It seems how stars were discovered before they made it big has always been part of entertainment industry legends.
Brian Epstein found (in some versions) The Beatles. Diana Ross didn't discover The Jackson Five but Berry Gordy loved the fictional account and promoted it at Motown. Simon Cowell, it was discovered at an early age we're sure, was a nasty little bugger and yet somehow landed on a show that utilizes his talents to let others find current "American Idol" stars.
Now, a retail chain is getting into the star discovery business and that may mean that one day the story will be told of how Greg Baxter, product analyst for Meijer, found Joshua Davis before he became a recording legend and started piling up Grammies in his den.
Okay, let's take a step back. Meijer has created a marketing program it has dubbed "Outside the Mainstream." The concept is simple. Find an independent unknown recording artist, buy 1,000 CDs directly from the artist and put it in 176 Meijer stores. From there, promote the heck out of the band or solo artist for a month with features in the company's circulars (reaching 7 million households) and in-store support including endcap displays.
Joshua Davis (remember that name) was the first artist chosen for the program. Meijer is marketing his first solo project, "Fool Rooster," originally released in 2005.
"It's a cool thing," the singer-songwriter who lives in Lansing, Mich., told The Grand Rapids Press. "If the program works out ... it'll be a good thing for local artists. It's a really big opportunity. There's so much talent locally in Michigan and in this region."
That brings the story back to star-finder Greg Baxter. The Meijer product analyst is a fan of the local music scene and came across "Fool Rooster," described as a "rootsy, folk-rock album." He began passing the CD around the office and the idea to find a way to sell it and others like it was born.
"It's pretty exciting. It benefits the artist. They're hard-working, and it can be thankless for them," said Mr. Baxter. "There's really some exciting stuff out there, and we want to be a partner with them."
Meijer is happy with the program even before the first sale because of all the buzz it has generated in the five states where it has stores. The company said almost all the $7.49 selling price for the CDs goes directly to the artist.
Joshua Davis is definitely sold on the concept, and will remember Meijer when he's rocking arenas in the future.
"They've already sold out of all the Lansing stores and are restocking them," he said. "It's a program that I don't think is set up to fail. I think it's going to do real well. It's ... about hitting different markets, which is great."
Discussion Questions: What do you think of Meijer's "Outside the Mainstream" program as a means of differentiating the chain from its competitors?
Highlights of the Meijer program as bulleted by The Grand Rapids Press:
Meijer will spotlight a new regional musical artist monthly.
The CDs, bought by Meijer from the band/artist, sell for $7.49.
Descriptions of artists appear in ad circulars and end-cap displays.
Artists are picked from communities served by the chain's stores.
CDs must be "family-friendly" and must not require parental advisory labels.
To be considered, artists should send e-mail to musicbuyer@meijer.com