Move Over Elvis, Here Comes Elton: Unusual TV Marketing of New Greatest Hits Collection Expected to Boost Album's Sales

Business Wire, Nov 5, 2002

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 2002

In 1992, Elton John Broke Elvis' Record for the Most Consecutive

Years With a Top 40 Pop Single

Elvis is king but Elton is everywhere. From television movies and series to promo spots and commercials, Elton John's greatest hits are being heard by hundreds of millions of listeners -- and it's no accident. In an effort to gain consumer awareness for the November 12th release of the two-CD "Elton John: Greatest Hits 1970-2002" (UTV/Universal/UME), the only complete, career-spanning hits collection from one of the most successful musical artists in history, Universal Music Enterprises has launched an unusual campaign focusing on song placement on TV, especially promo spots during November's sweeps rating period.

As a result, the promos during the entire month for UPN's "Enterprise" feature "Rocket Man"; those for CBS' "Presidio Med" use "Tiny Dancer"; NBC's "Good Morning Miami" plugs "Your Song," and for NBC's "Scrubs," it's "The Bitch Is Back." In addition, the USA Network movie-of-the-week "Murder In Greenwich," premiering November 15, includes "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (the latter is also heard in the trailer for the film "Moonlight Mile"), and "Crocodile Rock" is part of a series of currently-running commercials for Chevrolet. Next spring, "Rocket Man" will be heard in HBO's "Six Feet Under" and "Bennie And The Jets" in the WB's "The O'Keefe's."

Said Bruce Resnikoff, President, UME: "In addition to traditional radio support, our strategy has been to market Elton to TV music supervisors. Who wouldn't want an Elton hit? TV helps create public awareness and it helps the sales force too. When they go to retail, they can say, `Hey, these songs are all over the airwaves.' We expect that to pay off in record sales."

The UME campaign brings radio promotion to TV; the promos acting like radio airplay to help sell the album. The effort, led by Tom Rowland, VP, Film & TV Music, targeted promos also because they could be better timed for the release whereas lead times for films or TV series are much longer. With promos, the song could be cleared today and aired tomorrow. Besides, many more millions will see a TV promo than any blockbuster film.

According to Rowland, all of the placements have been coordinated with Elton's management, pre-clearing the uses with the artist, and also with the appropriate music publishers.

With more than two-and-a-half hours of Elton classics, "Greatest Hits 1970-2002" boasts 34 newly digitally remastered selections, including all 22 Elton-penned original Top 10 pop hits. The #1s are "Crocodile Rock," "Bennie And The Jets," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Island Girl," "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Something About The Way You Look Tonight."

The other Top 10s are "Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Honky Cat," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Daniel," "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," "The Bitch Is Back," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word," "Little Jeannie," "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," "Nikita," "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That," "The One" and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight."