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ROLAND HAS THOMAS Lang, Yamaha has Kenny Aronoff and Pearl has Tommy Lee. Big names have long been associated with big brands in the music industry, and the battle for high-profile endorsers seems to have reached new heights as the manufacturers vie for marketshare in what is becoming one of the most lucrative segments of the music industry. It’s all about credibility. Mike Farriss, artist relations manager at Pearl Corporation, says endorsements are aimed at “branding, visibility, recognition and legitimacy”.
“We can tell consumers how great our products are but consumers are aware that we are trying to sell to them. Many people today are (suspicious) of marketing efforts and need validation of a product’s legitimate value.” He believes that putting products in the hands of professionals allows “the consumer to feel confident that Pearl can provide them with the same highquality drums that the pros use”. Yamaha artist relations manager Bob Terry describes endorsements as a two-way street. “It is advantageous for us to have the best drummers in the world performing on recordings, videos and live on stage with our products. This provides a number of ‘impressions’ of our brand and products to the public,” he notes.
David Levine of Full Circle Management, who was the original marketing manager of Simmons Drums in the US, recounts the industry adage that whichever drum company Buddy Rich was endorsing would see its sales increase almost immediately wherever the legendary drummer played. But he notes that “nowadays, with so many endorsers, companies, tours and media options, it’s harder to directly connect artists to sales”.
Paid to play
According to the vendors, no-one is paid to endorse their gear. Yamaha’s Terry is emphatic that money doesn’t change hands: “We do not pay anyone to use our products – ever”. The same goes for Zildjian, where John Roderick, VP new business and product development at Avedis Zildjian and head of the Gen16 programme, says artists “are never paid”.
Pearl’s Farriss has a similar approach: “Artists are not paid to endorse our products. We want artists to play our products because they believe in the quality and dependability of our drums and hardware.” But while artists may not be remunerated for simply playing particular products, Levine explains that some “upper-echelon endorsers may also be worthy
digitalDRUMMER, AUGUST 2012
of signature product (accompanied by royalty payments) and clinic commitments (with guaranteed annual fees)”.
LA drummer and digitalDrummer contributor Buddy Gibbons also shoots down “pay for play” as a myth. “Most companies don’t have the budget to give out free gear, let alone pay someone to play their stuff,” he says. Commonly, endorsers receive free or discounted gear.
“We provide our artists access to what we believe are the best tools in the music business,” says Farriss. “We also help them maintain these tools. We are here for them should they run into a problem, no matter where in the world they may find themselves.” At Zildjian, “Some (artists) have been given free gear, but 90% purchase it”, according to Roderick.
There’s a strong expectation of entitlement among top-level players, and this makes it tough for smaller manufacturers. Alternate Mode’s customers include Neil Peart, Danny Gottleib, John Mahon and Tommy Lee, and owner Mario DeCiutiis concedes that “it is really hard to compete with the big boys because we can’t give away product”. He notes that some artists do expect free stuff. “But we find that when they do purchase product, then they really use it and are not forced to use something because they got it for free.”
Gen16/Yamaha endorser Russ Miller is on record as saying that “for me, it has never really been about getting free gear”. “By the time I was getting gear, I could afford to buy it!” Miller notes that endorsements have “always really been about support for me and the effects that I could have on design”. Besides equipment, endorsement deals commonly include extensive product support such as repairs, loan gear and technical support. For international artists and global brands, that support is generally available around the world, which is very useful when you’re on the road.
Giving something back
Full Circle’s Levine notes that there has to be some benefit to the drum company in the endorsement arrangement.
“The greater the visibility, popularity and influence a drummer has, the greater his or her value as an endorser. These factors are not always determined by a mathematical formula but these days, it’s pretty easy to get a sense of that value.” Levine explains
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