MJ goes Visionary - The Video Singles ab 17. Februar wÜchentlich [in Deutschland immer freitags]

Billboard:

Michael Grows Support Ashore
Sony BMG Tapping Into Europe's Love For 'Visionary' Michael Jackson

By Paul Sexton

LONDON - An imminent crossmedia campaign from Sony BMG underlines Europe's undimmed appetite for the vintage work of Michael Jackson.

Between February and June in the United Kingdom, the company will begin a series of weekly rereleases of 20 of Jackson's best-known songs as limited-edition singles. The project is reminiscent of a highly successful Elvis Presley campaign that Sony BMG launched 12 months ago.

The Jackson series, under the banner "Visionary - The Video Singles," will see each single released on DualDisc with its original video. Sony BMG claims Jackson is the world's first artist to have DualDisc singles released. The Official U.K. Charts Co. confirms the singles are chart-eligible.

Sony BMG's Presley series was based around his 18 U.K. chart-toppers. All the reissues reached the top five and three reached No. 1, generating total U.K. sales of 625,000 units, according to the OCC.

The Jackson project is due to begin Feb. 20 with two singles, "Thriller" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." A limited, numbered box will also be sold to house all 20 releases. The series will conclude June 26 with "Blood On The Dance Floor."

Sony BMG U.K. VP of commercial marketing Darren Henderson believes total sales could outnumber the Presley campaign, claiming Jackson's commercial status in Europe has not been adversely affected by negative publicity surrounding his personal life and last year's 14-week U.S. child abuse trial.

"The media have more of an issue [with that] than the British record-buying public," he says. Further, the DualDisc aspect lets the company focus on Jackson's innovative visual work.

Henderson notes that while Sony BMG's international companies initially felt the Presley campaign was innappropriate for their markets, they noted the British sales and media impact with interest. Consequently, Sony BMG in France and in Germany will run with the Jackson series week by week. Other territories will release the singles in "batches." There were not any firm plans at press time for U.S. campaign.

Retail reaction so far is positive. London-based HMV U.K. & Ireland singles buyer Stewart Allan describes Jackson "one of the few artists with the depth of singles, recording heritage and dedicated fan base to make such a project work."

Allan points out that the label and retail can draw upon the Presley experience to make the campaign work effectively. "[This] also presents a perfect opportunity to further test and develop the DualDisc format," he adds.

Sony BMG says the 2005 38-track Epic double CD "The Essential Michael Jackson" is platinum in the United Kingdom (300,000 shipments). In the United States, however, negative publicity appears to have done more damage to the artist's commericial profile. In July the double CD had first week sales of only 8,000 units, according to Neilsen SoundScan, and has sold 93,000 to date. (My note: The writer failed to mention that the "Number Ones" CD has scanned 1.042 million in the USA thus far while the "Number Ones" DVD has scanned over 400,000 units. In addition, as many already know, Jackson scans an average 15,000 units in the USA each week.)

Jackson is still a presence at U.K. radio, Manchester's adult top 40 Key 103 PD Anthony Gay says. "We play Jackson at various points during the week," he says. " 'Billie Jean' and 'Beat It' are active songs, and we'll also work in others from the catalog."

Gay says he stopped playing Jackson's songs during the 2005 trial. "At times," he says, "the nature of the court reporting and the allegations created an uncomfortable atmosphere [that was] jarring around his music."

According to Gay, the reissue of the singles means he will "certainly consider" Jackson's catalog more in the coming weeks. "I'm sure his music will be picked up by new audiences," he adds, "as long as people are able to separate that from his personal life."

The singles campaign will not be the only reminder for U.K. consumers in early 2006 of Jackson's past work.

Dance track "Say Say Say (Waiting 4 U)" by Hi-Tack, originally on Dutch label Spinnin and which samples Jackson's vocal from his 1983 collaboration with Paul McCartney, will be released Jan. 16 in the United Kingdom by independent Gusto Records.

That will be followed by a dance version of Jackson's 1988 hit "Man In The Mirror" by Rhythme Digital featuring Redd Angel on dance indie All Around the World.

Von Malibu:
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"Der Malibu Fanclub wurde von Sony/BMG Germany zu einer Vorab-Präsentation in dieser Woche eingeladen. Wir werden euch darüber in einem ausführlichen Bericht im nächsten Malibu-Fanclub-Magazin (das Ende Februar erscheint) berichten.

Des weiteren laufen die Promo- und Marketingmaßnahmen in die letzte Runde.

Ab Freitag den 10.02.2006 wird "Thriller" bei vielen Radiostationen verstärktes Airplay erhalten. Und an diesem Punkt sind die Fans an der Reihe. Ruft bei den Radiosendern an, mailt an die Radiostationen und wünscht euch Thriller. Ziel ist es, die erste Single "Thriller" in die Charts zu bekommen. Und das dürften wir mit ein wenig Einsatz aller Fans auch schaffen.

Der nächste Vorteil eines erfolgreichen Entry's (Einstieg) in die Charts ist, daß die Händler auch die nächsten Singles ordern werden und die Radiostationen diese ebenfalls öfter spielen werden. Die Fans sollten also jede Woche eine neue Telefon- und Mailaktion an die Radiosender starten und sich den jeweils erscheinenden Song verstärkt wünschen.

Desweiteren wäre es gut, wenn ihr ab dieser Woche bei den Händlern (Saturn, Media Markt, Hertie, Karstadt usw.) in eurer Nähe nach den Singles fragt und Interesse bekundet. Das kann ruhig bei mehreren Händlern gleichzeitg sein. So soll sichergestellt werden, daß die Singles ab Erscheinungstag auch in den Regalen liegen und verkauft werden können.

Ab dem 16.02.2006 wird es mehrere große Werbeplakate in den Städten geben. Hauptsächlich an öffentlichen Plätzen, Zäunen und Litfassäulen.

Hier nun 2 animierte Banner die ihr gerne überall einsetzen und verwenden dürft: (Postet die Infos und Banner bitte auch in anderen Foren und Boards, damit möglichst viele Fans von diesen Maßnahmen erfahren)

Zum Schluß noch eine letzte Info. Michaels Songs sind als Ecxlusive EP bei iTunes zu bekommen. Exclusiv deshalb, weil es dort, und zwar nur dort und auf keiner der Singles, ein paar zusätzliche Mixe geben wird. Für Sammler sicher interessant. Um folgende Mixe handelt es sich dabei:

- Stranger In Moscow (Hani's Num Club Mix) 10.18 [1996 German CD-Single]
- In The Closet (The Mission Mix) 9.20 [1991 domestic 12' vinyl] remix by Frankie Knuckles.
- Smooth Criminal ("Annie" Mix) 5.35 [1988 domestic 12' vinyl]
- This Time Around (Maurice Joshua's Clubbin' Around Mix) 8.36 [1995 12' vinyl - promo only] "

Hier also die Info:

Look I recieved this email about Visionairy from MJNI:

With the exiting release of Michael Jackson's VISIONARY - THE VIDEO SINGLES box set nearing ever closer to its February 20th release, we can reveal that the campaign will be launched with TV advertising.
Singles are very rarely advertised on television as it is; so the fact that Michael's previously released material will be promoted through 10-second teasers is an unusual, yet promising, step.

Why not visit our dedicated Visionary web pages or discuss this news on the MJNI.COM Messageboard by clicking the links below

Quelle: http://www.mjnewsonline.com

http://12563.rapidforum.com/topic=100176076656

A party to launch Michael Jackson's VISIONARY - THE VIDEO SINGLES was today confirmed by Sony BMG to celebrate what they described "will unquestionably be the most historic series of single releases in the history of pop."

Details of the celebration, titled VISIONARY - THE PARTY, are still to follow however we are assured that the event will be "a totally fan focused celebration of the music and vision of Michael Jackson."

Fans will be invited to a central London location once details have been finalised, however the party is not expected to happen until well into the box set campaign.

It had been prematurely reported elsewhere that this party was taking place on February 19th. We can confirm this is NOT the case.

http://www.mjni.com/news/details.aspx?ArticleNo=1694