WAYNE BLANCHARD OPINION


UK MI retailers need to stop slashing prices and look to more upmarket High Street institutions such as Waitrose for inspiration on selling brands, says Blanchard


Brand of gold I


’m not really too certain why, but I am always pleasantly surprised when someone from the New World reveals that he or she is an anglophile – sometimes to the point of doubt. With Wayne Blanchard, however, it emerges that the Canadian-born marketer and drummer studied at Edinburgh University and has returned to Scotland every year since – that’s real dedication. Over the past 24 years, he has shaped,


defined, designed and directed the Sabian cymbal brand, giving him a unique perspective on manufacture, supply and retail. Cornering him on his annual pilgrimage to


the Athens of the North, I decided to get a snapshot of how he views the industry today.


Right then, how is the music business looking to you these days? Precarious. The state of the economy has become a crutch of convenience. ‘We’re waiting for things to pick up,’ is a dangerous position to adopt. That’s no strategy. That’s an excuse.


Is there anything we can do? Be active. Do you watch Mary, Queen of Shops on the BBC? She says the same thing: Get your


WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK


finger out! Do whatever it takes to get customers into the shop.


What do you see as the major challenges? New products coming too fast and frequent. A shortage of effective management and staff. Dealer reliance on manufacturers to generate in-store sales. Ineffective marketing. Careless pricing. The failure of shops to brand themselves. A shortage of new music trends. A lack of industry leadership. Those big red SALE signs. Industry cynicism… Is that enough?


Yes, but apart from that? Seriously, why are you down on new product? All too often it appears to be a distraction from the fact that nobody has determined how to sell the existing product.


Is that realistic? New product is necessary to keep pace with changes in music trends and ensure better versions of existing items, but there are other ways to excite the market.


Such as renovation rather than innovation? Where feasible, yes. Take the Fender Relic


Sabian’s former head of marketing believes new products are released all too frequently in MI


After 24 years as head of marketing at Sabian, Wayne Blanchard has a unique eye on the global MI trade. Andy Barrett picked his brains to see what all those years of experience have taught him about our industry…


programme, where Fender artfully beats the hell out of high-end guitars, then consumers snap them up at premium prices. That is an absolutely brilliant creative response to a market opportunity.


So should the industry value innovation? I recommend greater emphasis on ‘saleability’.


Are you worried about the state of retail? I recently saw a salesman blow out two sales within ten minutes – one a high-end drum set. Then he went back to cruising the internet. Is that the current state of UK retail?


What do you think of the manufacturer/dealer relationship? I think dealers should be cautious about the motive behind new products. You know, they’re not always for the benefit of the dealer or the customer. Inter-brand competitiveness or a trade show can just as easily be the incentive.


How do you suggest we fix this? Stop chasing new product like some sort of panacea for real problems. Respond to reality.


miPRO JANUARY 2010 41


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