Queen Bey Surprises Us All

Sometimes the best marketing is no marketing at all, that is if you have a solid consumer base and a really compelling product.

Certainly seems to the case with Beyonce's surprise album, released with no fanfare last Thursday.  Despite the mega-marketing campaigns of her contemporaries Gaga and Katy Perry, Beyonce put out her new album without as much of a peep.  Nothing, nada, zilch.

Let's break down her non-marketing approach:
- a complete surprise to the entire industry, NO ONE knew this was coming
- no tracks leaks in advance, no rumors, no speculation
- no lead single, in fact no single at all, and nothing "radio friendly" as the critics would say
- only available on iTunes as a complete album, no track purchases allowed
- released on a Thursday, when the industry standard is a Tuesday
- 15 tracks with 14 videos, making it a "visual album"

A visual album!  Leaving everyone asking, "how'd she do that?"

The result?  430,000 copies sold in the first day putting her on track to be the biggest selling female artist of the year and far outpacing the debut week's of aforementioned Gaga and Katy Perry.  This is a true testament to the power of earned media and word of mouth.  Beyonce is relying solely on people noticing and sharing to get the word out, and the word is getting out.  Not a lick of paid media or traditional marketing in sight and she still is breaking sales records. 

Now admittedly, I am not a big fan although I'm not sure I could even possibly say why.  I do have tremendous respect for what she's done in her career, and this move catapult's her to marketing maven in my eyes.

Queen Bey, that's all I've got to say about it.

What's your experience?  Jim.