Thoughts about Ayumi's Marketing Strategy

[LacusClyne]

since we're on the topic of marketing, how many Ayu's songs are actually tie-in with dramas? i only know love~destiny is.

tie-in with dramas is actually a very strong way of promotion if the drama gets popular, i wonder why there isn't any for ayu?

[Ayumiko]

As a old fan of ayu...I was first attracted to her music. I started listening to her music without even knowing what she looked like back then. Each song was very different and I enjoyed and loved them all, despite the fact that sometimes I couldn't stand her high pitch voice. After I got hooked on to her music, I began to search more info on her and that's when I found out what she looked like from pics. To my surprise, she was very beautiful and I really liked her fashion styles...and then after that I began watching her pvs, reading her lyrics translations and so on...till now.

so for me it was:
1. her music/ lyrics
2. her fashion sense
3. pvs and concerts

Ayu changed alot over the past years...there are things I'm glad she changed and there are things I wished she didn't. Music wise, I love both her old and new songs but as much as I love her rock songs, I really miss her pop songs that she used to have a lot. The arrangements of the older songs are much better than the new ones. She really need new arrangers. She lacks unique bridges in her new songs...which songs like surreal has. I will have to agree that she's been playing it safe with her releases and even though I'm a big fan of hers, I'm getting a bit tired of releases like fairyland, bluebird, and glitter. Where are songs like unite! and inspire that she used to release in the summer time? In terms of ballads, ayu still have it in her. Together when... and untitled for her are one of my fav ayu ballads. Her vocals improved alot over the past years and I'm really glad she improved.

Pvs and concert wise...I think in the past 10 years she had good and bad pvs equally throughout her career. Concerts...her concerts are getting better in terms of production but she is slowly getting not as creative as before for her tracklist and performances (hopefully AT08 will be great!)

fashion...her fashion are becoming more and more harder to copy for normal ppl. Back in the days when she used to wear more casual clothes with accessories that you find cheap or expensive...there were alot of girls that could imitate her. Now her image is more divaish and her clothes are more name branded, more mature higher end fashion. Ayu had always been using the sexy image in her whole career...from the loveappears cover till now...but lately its kinda a little bit too much. Yes she is turning 30 and everything but I just feel like for someone like her, she doesn't need to do any of that. In AT07 until that day... performance, I didn't like the way she lets the male dancers touch her like that and mirrorcle world pv...the lingerie scenes was not necessary in my opinion. Sexy photoshoots for covers, magazines are ok for me but seeing it in motion kinda makes me think sometimes when she would stop.

I wish ayu will go back to when she used to control everything rather than letting the 'professionals' she trusts so much to handle her stuff. I can see why she is declining in sales...not only is the music industry is declining, her popularity is also declining...because ayu really changed alot over the past years...she is just not appealing to the general public like she used to...I guess that could be a good thing too.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by Ayumiko

... I really miss her pop songs that she used to have a lot. The arrangements of the older songs are much better than the new ones. She really need new arrangers. She lacks unique bridges in her new songs...which songs like surreal has.

SURREAL is a really unique song (again) in ayu's discography. I dunno if there's a chorus part in this song.. The pattern is like melody A, melody A, bridge, melody B, melody B. This is one of the best pop-rock fusion from ayu .

Originally Posted by Ayumiko

Pvs and concert wise...I think in the past 10 years she had good and bad pvs equally throughout her career. Concerts...her concerts are getting better in terms of production but she is slowly getting not as creative as before for her tracklist and performances (hopefully AT08 will be great!)

The thing is, the recent attitude/concept of her pvs are mainly 1) "I'm pretty" and 2) "the pv should be pretty... plot is not important." I really enjoy her old pvs because I could see a storyboard from the pvs.

Concert... well again she has been recycling her old performances... Cage, cross, similar songs, etc. The last concert that I really enjoyed was MY STORY tour. Since then her concerts are kinda mediocre.

Originally Posted by Ayumiko

Yes she is turning 30 and everything but I just feel like for someone like her, she doesn't need to do any of that. ... Sexy photoshoots for covers, magazines are ok for me but seeing it in motion kinda makes me think sometimes when she would stop.

Again, I think she comes to an age (or a mind) that she wanna try to be more feminine. I'm not saying being more feminine means you gotta be sexy. What I mean is that she's tryin to act like sexy, she just feels like it.