COMMENTS
The Greatful Dead were innovators in many areas. They played for the love of the music and pay back came later. They cultivated their tribe with free downloads, counter culture branding and great community. In 1978, I had the opportunity to sponsor a concert at Colgate University with the original line up and actually meet the band and it was an incredible rush. Dead heads converged on the quad three days early, an instant swap meet sprang up for commerce, the band came, played for three hours and split, along with the circus. I sat in front of Phil Lesh fro the whole show. Thanks to Andy Garvey, now an executive on Wall Street for pulling it off as President of the Colgate Social Committee.
Seth Godin goes nuts on this topic. Says Jerry Garcia began creating the "tribe" of Deadheads from the start. And he's right.
I love that you blogged about the Dead, I never get tired of hearing this story.. True pioneers and a great example of building a tribe with passion for music and giving their fans what they wanted.
Look forward to your webinar, but I hope you discuss, Brian and David, what it really means to take a Grateful Dead approach.
The Dead were hardly an overnight success. Their approach takes patience and years to develop.
It's still the right approach, but anyone who thinks they get instant results from giving away content and loving their customers is naive at best.
Jeff Ogden, President
Find New Customers "Lead Generation Made Simple"
http://www.findnewcustomers.net
After seeing them 6 times, both with Lucy in the Sky and without, I agree that there was a psychodelic cultural element that was (and is) central to it all.
The US Festival "breakfast with the Dead" at 6am on Sunday was a top highlight. '82
Also - sat in the taper section among all the DAT recorders in Salt Lake - a DRY concert. '95
Great Webinar idea! My band lived with the Dead briefly in 67-68 and opened for them in LA and NYC. Got to witness the early evolution of these unassuming renegades. Great guys (I found Pigpen the friendliest), always experimenting (musically and otherwise). Bob Weir once claimed to me he cured himself of STD's through macrobiotics. I'll be featuring them in my upcoming book, Cool Teams: Business Lessons From Rock.
The Grateful Dead approach was probably not "strategic". I believe their willingness to share sprung from their ethics and their hearts - an authentic approach and that's why it works.
The Dead are inspirational because they give courage to others. Sharing is not commercial suicide - indeed it is how the human race flourishes!
I was a full fledged member of the cult(said proudly) with 125+ shows under my belt and years of freelance photo gigs shooting for the Dead's Patty Harris and Dennis McNally. For more years than I can remember I have used the the Dead as a case study, promoted the notion of free as a marketing intent and for years I was told I was CRAZY. It is nice to see that after 15 years without them, Jerry and company are getting recognition for giving as a way of promoting. It was intentional but it came from a good place.
Awesome getting bobby on to guest blog.
I absolutely couldn't make the webinar (circumstances outside of my control) but am extremely interested in the topic. Any chance a recorded version will be available anywhere?