Name: Monica Carter

Screen Name: punk rock monica

Email address: duran_duran_punk_girl@yahoo.com

Title: Written Media

Written press sent to the following: I wrote a letter to VH1 Fan Clubs requesting the addition of a Duran Duran fan club to their roster.

Promotions currently working on: I just started doing promotions for the band a couple of weeks ago. I am in the process of emailing different radio stations in the United States about The Gap ad as well as news of the re-mastered “Rio” CD.

Ideas for promoting the band: I do a lot of promotions for local bands here in Chicago and I feel if we approach a band as big as this like I do a local band, the response could be much more positive. Fans want to feel like they are important to a band. I’ve noticed that when fans do the promoting they get a much more positive response then someone from a record label. Fan promotion gives they average person a special feeling that they helped the band out on a more personal level. The following are ideas that I have done myself in promoting local music or that I have seen done. I think doing any one of these things can bring in a new fan base as well as renew interest among older fans. There could be “Duran Duran” night at certain night clubs across the country once the album comes out. When Madonna was in Chicago, the House of Blues held a party called “Madonna-rama.” All those who couldn’t get tickets to her show were invited to come to the House of Blues and listen to dj’s spin and remix all of her songs. Now I know when Duran Duran has played at this venue they have sold it out every time. I know that there would be a lot of people interested into a night of hearing their music, especially if it includes new music from the original line-up. The Hard Rock Café in Chicago used to hold “Flashback Fridays.” They would devote one night to a certain artist. A few months ago there was one night devoted entirely to Duran Duran and there was a good response to it. I know that A-Ha is going to have the Hard Rock in Las Vegas devote an entire night to their music for a fan convention that they are going to have in late October. There might be a way to have one night devoted entirely to Duran Duran at the Hard Rock Café in different locales once the album is released. A few months ago there was a tribute for the Smashing Pumpkins held at The Metro, which is a popular rock club here in Chicago. Local acts paid tribute to the band by playing their version of Pumpkins tunes. Perhaps we can do the same for Duran Duran. There are a lot of local bands here that play Duran covers during their sets. We can have a tribute night for Duran Duran here in Chicago and get all the local electronica/ techno bands to play. There are many possibilities for promoting Duran Duran, everything from holding listening parties to having local radio stations hold contests giving away autographed CD’s or meeting the band. Either way, promoting the band on a more personable level will not only bring back a loyal fan base but also a renewed interest in Duran Duran.

Suggestions: Although street team or e-team promotions were originally used to promote local or up and coming bands, this form of fan promotion seems to be the best way to give a band much needed exposure. Many big names are now using this form of promotion because it’s one of the quickest ways to get as much info to as many people about a band as possible. Being on a couple of street teams as well as running one myself, I feel that Duran Duran will benefit from having their fans promote them

E-teams are the most widely used and economical form of promotion. All a band has to do is post something like a banner announcing an album date on their official page, for example, and have fans download the banner for use on their own individual web sites. Now anyone from anywhere around the world can click to a fan page and find out info about the band. This will also bring more traffic into the official page thus giving the band even more exposure.

Street promotion may prove to be a little bit more difficult with a band this size but it could be done.
If certain fans in certain radio and tour markets could be given supplies such as posters, fliers, or
samplers, they could easily take it to their local records stores, lifestyle shops, or concerts and post
info about the band there. I’ve done promotions for local and national bands as a fan and believe me it makes a world of difference. If someone is passionate about a band and not just passing stuff out, it can mean the difference of a store posting the promotional material up or not at all.

Promotions work no matter who is taking care of it. However, if the fans get to be the ones to spread the word first it gives them a special connection to the band and a sense of helping them out on a personal level.