Yall, I was web browsing my favourite/most authentic internet website for finding new music by relevant artists, the hype machine (http://hypem.com), and I noticed that they had a progressive new marketing campaign on their site. It's one of those things that myspace/Perez Hilton/other large websites do when the advertisement is a 'skin' of the site. It's kinda like a trick where people who 'don't know what the internet looks like' wouldn't know that it was an advertisement.

Here is a screen shot from my Macbook:

Yall will notice that it is from some sort of music website called slotMusic. Does it make sense for this company that sells mp3s and crap like that to advertise on the hype machine?

It's always interesting/challenging when a new company that is indirectly trying to revolutionize the way that we consume music comes to music/mp3 blogs. Is it fair to assume that people come to music blogs to a) find out about music from 'an authentic source as opposed to an algorithm' and b) mainly to avoid paying for music. Music blogs are not valuable to advertisers beyond 'branding purposes.' h8 when advertisers think that readers are going 2 'click thru' to buy their products. Does Am Appy really expect you to click on their ads, or is there a greater vision behind their campaigns for [co-branding purposes]? It's hard for me to believe that you can convince people who believe music is free [via hypemachine blogs or goog searching for "artist"+"rapidshare"] to buy an actual product.

Tastemaking audiences will never believe that accessing content on the internet requires a credit card or the exchange of any personal information.

It's just interesting that an MP3 warehouse emporium went to the hypemachine for an 'integrated campaign', a place where people go to 'legally steal' mp3s. When advertisers attempt to appeal to 'trendsetting audiences' like yalls selves, do these audiences respond?

///Just want 2 represent the essence of me on my iPod

I am always glad when alternative entrepreneurs get paid, but I am really just 'scratching my head' at the marketingBros behind this campaign. I think it's just hard to really evaluate 'what the hell a music company wants from me?'
Do the want me to enjoy music?
Do they want me to buy music?
Do they want me to stream music?
Do they want me to tell them what my iTunes listens 2?
Do they want me to upload my own 'fan content'?
Do they want me to be able to listen 2 songs on my iPod?
Do they want me to connect with artists who actually have interns/PR firms updating their fake blogs?
Do they want me to discover new music using complex algorithms?
Do they want me to listen 2 advertisements in exchange for streaming songs 4 free?

I wish music still came on tape/CDs, yall.
Then we wouldn't have these bros trying to get me 2 use their lil service.

<3 u hypemachine. Thanx 4 not asking 4 anything from me, except 2 'be myself' and 'search for the best/most meaningful music possible.'

BUT SRSLY... if u were a marketing intern who was supposed 2 use images of singers/musicians that were supposed to appeal 2 'tastemaking audiences', which artists would u include?

=W=

Would yall h8 me if I had an integrated marketing campaign that compromised the 'authenticity' of my site? Or would u be proud of me for 'getting paid' and buying yall Xmas gifts?
Should I implement a Memorial Integrated Ad Campaign for Sparks?