I can’t remember exactly when it was but the phrase “Less Promotion More Devotion” popped into my head. I quickly jotted it down. Not only does it sound catchy but it is a thought provoking concept.
One thing I have admittedly fallen short on in my musical and creative endeavors is self promotion. Although I believe in my talent and stand behind my creative work, when it comes to talking to others in an attempt to “ sell “ who I am or what I do, I clam up and wince. I doubt I am alone in this. Sadly it would seem my lack of zeal in this area has kept me in the shadows while others have experienced more exposure and success.
That being said, how can I make a case for LESS promotion rather than more and where does devotion come into it anyway?
Good question
Promotion is something we are all familiar as it relates to advertising. Promotion creates awareness about a product or service in an attempt to generate sales and income.
Come to think of it, is music a product or a service? I think it’s both. Songs, recordings, and live performances can be viewed as a product but music itself is a service that fulfills a need. What is that need? That is the question that I find most intriguing.
In business, creating an image to promote a product or service is nothing new. However, in our present time, many people are using social media to create their own personal “ brand “, curating specific photos, text, and videos in such a way to reflect a desired appearance. My concern is this; do we value the representation more than the genuine article? Has the appearance of doing something replaced the act of doing it hence the phrase, “ if you didn’t post it on social media, did it really happen? “
When it comes to music, I have always loved material that reflects actual life experience the most. It can tell a story, vent a grievance, aid in celebration, adoration, or worship.It documents history and reflects different cultures and sub cultures and their values.I fear that we stand to lose this.
While musicians, like myself, make use of the present technology to reach their audience, as they should, the challenge is to prioritize the content over the image used to promote it. Image has always been important but I troubled by how overwhelmingly dominant it is in our culture today and how it seems to eclipse human interaction and experience. Hopefully in the coming days, music can help us sift through the difficult questions that face us in this “ Information Age “ as it has it has in the past.
This is where devotion comes in. Devotion is defined by Oxford Living Dictionary as “ a love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity”. It’s easy to get thrown off course in our day to day lives when we lose touch with what we love, what motivates and inspires us.
Can you remember the energy and excitement you felt, in the moment, when you were involved with something or someone you were passionate about?
Yeah, we could all use more of that.
Yes, promotion and making money are important, essential even, but devotion is what should be “ driving the bus “ and what we are devoted to most defines who we are.
This is where I am going to leave it, for now.
What do you think?
Does music have intrinsic value other than the revenue it produces? Does music have value to your life personally?
How do you feel about the role that social media plays in our personal lives? How has it changed our view of ourselves? How has it changed the music scene?
I would love to hear from you. Post comments below.
