Building the Band Brand: What not to do with Internet marketing Bandslam event 5-15-9

I would never rip off copyrighted material, so I will put a link to WireImage’s photos of Bandslam Reel Thinking Music Awareness Event at the Grammy Museum on May 15, 2009.

Here’s what NOT to do in music marketing. We all know Vanessa Hudgens and Alyson Michalka of Aly & AJ are in the movie coming out in August. Until these photos, I did not know Lucy Walsh was in the film (Ms. Walsh, I do outstanding PR if you need an agent). I believe she is. Hope her photo wasn't taken with the stars just because she attended the event. Hope I'm not misleading anyone. If someone knows for SURE, leave a comment.

If you are not familiar with Lucy Walsh, your parents probably are. Just tell them Joe Walsh’s daughter. Walsh is one of the greatest guitar players in the world and history (Joe, not Lucy). He’s been with the James Gang, Barnstorm and Eagles and is probably on every vinyl album your parents listen to. You’ll know Lucy’s name soon if you don’t now. She’ll be as big as “Bandslam” co-star Lisa Kudrow (who has “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits” coming out six weeks before Bandslam). David Bowie's in it too?

On my new MySpace page – since MySpace rudely locked me out – Hudgens, Walsh and Aly & AJ are all “friends.” Never met any of them, but this is Internet age where I can call them my BFF.

Now here’s where they are lacking in their marketing expertise – each of them. I found the photos on WireImage, but not on their MySpace pages. Bandslam is destined to be one of the biggest box office movies of late summer. Thankfully it comes out a month after “I love You Beth Cooper,” so they won’t be competing with that; or the biggest movie of the year, Harry Potter (my prediction).

Vanessa Hudgens was on Ellen in early May promoting “Bandslam.’

This is the 21st Century. Becoming famous is taking care of all the little nuances. If you’re at an event that WireImage is covering, make sure those photos get posted immediately to your MySpace, Facebook and every other Internet site. It’s probably more work for Mom and Dad (who are probably loading the equipment in the van and too busy to get the photos up), but you need to pay attentions to details.