NARM '97 In
Orlando
Sharing Stategies For Our
Industry's Future
After a year of hot issues amidst a challenging business
climate, NARM brought its 39th Annual Convention to sunny Orlando, Florida, from March 8
through 11. Meeting and net-working topped the agendas of most attendees.Other objectives
were to share ideas and gain information to give businesses a shot in the arm. Although
down a bit from last year, an encouraging 2,750 attended, in spite of a tough year at
retail
Planning the programming for NARM '97 was a challenge, since
members wanted opportunities for networking, interesting seminars, live music, insightful
speakers, special events, plus lots of time for meetings in between! "There is no
automatic formula for creating a convention that will keep everyone happy," said 1997
Programming & Entertainment Committee Chairman and new NARM Board member David Schlang
during his opening remarks at the General Session. "Our task was finding the right
mix. This year's schedule has the proper time allotted to get it all done."
Live Music Headlined Events
Attendees were treated to live musical acts during many
events throughout the four days of the Convention. Alison Krauss & Union Station and
Collective Soul entertained at the General Session on Sunday. A special musical showcase
on Monday afternoon featured Patty Loveless and Ricochet. Peaches Enter-tainment hosted a
terrific Store Managers Bash and brought talented acts like BR5-49, The Backsliders and
Tinsley Ellis to the stage. Espiritu Records' Deborah Gibson opened the Closing Session.
John Tesh emceed as well as performed at the Awards Luncheon on Tuesday.
The Scholarship Foundation Dinner boasted four acts (as
terrific as they were musically diverse): Kenny Loggins, The Indigo Girls, Keb' Mo', and
Chantal Kreviazuk.
And back this year at NARM, the PGD Zone offered fresh, music
from 12 live acts over four nights. In order to promote the artists, performances were
also cybercast live on the Internet.
Business Sessions & Seminars
A scheduled appearance by Spec's Music's Barry Gibbons, who
was to deliver the keynote address at the General Session, had to be cancelled due to
travel complications that morning.
America Online Networks President Robert Pittman shared his
thoughts on "The Brave New World of the Internet" at the Closing Session. He
earned his stripes charting new ground in radio, television, cable network programming,
real estate, and now the Internet through brand building.
Along with everyone else, Pittman has been examining the
Internet and "trying to figure out how to build the future and take advantage of what
it has to offer."
He warned of settling for the status quo in business;
companies must reach out to new technologies. "If you're merely looking at how well
you're following the rules of business, you may be left behind."
Pittman argued that mass market behavior is predictable;
there may be different industries, but the consumer is always the same, behaving in a
similar way.
"If you understand consumer behavior, you can understand
how it affects your business," he explained. "The same person who's buying a
hamburger is buying a record."
Pittman pointed to three key consumer trends shaping the
marketing of the future: brand buying, convenience, and the emergence of
technology-literacy.
He asked, "If you have a busi-ness, are you building
your brand enough? Or are you just talking about the products that are within your
brand?"
He urged retailers to use their brand as a promotional tool
to bring consumers to their stores. Once there, consumers reach through your brand to get
to the products they want. "Consumers are willing to pay a premium for
convenience," said Pittman. "It is more important than price."
Each new generation is born with more products and better
technologies, noted Pittman. They teach the older generation that the products and
technologies are necessary.
Pittman sees the future of the interactive online market as
brand-strong with a few aggregators. Easy navigation, web site access and one stop
shopping are musts.
"With a new market coming, it will give you the
opportunity to expand your business with a new technique or it will cannabilize you."
Pittman offered one parting thought: "Be careful. The
Internet is here. The impact's not going to be felt in one day. It's going to sneak up on
you."
Nine informational seminars were spread out over the four
days of the Convention and offered education on a variety of industry-related issues that
included Internet marketing, artist management, building retail relationships,
2-dimensional bar coding, and catalog sales.
Photos
Robert Pittman (right), President of America Online Networks,
is congratulated by 1996-97 NARM Chairman Barney Cohen and NARM President
Pamela Horovitz,
following Pittman's featured presentation at the Closing Session on
Tuesday, March 11.
Fifteen-year-old Blues guitar
sensation Jonny Lang, A&M Records, performed songs from his debut album, Lie To Me, at
the PGD Zone on Saturday, March 8.Other PGD Zone acts, performing over the four days of
the Convention, were: Neal Coty, Mercury Nashville; Tonic, Polydor Records; Ronee Martin,
MoJazz; Dean Phil!, Motown/MoJazz; Zhane, Motown Records; Chris Botti, Verve Forecast
Records; Hanson, Mercury Records; Ashley MacIsaac, A&M Records; Cravin' Melon, Mercury
Records; EDNA SWAP, Island Records; and FLIPP, HollywoodRecords.
Multi award-winning Rounder recording artists Alison Krauss &
Union Station kicked off the General Session on Sunday, March 9. The group's new CD, So
Long So Wrong, was released March 25.
Arista Nashville's hot new act,
BR5-49, dished out toe-tapping songs reminiscent of classic Country music from their
self-titled debut studio album. BR5-49 performed with two other artists at Peaches Store
Managers Bash on Monday, March 10.
A performance by Deborah Gibson
opened the Closing Session on Tuesday, March 11. After several stints on stage in London
and on Broadway, she recorded her sixth album, Deborah, on her newly-formed label,
Espiritu Records.
Former Entertainment Tonight
co-anchor and GTSP recording artist John Tesh did double duty with a performance featuring
songs from his new Avalon concert CD, and as emcee of the Awards Luncheon on Tuesday,
March 11.
With a musical career boasting
numerous awards, television specials and soundtrack hits, Columbia recording artist Kenny
Loggins' act previewed songs from his new Greatest Hits album. His was the last of four
performances at the Scholarship Foundation Dinner on Tuesday, March 11.
The music of Epic Nashville's Patty Loveless is both passionate and
powerful. She performed cuts from her latest album, The Trouble With The Truth, at a
musical showcase on Monday afternoon, March 10.