Over on threadwatch I recently made a comment that social media should not be used for meeting short term sales goals (link). I read an article today from Reuters that showed how giving something away to generate an early buzz resulted in more long term sales Disney learns lessons from “High School”
In print and online advertising for “High School Musical” that preceded the movie’s airing on the Disney Channel, tweens were directed to the “HSM” Web site to download a free track. That song, “Breaking Free,” ended up being one of the biggest hits on the album. “It was a great way to sample the music and to drive kids to the site,” Whiteside says. “The interesting thing is the track we were giving away as the free download ended up being the most-purchased on iTunes.”