Peppers' Sales Heat Up In Europe: Regional Marketing Push Pays Off For Band's Latest Set

LONDON-Putting the Red Hot Chili Peppers back on the map in Europe demanded "a bit of something different," according to Warner Music Europe.
The major says it has sold 1.3 million copies of "Californication" in the region since June, as many as the previous album, 1995's "One Hot Minute," has sold to date.
Outwardly, marketing an album by a proven international act may not appear to be noteworthy. Yet in the increasingly competitive and fragmented European market, the major is seeing it as a victory, given the band's absence from the scene.
Mark Foster, VP of marketing for Warner Music Europe, says, "Marketing is becoming much more competitive. Everyone wants to get on the touring and promo circuit, but if you can make a special event out of it, then the publicity you can gain is much greater."
One-off initiatives can be much more cost-effective than other methods that might be considered fail-safe, says Foster. "In France, for example, TV ad breaks are jammed with adverts for albums. Everyone's buying it, so it's actually less effective."
Among the Peppers' unique events to promote the album were fan-only dates at smaller venues, such as London's Camden Palace, Stockholm's Sodrea Teatern, and Paris' Elyse Montmartre, in the album's pre-release setup phase. An Aug. 14 concert in Red Square in Moscow (Billboard, Aug. 28) was filmed for an MTV special.
Such events have a [consequent] effect, says Foster. "It's an almost secondary PR value you get from that, which can actually be greater than the TV show. When you have DJs talking about it, you generate a buzz when the act's in town. That translates into sales a few weeks later."
Committing to visiting key European territories has made a key difference, says Jon Uren, marketing director for U.S. labels for Warner Music International (WMI), who says the market for U.S. rock in Europe has radically changed since the Peppers' last European outing.
"It used to be taken for granted that the music would sell," says Uren. "There's a large number of domestic acts and pan-European acts, and also the popular culture itself is moving much faster."
Other Warner acts, such as Madonna and Cher, that have flourished in the European market have committed to at least three to four events per album project, says Uren. Those U.S. acts with managers that understand the need to spend time in international markets are already ahead of the game. "There's an ever-increasing understanding of the marketplace and a willingness to tour," he says.
WMI credits the act's management, Peter Mensch of Q Prime Management, with easing the path to its European sales. The band's largest sales territory in Europe is Italy.