Music Industry Links: Adele

Examples of marketing techniques by Adele and her Label. 

• Teased fans with a short into to 'Hello' - Adele had not released new music for three years since her second studio album, '21'. Fans were eagerly waiting for any news regarding her next big release. Adele very cleverly released a 30 second video of 'Hello' during The X Factor's ad break. It was simple and consisted of a black background with the lyrics to Hello's intro displayed in white. The video did not give away anything regarding Adele's comeback. As a result, social media was flooded with speculations on whether she was finally releasing her next album. The teaser built up a lot of anticipation and excitement among fans. 
• Released 'Hello' as a free single - To create buzz for her new album, '25', Adele released 'Hello' as a free single. She also refused to offer her album via streaming services such as Spotify and Apple music. By releasing the best song on the album for free, she built anticipation for the album. 'Hello' created a social media pandemic and fans were left longing to more music. '25' became a commercial success due to this simple, yet very effective strategy. According to Billboard, over 8 million album copies were sold in the U.S alone. 
• Partnered with prominent people to market her album - Adele won fans' hearts by participating in an impersonator contest soon after the album launch. She partnered with the BBC and Graham Norton to pull off the prank. The video ranked in over 40 million views on Youtube. She also partnered with Jimmy Fallon to perform 'Hello' with classroom instruments. The video became a huge success on Youtube with over 30 million views. Adele also appeared on popular TV shows such as 'Saturday Night Live' to promote her album. Tv appearances and partnerships with famous hosts, played a huge role in boosting Adele's album sales. 
• A song that spoke to her fanbase - 'Hello' spoke directly to the legions of fans who fell for Adele's focus on heartbreak and misery on '21', quickly bringing them back to centre. Only this time, the singers focus is tweaked with Adele seemingly turning the blame on herself, not her departed lover. Reengaging her fan base is critical if Adele hopes to post album sales anywhere close to the 11 Million copies '21' sold. Unlike a performer like Taylor Swift, who has a concentration of enthusiasts that can easily be mobilised, Adele audience is more fragmented and widely distributed, which will require the marketing of the album to continue to be on point. 
• Refuses to play the game - Beyond her voice and universal themes of her songs, she achieved notoriety by not playing by the typical rules. She doesn't headline big music festivals or giant arenas, preferring intimate venues. She refuses to associate her music with advertising. And, beyond what she reveals in her songs and what she cannot hide like the birth of her son, she keeps her life private, restricting interviews.