1. Lady Gaga knows how to work the mediums...she totally re-invented herself from a somewhat successful but unknown cabaret singer into the new "Madonna." She doesn't just work the stage -- she works your TV, Internet, iTunes, Mobile apps, Social Networks etc... Her talent may be more marketer than songstress... She is VERY savvy.
2. Lady Gaga was first discovered and promoted by Perezhilton.com, the celebrity Web site that has nine times as many consumers as People Magazine. She has defined and benefited from the 'new' model, the Web vs. prior ways in which talent was discovered on TV, cable or by a major record label and/or talent agency. Music on the Internet will be bigger than American Bandstand. Who knew that a "blogger" would be our new "barometer" for music?
3. Lady Gaga knows how to "steal the show." If you caught the American Music Awards, her performance was "must see TV." She broke through a glass encased piano with a microphone, then without lip-synching played it against a flaming background as her violin players wore gas masks. She is constantly creating high impact that surprises her audience and viewers.
4. Whether or not you like Lady Gaga, her concerts and CDs are sell-outs. She represents the changing media and entertainment world we live in. Lady Gaga takes nothing for granted and continually re-invents herself to surprise her multi-platform audiences.
5. Lady Gaga understands the new business model for media and entertainment. She knows how to use and play the Internet far better than most record companies or even MTV. Even Madonna has recently become a fan.
6. A Lady Gaga show is not targeted to me but I cannot help but enjoy her stagecraft and how well she sings. She knows that first and foremost is her ability as an entertainer and that everything else just enhances her appeal to time-pressured consumers who can quickly lose interest in you. Why? Too many choices.
7. If media and entertainment companies want to better understand how to appeal to their target entertainment audiences, rather than hiring a traditional consulting company like McKinsey they should hire Lady Gaga. Laugh now -- but she is outselling most print companies, and her brand equity among the "newbies" is far greater than the "Grey Lady."
8. The fact that Lady Gaga burst upon the scene as an overnight sensation speaks for itself. If you do NOT innovate you LOSE! Today and every day new competitors are emerging who do not have corporate and/or traditional business models that do not allow for out of the box thinking.
9. Whether Lady Gaga is as "hot" two years from now as she is today is absolutely irrelevant. What works today is the ability to create engagement across multi-platforms. Shows such as ABC's "Modern Family" versus recycled Jay Leno will and are winning the day.
10. Finally....The fact that an unknown cabaret singer has become such a huge star, by way of a single Web site DOES HAVE ME GAGA!!!!. I hope others are too. If you are not checking where your audience starts and finishes their day, then you only have yourself to blame when you miss the time that you too 'can go Gaga!'
Steve's new book You Can't Fall Off The Floor - The Insiders' Guide to Re-Inventing Yourself and Your Career chronicles his 50 year career working for over 25 different companies with 189 lessons learned and insider tips from Gayle King, Cathie Black, Chuck Townsend and 28 others; Blacker is still going strong today as a partner in Frankfurt & Blacker Solutions, LLC. His web site is blacker-reinventions.com and e-mail address is blackersolutions@aol.com
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