 Hi there and welcome to the podcast. I'm your host Jesse Cannon and today I'm here with hip video promos Andy Gessner. So the reason I wanted to talk to Andy is he's somebody I've known for a long time but we knew each other back in the day. We both worked for Alan Dow just at West West Side Music and then he went on to form this thing hip video promo where he does video promotions. Now what I think is so interesting about what Andy does with video promotion is this is the stuff that's not just promoting your YouTube video. This is actually how you get it onto video channels into stores into gyms into cable things into request things on your cable box into your roco players and channels all sorts of things. So I wanted to talk to him about how that sausage gets made. Andy has worked with a ton of groups. In fact, the first thing I'm going to do is have him start off by telling a little bit of the story about all the groups he's worked with so that you can see that he's no joke and that he's been with tons of the big artists from before they're big. And then we're going to actually get into the interview. I hope you enjoy this. If you do go check out Andy. His credentials are listed in the credits of where you can find him as well. I highly encourage if this video is helpful that you share it and get spread the word really trying to grow this channel. So anything you guys can do to help me grow it tell a friend to subscribe whatever it is. I'd really appreciate with that. Let's hear from Andy on all the fun he's had over the years. I'm Andy, hip video promo. After 20 years of playing rock and roll, I became a music video promoter. And in the early days, thankfully, there were folks like Virgin Records who Stephanie Seymour was in the band birdie. So I knew her. She brought us the first 30 seconds to Mars video. We worked with Massive Attack and we worked with Blur. It was amazing. So Electra caught wind and we were right there in the beginning with Jet. But it was the Johnny Cash video hurt 2003. I had been working the last highway angle. Finally, they had this video. Weren't sure what to do with Johnny. Didn't look too well. We signed on Total Game Changer. Now I could go back to Fueled by Ramen. Holy moly, Paramore, all those great bands on Fueled by Ramen. And of course, when some pop jumped on board with the shins and iron and wine and the Postal Service and Flight of the Concords, then Barsook saw that and they're like, okay, let's give this cat, Def Cab for Cutie. OMG, OMG, as the kids like to say. And from there, it just exploded tooth and nail. Polyvinyl, we still do all the all of Montreal videos. And we were there in the beginning for Seah when she was on Astro Works and the Lumineers in 2012 with Ho-Hey. And Love Being In on the Ground Floor. It's about then we started including social media marketing as a add-on feature with our music video promotion. And by 2017, we realized Spotify is a thing, a thing you need someone you can trust to actually present your son at least YouTube playlist pitching. These curated folks need new visual content. We're showing it. So 20 years over 3,600 videos, we continue to fight the good fight. I think it's one of the funniest things because music videos are consumed by every musician in every person and yet no one has any clue how to promote them. But that's your job. So what the hell do they do? Well, in the year 2000 when we began and it was the year and a half leading up to that moment in October of the year 2000 that you and I were firmly ensconced in what I guess we can call now the old music business. Yes. Everybody always talks about 1999 being the peak earnings of the music business. And then we hit September 11th a little bit after that. And who is it different? Absolutely. And of course here for us back in the day videos were still on expensive undertaking. You had to shoot them on film videos were on the bottom of the marketing plan. So I figured well, I'd heard about this new thing, the World Wide Web and you've got mail and it's going to be just a matter of time before the world or perhaps people in neighborhoods where there was internet. You would have the opportunity to watch a visual on your computer. Figure that. It was wonderful. And of course at the time, Jesse, we were just thinking computers. We're all now making these videos ourselves. We're all pushing out content. Where do you figure into this equation? Well, certainly as the attention to visuals migrated online, we've basically just continued to pile on in that we were always tight with the television outlets, whether it's Viacom, which is your MTV, MTV, MTV, MTV Spankin' New, or BET, BET Jams, BET Gospel, BET Soul. Those are still great opportunities for independent artists because whenever you can attach your brand to an international brand like MTV or BET, it's definitely going to be a big boost in your musical journey. So when it became apparent that, okay, there are more opportunities than this. What about every time you go to the fitness center? All those videos or you walk into a footlocker. There they are. So we've been tight with the content providers since day one. That would be your ClubCom. They do all of the fitness centers, screenplay. They do a lot of the department stores. You've got footlocker, which is media place, promo only, do lots of nightclubs. So then it was time to really get going on online PR. Because at some point, the line between visual video promotion and traditional publicity, that line sort of got blurred in that because we've always been top show for old-class cherry pickers, you've got the higher end online real estate reaching out to us saying, hey, we need that new video. So it's a combination of television, content providers, websites, blogs, and now OTT. It's been a game changer, Jesse, because- But what's OTT? I don't even know what OTT is. What's OTT? Okay. I'm looking over at my TV that I watch BET Jams on. It's got the little box on the top. Over the top of the TV, there's the little box. Oh, yes, yes, yes. In my case, my case, it's Roku. Some people, it's Amazon Fire TV or Google Chromecast or Sling or Apple TV. Yes. And so those all have video channels now, especially like Apple just launched this MTV now and all that. Yes, sir. So people are basically ditching the disk, the dish on the top of their house, and they're cutting the cable. It's all expensive, getting their visuals delivered via the internet. So whether you're in Uruguay or Venezuela or Saudi Arabia or Denton, Texas or Spokane, Washington, you can watch it on your big screen TV, you can watch it on your laptop, you can watch it on your phone, iPad, watch. Yeah. So let's go even more granular, since while you and I know this all, what actually happens? Somebody hires you and you start bringing their video to people like, tell me what it all looks like. Tell me, somebody starts talking to you, what is the way of the land of what happens? As the person in charge in a world where most promo companies, not only do you not speak to the person in charge, this is true. A lot of these places, Jesse, you don't speak to anyone. Yes. So first thing I need to know is, is this going to be a good look for this potential new client? First thing I say is my friend, you do not get a second chance to make a first impression. Now, sometimes the video is such an awesome first impression that there's absolutely no doubt about it. This is really going to help the potential client. Those are the moments we wait for. In over 20 years, being a top shelf, world-class cherry picker, we've gotten in on such great bands and artists before anyone knew who they were. And certainly as a promotions company, that's the exact way you want to brand yourself, as highly curated. That brings us to a thing that I think has always been one of the reasons I've liked recommending you is that you've always been honest with artists when you don't think you can do something good for them and they're not at the right point with this to take you on as a partner. I would rather tell a fellow creative that their video is not a good first look than fib to them and tell them it is. To explain to people the reason behind that, because I think a lot of the time people don't get why anybody would turn down money. Because thankfully, after 20 years of fighting the good fight as a musician, creative, I came to learn firsthand how difficult, how difficult this particular industry can be. One of the reasons people turn to you, sir, is because you've been ensconced in it. Not in the big 15, 15 Broadway or 9th Avenue. You lived it, breathed it, sweat it, bled it. You got to hear it from the ground floor. That's why people respect you. So for us, it's the same deal. It's that my plan on the rest of my life journey, definitely more sand in the bottom of the hourglass than in the top. Really, I am very blessed to have the best championship team in the business. It's amazing what a half a dozen human beings can do. But we feel that it's funny, my dad taught me, he said, give the video yourself ungrudgingly and expect very little in return. He said, it'll come back to you tenfold. I like that. It's really great. Yeah, that's great. Talk to me about what it looks like when an artist is ready to work with you. What do they have going for them? Okay, they have a great visual. So the first thing we need to do is write their story. Who are they? Why should we pay attention? As someone who used to book nightclubs back in the day, I would get the bios. Jesse, you've got to agree. Some bios make you like the artist or band less. You know, it's funny. I've never used that terminology, but God, are you right? I literally read a Spotify bio of a group I really liked last week, and I was like, this is so cringe. Sure, presentation is everything. Perception is everything. What artists don't realize is that you, my friend, the artist, you are not the one to write your story. This is often true, yes. It is the exception of the rule that the artist writes their story well. They're too close to it, Jesse. They do have to learn what their story is, but that often learning comes from talking to somebody else to figure it out. That is correct. Right. So as someone like you who's been around in the game awhile, we take a lot of time and effort. We send it to the client. They can feel free to edit, add, expound upon, delete, switch things up. We want the pitch to be right on the money because we live in an incredibly like, what is it down to seven and a half seconds? If you're lucky, you'll get them for seven and a half seconds. We craft a super-duper elevator pitch, but then we have the story. So it's kind of like when you're eating your cereal in the morning, you know, an exclusive online world premiere on Atwood Magazine or Papa. It's like you want to read the story while you're eating your cereal. It's like the back of the cereal box. I like that. So you craft a story with them, then what happens? A pitching for an online world premiere. So a lot of people are down on premieres today. Talk to us about what I perceive to be true, which is that while a stream premiere isn't as important, a music video premiere is a good deal more important. Talk to us about what that looks like and why that makes a difference. They're clients. They're going to put the video up on their YouTube channel on Tuesday. All good. And they'll probably let their friends know on their social media. Also, all good. But because we're picking out the diamonds in the rough, a lot of these people have very little online digital footprint. It's troubling when you have an awesome artist that you know is going to break through, but you Google her name, you Google her name, and it's some romance novelist in Southeast Texas. I go, no. Of course, if you have a name which is a bit odd or peculiar, chances are your search engine optimization, a.k.a. your first page Google search is going to be okay. But a lot of people, they have issues. You know, you've really got to look at how important it is that when someone has that moment and it's really moved to them and you've got them, you got to hook them to cook them, Jesse, and they're going to be a super fan. And then they Google you and they have an issue. Yep. And what I tell people all the time is like, yes, you can get past it, but does it make it easier if you, when you're first naming yourself, really get some optimizations, right? And now it's especially hard because you have to have your name work visually and for voice. Try telling Alexa two and a half years ago that you want to listen to XX Tenseon and watch how unhappy Alexa gets. Oh, absolutely. You're going to put her on a sick trip. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So you then get their online presence, right? Yes, we do help our clients with social media marketing. As the one man sales crew, I actually converse with verse with the clients. If you listen to your clients, as you know, they'll tell you what they want, what they need. So really, I look at every single spoke of their wheel in that if we're going to go, we might as well go big. And you got to build a solid sturdy foundation. Because if you don't, if you do catch a break or the opportunities come, whole thing's going to fall in on it on itself. So while we're preparing and pitching for the online world premiere, we're setting up all the what we're going to deliver it to everyone, which is an issue in itself in that you can't just send the video on closed captioned. Hmm. I didn't realize that. Right. Because the FCC is required that the video needs to have the closed captioning attached for national television broadcasting. Interesting. So you do that. Then what happens after that? Well, the day of the online world premiere, Mike, come draft our director of publicity. He starts shooting it out to all his contacts online. Because you cannot really pitch it to the other folks until the premiere has happened. Because the premiere is special. You're giving a top shelf world class music or blog website the exclusivity to your client. So you can't mess it up. Yes. I mean, some people are clear on this. The transactional nature of this is that a website needs traffic. So you give them something, you're going to direct your audience to it, and they're going to then have their audience see it. And that is the transaction that basically occurs. Even though that we should say that's not a financial transaction, because I know whenever I use that word, people get really conspiracy theory. And I deal with enough conspiracy theories on a daily basis. Right. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Now we start at the top. As we all know, you start at the top, the more unresponsive they are. So it really is sort of a challenge because you can't just offer it up to a half a dozen different potential online partners. Because what happens, Jesse, if three of them come back and say yes, then you're fucking with your relationships. And that's never fun. Your relationships are everything. You build your brand on trust and integrity and credibility. You find the premiere. It goes up there. What happens next? Hettle to the metal. We start grinding hard because if it's a Biocom network like MTVU or BETJams, they may want to look at the premiere because they might want to see what the story is. And because you've optimized all of their online platforms, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube channel, Twitter, if they check that out, they're going to be happy. The important aspect of all of these outlets is that they know I'm the least arm-twisted guy in the business. And they appreciate that for me because I know, I know what it's like, especially back in the days, booking the shows when bands call us like, you got to book us. My friend. It's not the approach, my friend. Maybe you want to dial it back a little. That's funny. So, but talk to us. Why doesn't the arm-twist approach work? Why is it better to do your method? Because they remember and they remind me every time we speak. It's like, I remember when you sent me that first FK8 twigs or if it's a Americana site, it's like, I remember when everyone didn't like the Luminers Ho-Hey video, but I remember we played it and then they all of a sudden they, one day I was like, the bands you work with, like nine months later, I see them on the late night talk shows. How do you do it? My friend. Don't ask me how I do it. Well, I mean, this is the interesting thing though, is that you are, people hate the word gatekeeper now and you're not a gatekeeper, but what you are is that when somebody's ready to do the extra leg of promotion, if they do this promotion, it can often, I often talk about this nine-stepped ladder and that, you know, there's very few things that can even get you one rung of the ladder. But this can really help you go up the ladder is that if you're in these places, it can be almost an unseen hand that really starts to get you more fans. Like I can remember with some of the groups I managed years ago when they started to get in the zoomies and the hot topics or whatever with their stuff that it was like, oh, we saw a magnitude of doors open for us because now we had reached a level that you couldn't really see on an online analytic dashboard of what was causing it. No, it was. No, it's true. It creates a perception of omnipotence and omnipresence. Yes. So let's talk about that, though. So you then figure out a bunch of places to try to get their video played regularly and then what does that look like for them, et cetera, et cetera. Give more of the story. Sure. So the websites and blogs, no better way to get the word out. People all have their favorite places to go to discover new music. You want to be in those places and you want to have editorial that's going to really sizzle and help you do what we all need to do, which is get more fans all about getting more fans. So the television channels, old friends. So I'll calm and we'll do the chit chat. And because they're also like me, they love to champion the underdog. You get exposure, whether it's Los Angeles or Rochester or Worcester, Massachusetts or Tampa, Florida. Time, TV is a time-tested medium, Jesse. It ain't going away. So I love it when clients... But it's not going away. I love it when my clients call and they say, I just got a call from my sister's boyfriend. She was working out at New York Sports Club and she swears. He saw my video. Like I said, it's about taking in an opportunity. You've made a great visual. Why not go pedal to the metal with it? Yeah. I think it is an interesting thing, too, is that people often are like, well, what does that really do? And it's like, well, that's where your shazams come from. And if you're all about these playlists, well, Apple Music Editorial bases a lot of their editorial off of who's shazamming what. And that's how you get on more playlists as well. It all fits into an ecosystem that helps build you up. I mean, you take an outlet like JBTV in Chicago. It's been on the air for probably 25 years. And they have a lot of loyal, rapid viewership. So as you know, Jesse, sometimes placement is very important for a band or artists brand and image. Yeah, curation is a lot. So they get on these channels. So what happens? It's one video. How do you work with people? Is it a throughout an album cycle thing? Do you just work a video at a time? What does that look like? Sure. Well, within two weeks, we will have generated a good amalgamation of television programming, great online real estate websites and blogs. At that point, we're setting up interviews Q&A. What are you doing during quarantine? Certainly with some television channels, we'll have the artists say, Hey, everyone. My name is insert artists name here. And you're watching my brand new video on LATV or in other words, it's all about making a human connection. So if there's any way we can do that, if you go to our YouTube channel, we've done hundreds of interviews with our artists. We have a couple more coming soon in that. Yes, if you're a music fan, you know that feeling when you really want to know what it is that makes your favorite new artists tick. Well, certainly now more than ever, independent artists have to wrap their heads around the fact that they are a public figure. That is correct. And a lot of people are very uncomfortable with that. Well, for those who are uncomfortable about it, it sucks to be you. Well, there's the honesty I was looking for. So tell me what other things people don't see of this? What are the hidden benefits? What do people not see around this that they may not understand about what you do? Well, I would think that a lot of people don't have a full understanding that traditional publicists and certainly many of you listening have used traditional publicists. What is interesting about visuals and now, no doubt about it, your video is the tip of your promotional sphere. But there is one issue you must hurdle. Said video has to be something worthy of attention. I call it eventful, but it has to be something that somebody would turn to somebody else and say, you should watch this because I just saw something that's worth telling somebody else about. Absolutely. That's what you want because to generate engagement and interaction nowadays, that's one of the most important things you want to do. And a lot of these artists, they don't really have the wherewithal nor are they sometimes ready that our campaigns are 10 full weeks. It's like a 10 week party, my friend. People are going to be showing up at your door. They're going to be coming inside your tent. You got to show them the warm and fuzzy because these fans really dig it when artists actually pretend they're human and interact. Rare, rare, rare breed that they'll pretend it. Yes, you're right. You got to get out there and do the thing. So talk to me though more about what it actually though does look like. So you're setting them up with online outlets, YouTube channels, like what is it that they go to? Maybe even talk about some of the outlets that you go to for features and stuff like that. Sure. Well, there's a New Jersey artist. Her name is Ruby Ryan. Considerable SEO concerns, but she's starting out and I do really feel she's got the goods and they're my favorite kinds of artists because up and coming artists usually people don't want to spend time and or effort with them. I remember Justina Valentine in the year 2012. I really, my heart because she knew that being a white young woman in North Jersey and she wanted to rap. I just told her, I said, my friend, just keep grinding. That's all you can do. Just keep creating and be ready when your opportunity comes. A lot of these bands and artists, you've seen it, Jesse. They're not ready. Yes. I mean, I think one of the things I tell people at times they're like, I'm doing all this work. I'm doing all this work, but no one's watching anything. I'm like, well, the key is that is if people start watching, you'll actually be able to take advantage of any attention you get, whereas so many people you talk to. I literally ran into a guy in the street the other day and he told me that they got all this attention for this thing, but they had two songs out and then it took them a year to get another song out. And I'm like, yeah. And that's why you're complaining to me that you have 3000 streams on your newest song and you have a half a million on the other song on Spotify. Makes a lot of sense. Being ready is a lot of the game. Yes, indeed. So certainly we do lean on our clients because if you're not for yourself, who will be? Yes. And lately a lot of people have been looking at the glass half empty as opposed to half full due to the current situation. And I do appreciate that. But guys like you, Jesse, you're actually taking time out and you're going on the worldwide web and really helping in denation with your videos. So I try to do the same thing here in that, okay, if nothing else, I've been in the game since 1980, if I can help my fellow creative in any way and not make it look like I'm just trying to get them to hire me to do a video. I mean, as the one man sales crew, when people in 2011, 2012 kept asking me about social media, you know, my space had kind of faded away, but now you had the social media. It's funny if you hear people talking about stuff a whole lot, then you have to think, okay, how can I help them with this? Same thing happened with Spotify. Now we're doing full on Spotify playlist pitching. It's because everyone was asking for it. And it is difficult to get these people to check out your song. It was exactly like video. We had to dive into it very carefully because we had to earn the trust and respect of these playlisters. We didn't want them to think that we would waste their time with any old crappy ass crap crap. Anything else interesting we should talk about that you think artists should hear? Yes, we've kind of parlayed, okay, if we're going to make friends with the Spotify playlisters, let's make friends with the YouTube playlist curators. Ah, okay, tell me about YouTube playlist curators because no one talks about this. Well, I liken it to back when I was a younger rock and roller. If I was sweating some girl, I would make a 90 minute compilation cassette tape. Yes, the mix tape, yes. So every song is carefully selected. So you just have to have a visual that fits into their aesthetic. So who are these people? They make playlists. I guess people, maybe they put a playlist on while they go watch the dishes or they long for the days of 120 minutes where videos just get served up to them. They don't have to even engage their brain. Yeah, I do a lot of that. Yeah, well, then there you go. That's how I hear new music is I have a few playlists I really like and I hit play on them while I do something else. Right. So it's all about impressions. So if you get on a YouTube playlist, man, there is nothing more demoralizing than seeing artists, great artists, bands, songwriters, EDM, buying fake stuff. Oh yeah, the worst, the worst. And sometimes my clients have already done it and they've seen the error of their ways. So at least having your video on a playlist, you know, it's genuine and authentic, even if the people may not be actually watching their video, they're actually feeding their cat. Who knows? Well, I would argue I stop feeding the cat when something good happens and then I take notice and then I write it down and then I give it some more attention later is what I would argue. Sure. No, absolutely. And you've got great channels like Revolt Television. People love their Revolt TV. Getting a video on Revolt TV is a big deal. And I would rather try and pitch to Revolt TV for some exposure and be successful than not pitch to Revolt TV and for sure fail. Understood. Any other aspects to this that we haven't discussed? Just that I think that people really should realize that whatever your musical genre is, there are opportunities for your music video outside of YouTube. And if there is one thing I try to do and I do it on YouTube, you know, I'm trying to let in the nation know that it is time to stop lamenting about the roadblocks. I get the gig economy a shot, right? But there are still so many avenues for you to secure genuine new fans. I mean, you wrote the book, Get More Fans. Yep. Yep. It's what I tell people every day. So, okay, so why don't we do this? Why don't you tell people where they can find you and then I'm going to have you do one more thing after that? Okay, excellent. Well, we are Hip Video Promo and we are easily found. If you google those three words, our website is hipvideopromo.com. And as the owner and president, I will talk with any and all folks who have creativeness and they've got either a song or a music video. I will not purchase a service and or goods unless I know who the person in charge is. I don't know how promo companies, Jesse, I don't know how they stay in business because they stay completely, you can't even talk to them. I don't get it. I literally talked to somebody about how they were convinced they bought answered them the other day on the email and I was like, that's going to be a dark world if that's true. Well, let's keep it real and just remember clients. It's so important to at least, you know, choose an email, share what you've got going. And if you're suspect, which I get it, promo company, I do encourage you to check out our resume, go to our clients page. Ain't bragging if you were there right in the beginning. And it's funny in the new 20 years of hip. I talk about the early days and this was right after we kind of stopped seeing each other a lot. And one of the first videos that they gave me was 30 seconds to Mars. Oh, yeah, yeah. 30 seconds to Mars. I said, you got to go to the Mercury Lounge and hang. He wants to talk to you. I'm like, all cool. And of course, we all know usually when actors front a rock band, it doesn't go so well. I always think of me being in a bad know what new in Keanu Reeves playing in the smaller room than us. I'm like, that's dark. Yes. So there he is, Mercury Lounge, New York City. It's like you got to come see us at the Kyber Pass. So I had to go the next night, check them out the Kyber Pass. And yes, a lot of people dismissed them because it had an actor as a rock band. But a lot of people thought Paramore was not too good on that first video. They didn't think she had the goods. I said, well, I think she does in the first Marine five video who would have ever thought, holy moly. Yep. Maroon five. Yep. Yes. So yes, we're always looking for the next big feather in my United States Marine Corps utility hat, because that's what I'm in it for is I like to be able to say, hey, I remember hanging out with Lil Kel back in the spring of 2009, 19 before his big video. And there are like lots of great opportunities for us to get to hang out with artists and make interviews happen. And really for us, it's all about coming to our website. You can reach me directly there. Thanks so much for watching. If you enjoyed this podcast, there's tons more like this that are about to come up on the end screen, or you can click a link in the description below to see more like it as well. If you want to hear more like this in your favorite podcast app, just search noise creators and all of my podcasts are in that feed there as well. If you're a musician who's trying to go from zero to 10,000 fans, I have a playlist linked below or on the screen in a second. That's all about how you do just that where I have tons and tons of videos on how you grow your fan base as a musician who hasn't yet established themselves. So please click that subscribe button and get notified to all my videos and stay tuned for even more content just like this. Thanks so much for watching.