [300 notes]", "About wings and roads to follow [950 notes]", "My deceased friend [200 notes]".

I know many will find this irritating to read, as I'm sounding harsh and blunt, but it's just that she has been using a simillar formula for so long and the same composers and everything. I mean, she's so conservative about her careeer, that sometimes, it really seems like things are just coming automatically, in a fordist way, as a production line. The summer single, the ballad single, the rock single, songs with simillar themes (I'm not saying I want her to shift to a Hip Hop singer but I kinda misss when she was daring enough to try electronic, medieval, arabian and religious themes in her music). Also, we hardly hear things like: "today ayu met the composer "y" famous for doing certain compositions for this and that. ayu decided she'll try something different this time and is she'll be working pretty close to him so that the final result will have her special touch, blah, blah" - i mean, things we see other succesful artists doing. All we hear about is how ayu is getting prepared to shoot a PV, or to shoot for a magazine cover, or working in her tours. We hardly ever get to hear about her getting involved in her music, I mean, there were obviously exceptions in which we got a few heads up: i.e RAINBOW - the song, HEAVEN, the Geo songs, but that's was about that

[ayumisrael]

^Well she used kunio tago for 2 songs in GUILTY and the last time he composed for her before was on Duty and she did post on the TA blog that she's using a composer she didn't use for a long time for her new song.

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

^Well she used kunio tago for 2 songs in GUILTY and the last time he composed for her before was on Duty and she did post on the TA blog that she's using a composer she didn't use for a long time for her new song.

unfortunately he didn't really help much to make a difference though....she used them just to compose plain ballads....=/ I wonder if ayu was really there by his side, and telling him: "ok, this sound pretty good", "no this sounds too cliche", "hmm let's work this part a little more", "yeah this part sounds really full of emotion".

[Bashumaru]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

Many will hate me for posting this, but I will. I think ayu has kinda lost her interest in making music. I do know she hasn't lost her interest in performing, though, because we can truly see how much effort she puts into that, but honestly, sometimes it seems like she's set music production as a second priority on her list.

Just a little joke, but, sometimes it seems like ayu is just sitting on a beauty & care saloon, doing her nails, when suddenly an avex agent enters it and says:

Agent: hamasaki ayumi, we have to decide something important.
Ayu: What is it? Can't you see I'm busy! my nails~~~~ how am I going to look pretty in the next VIVI cover if they don't look good enough?
Agent: Well, it's about your next song. H/\L and CMJK are already ready to prepare the composition and arrangements.
Ayu: hmmm...ok....look, I left my diary on my desk...go there and...*thinks of random number* use the writing N. 145 as the lyrics. Show them to H/\L and they'll know what to do.
Agent goes and finds ayu diary. It's separated by sections: "My summer memories [500 notes]", "Winter time [300 notes]", "About wings and roads to follow [950 notes]", "My deceased friend [200 notes]".

I know many will find this irritating to read, as I'm sounding harsh and blunt, but it's just that she has been using a simillar formula for so long and the same composers and everything. I mean, she's so conservative about her careeer, that sometimes, it really seems like things are just coming automatically, in a fordist way, as a production line. The summer single, the ballad single, the rock single, songs with simillar themes (I'm not saying I want her to shift to a Hip Hop singer but I kinda misss when she was daring enough to try medieval, arabian and religious themes in her music). Also, we hardly hear things like: "today ayu met the composer "y" famous for doing certain compositions for this and that. ayu decided she'll try something different this time and is she'll be working pretty close to him so that the final result will have her special touch, blah, blah" - i mean, things we see other succesful artists doing. All we hear about is how ayu is getting prepared to shoot a PV, or to shoot for a magazine cover, or working in her tours. We hardly ever get to hear about her getting involved in her music, I mean, there were obviously exceptions in which we got a few heads up: i.e RAINBOW - the song, HEAVEN, the Geo songs, but that's was about that

Unfortunately, I kinda agree with you. But I myself don't really care about the lyrics, It may sound bad but since I don't really read the translations I hardly care what the song is talking about. I mean sometimes I go and look at it but I usually don't. BTW I'm just speaking for myself since I know some people on the forum who are really touched by her lyrics, but my checklist for a good song from Ayu is that the lyrics has to sound good to the ears for me since I don't understand Japanese and it has to flow, it has to have a nice composition which a lot of her songs have, I don't really base my opinion of the composition by who composes it, I could hardly care if she uses the same composer for her whole album, as long as it sounds nice and the rhythms good it works and its at least kinda different. Like I said this whole paragraph might sound bad to some people or make me sound shallow cause I'm not looking deeper but its just how it is for me. Like I'm not gonna say JUICY (by Koda) is a bad song because the lyrics are shallow and about sex.

[Coelacanth]

I kind of agree with Impact though, touring definitely seems to be at the top of her list. I'm sure the Japanese are happy that she's so involved in her touring, but it's harder for somebody like me who lives across the world to appreciate that. The only connection I have is through her music. I'm not one of those avid haters of her new music, but I would like some new themes in lyrics and melody, even if it doesn't turn out well. It would let me know that she's still involved her music, rather than just her touring.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

Just a little joke, but, sometimes it seems like ayu is just sitting on a beauty & care saloon, doing her nails, when suddenly an avex agent enters it and says:

Agent: hamasaki ayumi, we have to decide something important.
Ayu: What is it? Can't you see I'm busy! my nails~~~~ how am I going to look pretty in the next VIVI cover if they don't look good enough?
Agent: Well, it's about your next song. H/\L and CMJK are already ready to prepare the composition and arrangements.
Ayu: hmmm...ok....look, I left my diary on my desk...go there and...*thinks of random number* use the writing N. 145 as the lyrics. Show them to H/\L and they'll know what to do.
Agent goes and finds ayu diary. It's separated by sections: "My summer memories [500 notes]", "Winter time [300 notes]", "About wings and roads to follow [950 notes]", "My deceased friend [200 notes]".

Actually I find it quite funny to read your post, and you really speak out what some of us think. So let's hope she will releasing something special in summer time this year, like something not really about summer. I'm sick of the fairyland-->BLUD BIRD-->glitter trilogy already.. not to mention July 1st, Greatful Days, etc. (I'm not sure if INSPIRE is about summer tho...)

(But, let's say she will be releasing a 2A again OR even a 3A this summer, there will be a song talking about her summer fantasies again).

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

unfortunately he didn't really help much to make a difference though....she used them just to compose plain ballads....=/

Well, I don't know what's going through ayu's mind but maybe she chose a style and got stuck to it which is the pop, pop/rock, rock and ballads, if she likes her singing style so I don't see any problem, but while she continues to do that style, there are the people that get sick of it and the people that don't (and they're not neccesarilly fans). I suppose that you got so sick of her style which she chose to do, so you dislike it =P

I do agree that it would be nice if she would do new stuff (not new styles like hip-hop and totally different) but I'm sure she can do totally new great stuff, but if she prefers to stick to her style and what she's doing I wouldn't care much as long as I like the songs, if they will become boring or harshly bad to me then I won't listen to them.
Bold & Delicious was pretty a new thing for ayu but people claim that the japanese didn't like it.

I think that Mirrorcle World is a step up from a lot of her more rockier songs.

[bluegie]

She can do dance music, just like what she did back in LOVEppears era. She can also invite hikki to compose music, doing some arrangement for her. I'm not saying HEART STATION fits ayu (in fact it doesn't). But I think ayu's lyric + HAL's music + hikki's sync arrangement will be a good combo to me .

It's just an idea btw, doesn't mean that that combo will work...

[Bashumaru]

I think the reason shes still sticking to the formula is because it works, it got her to like her 3X numbers ones so why not keep doing it. If Ayu broke her number 1 single streak do you think she would be more experimental since she doesn't have the burden of it again?

[ayumisrael]

I actually miss to CREA's/ayu's compositions, her self composed songs were really excellent composed.

Originally Posted by Bashumaru

I think the reason shes still sticking to the formula is because it works, it got her to like her 3X numbers ones so why not keep doing it. If Ayu broke her number 1 single streak do you think she would be more experimental since she doesn't have the burden of it again?

I actually think that she cares more for her albums rather than the singles, and I didn't see her dying when she got #2 for GUILTY and broke her #1 studio albums streak, so I don't think it's the issue. Those streaks are more important to avex I suppose.

[bluegie]

I think she does care more about her albums... but avex cares more about her no. 1 single streak .

Originally Posted by Bashumaru

I think the reason shes still sticking to the formula is because it works, it got her to like her 3X numbers ones so why not keep doing it. If Ayu broke her number 1 single streak do you think she would be more experimental since she doesn't have the burden of it again?

OK.. well as long as her statue is here, she will not face major rivals. We've always discussed about it, that artists with a certain statue will have a safe week for them to continue getting no. 1. B'z, KinKi Kids, Mr. Children, ayu, etc. They have a long number 1 streaks. I guess music companies have silent agreements on that..

And since that's a fact, it's hard to ask ayu to knock off that formula then..

[Bashumaru]

Originally Posted by bluegie

I think she does care more about her albums... but avex cares more about her no. 1 single streak .



OK.. well as long as her statue is here, she will not face major rivals. We've always discussed about it, that artists with a certain statue will have a safe week for them to continue getting no. 1. B'z, KinKi Kids, Mr. Children, ayu, etc. They have a long number 1 streaks. I guess music companies have silent agreements on that..

And since that's a fact, it's hard to ask ayu to knock off that formula then..

I don't think there is such a thing because if that was true how come Utada doesn't have straight number ones, I'm pretty sure she has a statue too .

[cttncandy]

I honestly believe one of the reasons is because throughout the years Ayu has become more and more "diva-ish". I don't necessarily mean in her attitude, but in the way she presents herself. I feel like she has somehow become "unrelatable". People might miss that Ayu that wore simpler clothes. Her whole image has become very fake. It just feels like now she is just relying on pretty and glamorous, everything has become a big production, and I miss the Ayu that wasn't so involved in things like that. I mean there is barely a performance where she is not wearing some huge dress or an outfit. It would just be so nice and genuine to see her wearing a simple pair of jeans and some sneakers.

I know things like these might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but me for example, I don't really listen to the big flashy diva stars of my country- because I feel like I can't really relate to them. Their facade takes away from their music.

I've been with Ayu for a while and I know there is more to her than this, but for a casual listener, someone that's not a fan like we are here, this might simply be a huge huge turn off.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by cttncandy

I honestly believe one of the reasons is because throughout the years Ayu has become more and more "diva-ish". I don't necessarily mean in her attitude, but in the way she presents herself. I feel like she has somehow become "unrelatable". People might miss that Ayu that wore simpler clothes. Her whole image has become very fake. It just feels like now she is just relying on pretty and glamorous, everything has become a big production, and I miss the Ayu that wasn't so involved in things like that. I mean there is barely a performance where she is not wearing some huge dress or an outfit. It would just be so nice and genuine to see her wearing a simple pair of jeans and some sneakers.

I know things like these might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but me for example, I don't really listen to the big flashy diva stars of my country- because I feel like I can't really relate to them. Their facade takes away from their music.

I've been with Ayu for a while and I know there is more to her than this, but for a casual listener, someone that's not a fan like we are here, this might simply be a huge huge turn off.

Though simple jeans and a t-shirt won't present the story she wants to tell in her lives. And she did always use pretty and glamorous clothes and dresses (an example is STADIUM TOUR's 2001 Endless sorrow performance, concert tour 2000 vogue dress, etc.)
I really think that the simple wearing should stay for the encore or else her concerts won't be as meaningful and big as they are, she would just be simply there with the same outfit and sing the whole show, which doesn't fit her.

I think that most of the problem is that she doesn't get any strong tie-ins anymore, period. She get panasonic consistently, and some not so helping tie-ins such as the kiwi cms, and that's all. Nothing like she had.

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by Bashumaru

If Ayu broke her number 1 single streak do you think she would be more experimental since she doesn't have the burden of it again?

I think Mirrorcle World is somewhat of an unsafe/experimental song to release as a single. However, since it's being marketed as a 10th anniversary single, it might not matter so much. I don't think avex would let Ayu pull another Bold&Delicious/Pride, especially since her streak is still going, and after the somewhat lower single sales of last year.

Personally, I don't find the #1 single streak that big of an achievement in the first place. Especially in the Japanese market, some weeks have little to no competition, and you know avex will be more inclined to pick that week. It's all ********.

[Melrose]

^

I agree. I despise Britney Spears, Madonna, etc. for their image. I prefer smaller artists -- ones that aren't popular in my surroundings. If I lived in Japan I probably wouldn't be a fan of Ayu, because I like original artists.. But I live in Europe and love her x 500 from here. She's one of my only 3 artists that I buy stuff from.

[ayumisrael]

I generally think that streaks (albums/singles) aren't something special anymore because of two reasons.

1. Most of the weeks the popular artists face no competitions (unless if it's each other or an unexpected smashing success from a release) both for albums and singles. A good example is last week's hikki's HEART STATION that outsold the 2nd place in like 380,000 copies or something the difference is ridiculous between the 1st and 2nd spots, it's so high!).
2. Most of the releases sales aren't high enough so the top 10>5 even the 4th and 3rd place aren't hard to get to anymore.

[cttncandy]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

Though simple jeans and a t-shirt won't present the story she wants to tell in her lives. And she did always use pretty and glamorous clothes and dresses (an example is STADIUM TOUR's 2001 Endless sorrow performance, concert tour 2000 vogue dress, etc.)
I really think that the simple wearing should stay for the encore or else her concerts won't be as meaningful and big as they are, she would just be simply there with the same outfit and sing the whole show, which doesn't fit her.

I think that most of the problem is that she doesn't get any strong tie-ins anymore, period. She get panasonic consistently, and some not so helping tie-ins such as the kiwi cms, and that's all. Nothing like she had.

Concerts are a different story. I am talking about regular performances. Concerts are supposed to be big events its pretty much where an artist "pulls out all the stops".

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by cttncandy

Concerts are a different story. I am talking about regular performances. Concerts are supposed to be big events its pretty much where an artist "pulls out all the stops".

Well I was refering to the sentence "I mean there is barely a performance where she is not wearing some huge dress or an outfit. It would just be so nice and genuine to see her wearing a simple pair of jeans and some sneakers." =P

On other occasions like PV shoots or magazine shots she wears those dresses and a lot of glamorous diva-ish stuff as well. As long as she doesn't wear them for her casual normal life, I think it's fine.

[GSC89]

Interesting replies =S.

You came to the conclusion that it is because of her PVs? Seriously?

She has alot of crappy PVs. The PVs actually have very little to do with why she became so sucessful.

3 simple things:

1.- Lyrics

2.- Fashion

3.- Tie-Ins

I really don't think it has anything to do with PVs. I can't say why she became popular necessarily, besides people just liking her music; but I can give some reasons that I've heard 1st hand from people in Japan as to why her popularity went down.

Well, the reason why I think that PVs are one of the most important factors in getting people to buy singles is because to be honest, other than tie-ins, it is the most common/effective way of getting people to buy the song.

In my perspective, no one is going to download (illegally) music from any random artist for no reason and claim that "Oh, that song sounds good, I'm going to buy the single".

I don't think that happens. I can't speak for others but I got to know of her songs through the PVs -.-. Vocals alone do not attract people to buy singles, I re-iterate, its the marketing =S.

Also the reason I concluded that Ayumi relies on PVs for marketing is that no other female artist matches her in terms of total costs of all her PV productions. If it wasn't a contributing factor, would Avex spend so much money on it?

On the Utada thing, Lyrics are also one of her stronges assets. Hikki doesn't has horrendous PVs like you say, some are even better than Ayu's. Also Hikki is very popular due to her fluent english/japanese, her mother was a popular singer aswell. Had good promotion fromt the start. And perhaps most importantly, she is like nothing else out there, making her a completly fresh and new artist since day 1.
The fact that FoL got insane sales could be because of many things: 1.- was her first real single after quite a while, making it a very anticipated song. 2.- was a good song 3.- had one of the best tie-ins in her entire career

You put your finger on the most important factor for the success of Hikki's songs. The tie-ins. As someone pointed out, Ayumi doesn't seem to get the tie-ins anymore, is Avex saving them for Kumi or other rising stars or are tie-ins not for the record company to decide? Does anyone know about this?

Yeah some. They aren't horrendous, they just have low budget and you can see that in most PVs hikki just totally isn't into the PV promoting stuff....

People hear of Hikki's songs primarily from the tie-ins, not the PVs, I'm sure her record company knows this, and will continue to play on the same marketing strategy.

The advantage with this marketing strategy(tie-ins) is that it doesn't weaken with age significantly compared to PVs where appearance/age will affect promotion alot.

But there is another theory I have...maybe it's Ayu's new recent style of music? Lately, her music has been more rock-involved and has taken on darker sounds to it, which if you look at her past sales on A BEST 2 -BLACK- (which is said to feature more dark songs than A BEST 2 -WHITE- that features the lighter and happy songs) there is a slight difference in the sales

Oh yeah. Failed to notice that -_-, I guess that could be one of the reasons.I suppose that with her lyrics getting more and more darker , young people probably find it harder to appreciate that sort of lyric style and adults are likely to have too much problems in their lives I don't think they would depress themselves further.