This past week has consisted of hours in front of the computer and cyberspace surfing, all in the name of market research. I have been trying to make an accurate depiction of what the music scene in Tokyo looks like, who the major players are, what its weaknesses are and how I can exploit them and so forth. I was yet again blown away by the sheer size of Tokyo and the amount of buzz it generates. The number of players and potential partners or clients is mindboggling! I then realized the greater challenge that lay ahead of me. At first I thought it would be difficult to locate and get in contact with distributors and record labels. Alas that was not so much a problem as just rather time consuming, hence the reason for my marriage to my computer. No, the greater problem is in fact being heard and getting people’s attention. How can I make myself heard in an orgy of communication, a hurricane of business trans-actions? I need to come down with a sledgehammer; I need to shine brighter than the sun in order to make an impact. I need a platform.
When I started my project in Tokyo my father gave me a lot of advice, and he still does. One of the first things he stressed was the importance of having a platform in Japan. A platform is important in any country but especially so in Japan was his point. A business platform is a versatile term that can refer to everything from a strategy to a reputation. It is an established network and experience gained from past projects that you now use as building blocks to stand on. In my case I want to build a platform and that takes time, so in the mean time I need to be part of another platform or community rather than float around on my own. The universe shined on me last week when I was invited to a cocktail party and such a platform was offered to me with a glass of wine and a delicious buffet.
For the past 10 years there has been an annual event where Swedish design is promoted in Tokyo. The person in charge of this event is no other than my best friend’s mother. Through the years I have helped her out at various occasions and she was kind enough to invite me to a cocktail party where she was going to announce the plans for the 10 year anniversary of her event. It was going to be a grand event and she wanted as many people as possible to be a part of the event for a small fee. And just like that, I had my platform. I told her about my music exchange event and she thought it sounded great. I can stand on her experience and network to showcase my event and get that first foot through the door. When I contact or pitch my idea I now sense that they are hearing me in a new way, with much more consideration rather than out of sheer kindness and respect. I have their attention.
Things to do:
- Website!!
- Look at possible sponsors
- Choose an act
