You're Helping A Brand Make Money

[JAUQO III-X]

First for the kats who seem to have issues with my threads there is no need to post if you can't be mature and civil.





If you were a musician at the top of the game and you were playing a particular brand bass or amp rig and you knew for a fact that your endorsement brought hundreds of thousands of extra dollars to the brand.

Would you just settle for a free bass/amp/backline and just call it a day?


Remember the company is making an extra few hundred 1000 a year because of you.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

First for the kats who seem to have issues with my threads there is no need to post if you can't be mature and civil.





If you were a musician at the top of the game and you were playing a particular brand bass or amp rig and you knew for a fact that your endorsement brought hundreds of thousands of extra dollars to the brand.

Would you just settle for a free bass/amp/backline and just call it a day?


Remember the company is making an extra few hundred 1000 a year because of you.

I can't verify this (maybe someone with more experience can), but I think the players with a little more clout and good legal representation end up getting more than a free bass and amp. I wouldn't be surprised if some endorsement deals include a monetary stipend as well, just like in pro sports.

[BobaFret]

I don't ever have to worry about this but I'd think I'd want to get out of it what I could. I would expect that if I went down the road of 'requesting' more than what they gave that there would be a good chance it could turn negative quickly. Seems like a funky situation.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

... you knew for a fact that your endorsement brought hundreds of thousands of extra dollars to the brand.

Well, really, how could you prove it? How could you know, for a fact, that this was happening? I suppose if you had a Signature model that sold well, you could make a case. Otherwise, not so much IMO.

[alecduncan]

Any hypothetical endorsement I would agree to would require me to have immense respect in the brand;

I would agree to "just" free backline for shows, and would love to help them with advertising/etc. as long as they used my name respectfully.

If my name brought them a discernable difference in sales (and it'd have to be proven for me to even believe it), then I'd take pride that my "image" was respected enough by my fans to affect their GAS. If I was that big, I wouldn't exactly care about squeezing additional perks from my endorsement unless it was offered.

On the other hand, if that company (let's say Lakland) tells me to play a Decade for an entire festival performance, and I'm used to playing a Stingray for some songs, I'm not going to bend to an endorsee's demands just for more money.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

Well, really, how could you prove it? How could you know, for a fact, that this was happening?

For starters.

Smart business people with experience know what they bring to a brand coming in the door. And the companies know this as well. That's why the company is sitting down with the artist to begin with.

Negotiation talks.

[bassbrad]

In the given scenario there should certainly be some consideration, but players of that stature rarely are a needy as the rest of us and the advertising is further exposure for the player and band.

My only personal experience with endorsements was with a string brand. I got free strings and travel compensation for going to NAMM and such as well as a "talent fee" each time my image was used in an advert. All that was nice but the real plus was the chance to network and meet other players I wouldn't normally not have had access to and as an endorser I had an inside track with other manufacturers. The photo shoots were a lot of fun.

[lfmn16]

Presumably by the time you are at this stage you have someone representing you (or your band). I would have them hammer out the best deal possible. I don't want to be greedy, but I don't want to leave anything on the table either.

[dmusic148]

OK, so you're talking about an 'Official' endorsement. I suppose if you are approached by a company, and they asked you to play their stuff at all your concerts, then yes, you would be able to ask for some compensation beyond just free or discounted stuff.
IF, on the other hand, if you just happen to like their stuff and use it by choice, why would you be entitled to anything? Even if you KNOW you are helping sales, they don't owe you a penny. Example:
I drive a Volkswagen. My neighbor was in the market for a car and asked me about my car. I told him I liked it and he bought one. Does Volkswagen owe me a cut? I don't think so.

[Pacman]

I only know of one company making that kind of bread that doesn't pay endorsers. However, they do get points on signature models.

[Feral Feline]

I love free stuff, but then, nothing is ever truly "free"... strings attached.

I like Hendrix's take on the situation. So the story goes...

Jim Marshall expected Hendrix to be "another American wanting something for nothing" but to his surprise, Hendrix offered to buy the amplifiers outright at retail price, if Jim would provide him with support for them around the world. Jim Marshall agreed, and several of Hendrix's road crew were trained in the repair and maintenance of the Marshall amps through the years.

That's class.

Originally Posted by bassbrad

...

My only personal experience with endorsements was with a string brand. I got free strings and travel compensation for going to NAMM and such as well as a "talent fee" each time my image was used in an advert. All that was nice but the real plus was the chance to network and meet other players I wouldn't normally not have had access to and as an endorser I had an inside track with other manufacturers. The photo shoots were a lot of fun.

Networking, there's some pay dirt right there. I like that kind of string attachment: they use your image, you get to extend your circle of influence. Fair trade.

Originally Posted by Pacman

I only know of one company making that kind of bread that doesn't pay endorsers. However, they do get points on signature models.

Name please?

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by Feral Feline

Name please?

That'd be Fender. A good friend of mine is an attorney for them. They don't pay any of their endorsers.

[Whiteblooded]

I'm not as experienced as most people TB, but I don't really think there's any brand that I would like to endorse.. I mean, I don't think there's any one brand that I would want to forever confine myself to..

If however an endorsing artist could prove that they were making the company money (which they generally would be, I presume), I think the artist definitely should get more than just free stuff. This for that imo.. but I doubt big companies see things that way.

[bassinplace]

Originally Posted by Feral Feline

That's class.

I think it's shrewd and efficient. The time invested/saved is worth more than the materials.

[JimiLL]

Originally Posted by Pacman

That'd be Fender. A good friend of mine is an attorney for them. They don't pay any of their endorsers.

Why am i not suprised??

[DWBass]

If I were is such a position, I would be happy with a free rig (updated yearly of course)!

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

For starters.

Smart business people with experience know what they bring to a brand coming in the door. And the companies know this as well. That's why the company is sitting down with the artist to begin with.

Negotiation talks.

But quantifying an endorsing artists contribution to actual sales numbers is impossible.

That said, you can sit down at the bargaining table with a set of feasible projections and ask for your cut based on your calculation of what your name will add to the company's net. But of course, they have no reason to divulge their actual books so there will always be an information gap leaving you in a disadvantaged position to negotiate.

That is, if your intent is to carve out as large a slice of the bottom line as you can. But the question is whether *I* would be okay with a company making a ton of money off of me. And the answer is yeah, I would.

I'd endorse a company only because I believed in their products and because I was satisfied that they would provide me with things I need (repairs, replacements, input on a "signature model" perhaps) that satisfied me as an artist. If it helps them move more units then good for them. I'm still getting what I want for nothing more than loyalty to a company I believe in.

Again, it's difficult to quantify, but I'd be curious to know what companies actually benefit to the tune of "hundreds of thousands of dollars" from a single artist's endorsement. Or which artists those might be. I'd be surprised if there were any.

[kraigo]

The advertisement is a two way street. By featuring me in an ad they're promoting me as much as themselves. That has to be figured into the equation.

KO

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Pacman

However, they do get points on signature models.

That was gonna be my answer! If a company were making serious money off of my use of their stuff, I would imagine I'd be popular enough to warrant a signature model, and they would license my signature.

When my recently ex drummer was on tour, I know he got a boat load of replacement drum heads (Evans) and the Sabian rep would freak out at how hard he was hitting the cymbals.

I think he got lots and lots of free stuff (Anything with a logo on it, and replacement drum stuff as it wore out.)

That would make it worthwhile to me if I were on tour. A never ending supply of new strings, cables, straps, amp heads, cabinets, basses.......

[Nev375]

If I were that big, I would seek to develop a signature model with the company and take a small percentage of the sales profits of that model.


edit.....must learn to think and type much faster.