Artists of today’s generation in many ways have an advantage over artists of yesteryear simply because they are more cognizant of the many ways to make money off their art form, and therefore better survive in the Music/Entertainment industry. Artists from the early days of R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll at times were totally oblivious to the earning potential their music career had. Some of these early artists were intentionally left ignorant by record companies who were out to exploit them in every way possible and as a result, a great many ended their careers penniless and destitute. Music entrepreneurs of today such as Sean “P.Diddy” Combs and Jermaine Dupri have shown how one way artists can maximize their earning potential is to create, promote, and sell products with their band names and company logos attached. This is called “merchandising”.

Merchandising is not a new phenomenon. Athletic shoe companies and soft drink makers have known for years that items adorned with their logos and designs could be huge money-makers. Coca-Cola memorabilia has been sold for nearly a century, and has attracted avid collectors who pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for the collectibles. Shoe makers Nike, Reebok, and Adidas, have all reaped astounding profits by associating their product with a mainly young, urban consumer base. Recording artists such as Wu Tang, Eve, and Snoop Dogg decided to profit from this marketing tactic by creating their own line of clothes, jewelry, posters, and shoes. For the artist who may be just starting out and who does not have the necessary capital to launch a shoe or clothing line, one such way to earn a more-than-decent income is to sell merchandise such as t-shirts and posters with their logo.

A logo is a distinctive style of lettering, spelling, or art that distinguishes one group, artist, or band from another. This distinct rendering is used on any and all promotional items for the act, and is said to be the “brand” by which they are known. This logo, by the way, should be one in which the band, artist, or act owns all rights to: it should NEVER be owned by the record company or anyone else outside the act’s control. It should also be one which has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office () so as to protect it from being used by anyone else.

T-shirts for sale with the band’s or artist’s pictures on them have long been a staple of concerts and clubs. To some artists just starting out, sometimes the sale of these items constitutes a huge portion from any money they will be receiving. If they are a newly signed artist to a label on a promotional tour around the country, money made from the sale of their records is practically non-existent since the record company is probably still recouping their initial investment in the band. Some bands earn money from the club and concert appearances to sustain everyday living expenses, but where the best cost-to-profit ratio lay is in merchandising.

Merchandising should be an established part of the band’s, artist’s or act’s business plan and should branch into as many areas as possible. Although shirts and posters seem the most obvious, other items could be custom embroidered jackets, watches, hats, laptop cases, key chains, car window decals, stationery, pens, book bags, and coffee mugs. KISS, the heavy metal rock band from the 70’s and 80’s, has even introduced a casket for sale with their logo! Clearly, not even the sky—or the afterlife—is the limit to finding creative ways to sell your products. For those artists seeking help and assistance in designing and selling their merchandise, www.cafepree.com is a website which helps tremendously. Artists can choose from many of the items listed above and sell them on-line in shops maintained at the website.

Owners of labels and production companies can also find ways to market their image. My company, CORNBREAD PRODUCTIONS, has a website established through www.cafepress.com/cornbreadprods that offers a way of branding my company image through home and recreational products. This website, still in its infant stages, will soon expand to include books I have written, CDs from artists signed to my company, and other creative ventures dealing with music, video, and film production.

As with any goal in this business, the efforts going towards a merchandising plan should have a firm basis in the overall direction and image of the artist or company. Merchandising, when applied to these goals correctly, could become a very lucrative area. Careful planning should therefore go into this venture for long-term growth, stability, and success.