When bands reuinte, sometimes they need a fresh marketing strategy to entice their fans to attend their concerts.  Thats just what No Doubt did to promote their new tour.  For those who purchase their top tickets, they receive No Doubt’s entire online back catalogue for free, which includes five studio albums.  However, the giveaway is only available if you order your tickets through No Doubt’s website as opposed to other ticket venues such as Ticketmaster or Stub Hub.

The Lied Center of Kansas is the performing arts center for the University of Kansas. In order to promote the performances for the seasons concerts they handed out promotional music download cards. Given out at the ticket center for the Lied Center, which would hopefully increase sales and patronage.

So far I have discussed everything from promotional t-shirts to promotional stickers, and though this box of promotional cereal wasn’t given out at a concert (how weird would that be?) since it is a custom designed box with the KISS logo and giving away a free record, it counts as band merch.

The true attraction to this promotion is not necessarily the box, but the free music giveaway that’s included. Though promotional records might be a thing of the past you could always get away with promotional music cards or promotional cds.

In light of the ringtone generation, music companies have leveraged their artists by submerging them into the realm of mobile music. Many businesses like Jamster have become models for having an extensive collection of ringtones. Even cellular phone companies are joining in on the emergence of free ringtone offers!

Free ringtones are a great promotional idea because consumers have access to their favorite artists in order to customize their phone ringers; customizable promotional products are an awesome way to engage your target market, creating an enjoyable brand experience.

Back in February, Pepsi launched a new promotional campaign called Pepsi Stuff, where you pretty much get free merchandise like music with your Pepsi merchandise. In the age of downloading, sampling music, and online shopping, getting complimentary music promotional items like free MP3 downloads is the ultimate incentive for customers to buy entire albums.

This might not qualify as merch, but it’s free and it’s music, so good enough! Starbucks and iTunes paired up a while ago to bring “Hear Music” to the world. Every Tuesday Starbucks releases 2 songs available for free download on iTunes. To download said songs you need to pick up a little card that has a promotional code you enter into iTunes. The cards are available at Starbucks.

The free music movement (as I call it) is really catching on despite the outrage of Music Executives (and Metallica, I’m sure).  Last year anyone who bought the Sunday Mail found Prince’s new album tucked within its pages.  Radiohead then allowed free downloading of their newest album in late 2007.  Artists’ Oasis and Jamiroquai are said to follow suit.  With the growth of free music there will probably be less free merch considering bands will no be dependent on the sale of things that aren’t albums for revenue.  Which would you rather get free music or free merch?