Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History

by David Meerman Scott, Brian Halligan

The Grateful Dead-rock legends, marketing pioneersThe Grateful Dead broke almost every rule in the music industry book. They encouraged their fans to record shows and trade tapes; they built a mailing list and sold concert tickets directly to fans; and they built their business model on live concerts, not album sales. By cultivating a dedicated, active community, collaborating with their audience to co-create the Deadhead lifestyle, and giving away "freemium" content, the Dead pioneered many social media and inbound marketing concepts successfully used by businesses across all industries today.Written by marketing gurus and lifelong Deadheads David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead gives you key innovations from the Dead's approach you can apply to your business. Find out how to make your fans equal partners in your journey, "lose control" to win, create passionate loyalty, and experience the kind of marketing gains that will not fade away!

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Music

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 30, 2010

About the author

Our always-on, Web-driven world has new rules for competing and growing business. Advance planning is out – agile is IN! Those who embrace new ways will be far more successful than those who stay who stay stuck and afraid to change. No one knows more about using the new Real-Time tools and strategies to spread ideas, influence minds and build business than David Meerman Scott. It’s his specialty.

He’s a sales and marketing strategist who has spoken on all seven continents and in 40 countries to audiences of the most respected firms, organizations and associations.

David is author or co-author of ten books - three are international bestsellers. He is best known for The New Rules of Marketing & PR, now in its 6th edition, which has been translated into 29 languages and is a modern business classic with over 400,000 copies sold so far. David also authored Real-Time Marketing & PR, a Wall Street Journal bestseller. He is co-author of Marketing the Moon (with Rich Jurek) and Marketing Lessons from The Grateful Dead (with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan).

Reviews

[Robin Woodcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confession: I didn't finish this one. It's kitchy, for sure, but unless you know nothing about marketing this book isn't going to be that helpful. It's interesting background on the Dead and it's mildly amusing to see what parallels David Meerman Scott draws between the band and brilliant marketing strategy...but I'm not sure too many marketing profs (Homa? Are you out there?) are going to tell you to read this book, toss around a hacky sack and light one up in lieu of taking their class. As a companion reader, however, that could be the perfect antidote for a bunch of uptight MBAs...

[Yukari Watanabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I give 5 stars! Co-authored by my husband and translated into Japanese by MEEEEE.

[David Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun read that truly shows the genius of this 60's band when it comes to being in the forefront with marketing and branding.

[Enrique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voy a intentar ser lo más justo posible con este libro.

El otro día escuché una charla entre Rick Rubin y Brian Eno.
En un momento de la conversación Brian Eno apuntaba como uno de los factores de un potencial éxito el pensar que podrías haber hecho tú eso mismo, pero sin embargo no lo hiciste. Este libro es parecido.

Después de leerlo, uno puede considerar que sus ideas son demasiado obvias. Si ya has leído otros libros sobre marketing, posicionamiento de productos y demás, puede ser que incluso no te aporte nada nuevo y, si uno toma notas mientras lo lee, no creo que haya mucho que ganar en una relectura. Hubiera sido más útil como artículo de un blog.

No obstante, si estás empezando de cero a leer sobre marketing, leerlo 1 vez puede enseñarte algunos de los fundamentales del juego.

Otra tema sería ya que fueras muy fan de la banda.
No es mi caso. Yo vine por la cuestión del marketing. 3,5/5.

[Pat]

Key take away challenge the status quo.

They really push for free, thought leadership or products to lead to premium subscription and word of mouth marketing.

Liked the take on passion - how it helps propel you in a role - I think that needed to be developed more. I am an accountant - I am not 100% passionate about accounting guidance but I am passionate about leading people. If I didn’t stay in accounting I might not be leading people. I think sometimes passion comes from development of skills and a true understanding of your skills comes after learning a craft rather than just following your passion - my love of Nike sneakers doesn’t speak of a career I want to follow.

Also like thoughts of writing letters to CEO’s etc. interesting.

[Bernie Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because not was on Seth Godin's 10 books to read list.
While it was fine -- it is very dated. Most of the practical examples of the principles are applicable to the early days of Web 2.0. Most of us have heard this before.

Sure the Grateful Dead did a lot of what we do in modern marketing. That's great.
Not sure it warranted an entire book?

That said it's short. Fast and easy to read. And there are a few good takeaways.

[Megan Kendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kind of book that’s impossible to review. Sort of a hodge podge of loose connections and insights on marketing tactics. That are mostly obvious, but still a good reminder?

It did make me interested in the Grateful Dead and listen to a few of their songs though. What an insane group and band culture.

Wouldn’t recommend.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 2010, I’m yearning for an updated version of this. That being said, this was incredibly fun and a really interesting way to think about The Dead’s influence on the music world and fandom and the future of concert going. God I miss live shows.

[Thany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. i learned more about the dead than i did about marketing (neither is saying much) but it was a fun, easy read, and i enjoyed the pictures! i’m still reeling from reading beloved a few weeks ago, so my brain needed something light 😅

[Jim Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got tipped to this book (as with many others) through Seth Godin. Well worth a read/listen if you feel a bit stuck in the process. Found more thought-provoking points than I thought I would. Which is a good thing.

[Casey Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read and will use many of their suggestions. As unique as I am this book was perfect for me.

[Michael Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective

[Jeff Giddens · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bound blog post.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it but more a fan of the band than book. Well written though as the dead did some truly outstanding things to create the following

[Josh Allred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Fun case study of marketing ideas the Grateful Dead used.

[Jason Baldauf · Rating 2 out of 5]

More informative than applicable, the author attempts to relate the cutting edge business practices that the Grateful Dead pioneered to other industries. An A for effort, but unfortunately the music industry is a completely different animal and it doesn't translate well. For Dead Heads it's worth the short read, if you're a business owner looking for ways to make your business unique and stand out, you may be better served elsewhere.

[Tim Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for the KAZI Book Review (http://kazibookreview.wordpress.com/):

This book’s subtitle is “What every business can learn from the most iconic band in history,” and anyone from a marketing executive to a starting entrepreneur will find something to help change the way they think about marketing their business.

Scott and Halligan note in the introduction that “the Grateful Dead is one huge case study in contrarian marketing.” Contrary is a good way to describe the strategies of the Grateful Dead, as nearly everything they did went against standard operating procedure, both in terms of the music industry and in terms of established business practice in general.

The Grateful Dead were pioneering social media before such a term was invented. The band reached out to its core audience (Deadheads, in this case) and truly made them part of the experience, which only increased their following. Even without the technologies we have today, the band was able to connect with their fans (and the fans with each other), and build a huge brand in the process. They did things that no other band did, such as concentrating on touring instead of album sales, encouraging fans to record shows and trade tapes, and partnering with parking lot entrepreneurs instead of running them off. Though it may seem unlikely at first glance, Scott and Halligan demonstrate how the strategies of the world’s most successful jam band can differentiate anyone’s product from its competition.

The authors make their aim clear when they write that “Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead will show you how to think and market like the band, which is to think and market differently from your competition.” Each of the chapters examines an aspect of exactly how they marketed differently, and how these strategies can work in today’s businesses. Scott and Halligan acknowledge the chapters as free-standing units to be read in any order, a nod to the band’s freewheeling style. Each has a focus on a particular element of the Grateful Dead’s marketing strategy and how these translate to the modern business world. Included at the end of each chapter is a helpful “Rock On” section that gives tips and ideas on how to put these lessons into action.

Scott and Halligan, both already established in the marketing world, hit it off right away when they discovered a shared love for the Grateful Dead during their first meeting. Halligan is the CEO and co-founder (with Dharmesh Shah) of HubSpot, a marketing company focused on inbound marketing tools, such as targeting search engine results pages and measuring the effectiveness of those tools. Scott is an online marketing strategist and professional speaker that has written five marketing books to date, most notably The New Rules of Marketing and PR which he has also turned into a one-day seminar.

[M. Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most interesting thing about this book was the title. Everything after that was a gradual letdown until I realized that the whole Deadhead tie-in was, alas, just a semi-clever marketing trick. There's a lesson for you. In retrospect I guess I should have seen that coming from the start.

The most disappointing thing about this book is the fact that it didn't seem to really matter which Rock band was chosen, it was still just a dull marketing book dressed up as something novel and unique. It could have just as easily been titled "Marketing Lessons from Van Halen" or "Marketing Lessons from Michael Jackson". The content would have been the same because the whole band tie-in pretext was completely artificial and underneath it was just dull commonplace marketing advice that anyone receiving a passing grade Marketing 101 would already know.

So, kudos for tricking me into attempting to read a marketing book...something I never would have considered doing otherwise. I suppose there is something to be said for the marketing genius in choosing the title anyway.

If you are a Dead fan and think that this book contains any insight into the band or their music, don't waste your time. On the other hand if you are a first year marketing student who is looking for basic information outside of your overpriced textbook, this may be just what you needed.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is bound to be more interesting and entertaining to fans of the Grateful Dead than to those interested in marketing. I learned far more about the band than I did about marketing practices (I admit, I have read a few other marketing books of late, so my basic introduction had already been covered).

This what this book is - a good introduction to marketing - but this book doesn't bill itself that way. It says lesson's that any business can learn - but most all I saw was confirmation of what I've already read in other marketing books as well. Sure, there's a bit more positive reinforcement as well, but at two-thirds of the way through I had yet to take down a single note.

By the end, I had not as many words and ideas written down as there are in this review. So, for a beginner - good book. For a deadhead - like me - it's kind of good (and got it to a third star). For someone who already knows marketing (as would be defined by someone under 30, or new-ish to the business) - meh. There's a lot mor to be found elsewhere.

[W.G.T. Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was first introduced to a book of David Meerman Scott (World Wide Rave) by Sukanti Husain (@sukanti) in April/May 2009 and have been a fan of books by David ever since. His site has been a great resource for some of my work and in addition to the books for sale, he has practiced what he preaches by giving away free ebooks on his site.

So now David has got together with Brian Halligan (CEO of Hubspot) and published a book titled ‘Marketing lessons from the Grateful Dead’.

Truth be told, for someone living in Sri Lanka (with interest mostly in local music) and for being born in the 80s, I had not heard of the band ‘Grateful Dead’! But after I got the book from Wiley Publishers, I checked them up on Google (and Bing for that matter) and was overwhelmed by the work that they had accomplished. I ain’t a ‘deadhead’ but have been intrigued by the ways in which they were able to satisfy their fans. This is clearly reflected in the chapters highlighted by David and Brian.


For a full review of this book please see this link http://digit.lk/10_september_bookrevi...

[Dane Cobain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like marketing? Do you like the Grateful Dead? If you answered yes to either of those questions then this book is for you.

Scott and Halligan are two experts when it comes to marketing – Scott wrote The New Rules of Marketing and PR, and Halligan has co-authored a book called Inbound Marketing. Halligan’s company, HubSpot, has grown hugely over a period of ten years, eventually going public on the stock exchange.

But they’re also huge fans of the Dead, and they argue passionately here that many of the techniques that the dead used, such as offering fans first dibs on tickets and launching one of the earliest examples of a mailing list, are still relevant today. I think they’re probably right – this is one of my favourite marketing books, because it’s both fun and functional.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent attempt to attract non Deadheads....I think they gave the dead more credit for the business end of their music than they deserved???the fact of the matter is , as a Deadhead myself, I've red enough and listened enough to the band to understand the band did not care one iota about the business and money until after the passing of Garcia.....there are some interesting inferences , but overall the book I only o so

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadheads take note: what the Grateful Dead was all about, apparently, was genius marketing. This is a fun little book, with some surprisingly apt marketing lessons from the Dead, coupled with contemporary business examples, and a great bunch of pictures of the band from days of yore. A must for anyone who loves either marketing or the Dead -- preferably both.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Deadheads/Marketing Gurus combine there loves and give us a look into how The Grateful Dead were way ahead of it's time. The biggest aha moment to me was how they were using transparency in the 70's. Quick read that might make you reconsider how you view social media and consumer involvement in your brand.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great title, and a good primer for someone with little or no marketing training or experience. For the seasoned marketer, it is a rather elementary review of the main principals of customer focused marketing- is there any other kind? The book is more interesting if you know the ethos of the Grateful Dead, I had hoped for more insights, but a worthwhile read.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a quick read. I liked the connection with the Grateful Dead, even as a Gen Y, though that connection was a little loose at times.

I liked the grassroots feel to the Grateful Dead's marketing and it ties in well with the importance of being "real" as a brand, and building a fan base by being authentic, transparent and likeable.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very quick read (I read most of it while waiting for my car to be inspected). Though I wasn't terribly interested in the business and marketing insight offered in the book, I was very interested in the authors' recollections of Dead shows and of the groundbreaking marketing model that the band employed.

[Jim Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic short book, great and innovative layout, with valuable, adaptable business lessons. I cite in my own upcoming book SOLAR'S CRUCIBLE: Vegas, Con Jobs & the Quest for Energy. "The storyteller makes no choice, soon you will not hear his voice. His job is to shed light - and not to master... The compass always points to Terrapin Station."

[David Dalka]

I interviewed David Meerman Scott on his book Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting blend of marketing theory and stories of fellow Deadheads