Social Media and Digital Marketing Within Events

Social media and digital marketing are a phenomenon that has transformed the event industry. The benefits of integrating social media in the creation and management ofevents are tremendous. It is essential to discover how can we use each social network to promote efficiently and profitable our event, and also to know what social networks are better suited to be used during the celebration of these events. Some other essential factors that influence these fields are:

• Web 2.0:

The web 2.0 and its attributes have, by far, helped in this transformation. This second generation of the World Wide Web enables communication and information sharing between people worldwide. 

• Good bye unidirectional structure:

In the past, event planners developed their events with no communication with participants; what they said was the law and was done. Nowadays, social media and digital marketing has enhanced the communication channels between the planners and the participants where now they become a vivid part of the planning process. This also builds up feedback.

• Cost-effective:

Although is not recommendable to work on marketing efforts with $0 for budgeting, the use of these social network and digital marketing are basically free. This availability helps enormously because the event can be manipulated electronically at no cost. Digital technology is so advanced that there are even websites specifically dedicated to event planning through the Internet. This is the case of Constant Contact and their EventSpot application.

•  Scope and interaction:

Social media and digital marketing are everywhere, allowing a wide scope and interaction. This scope permits a networking among organizers, customers, virtual attendees and potential attendees. This interaction happens before, during and after the event contributing to its enrichment. Also, it adds value to the event, its digital marketing and content, and allows greater dissemination of the event.

•  Distribution:

Distribution goes hand-to-hand with scope. If years ago the events coverage was limited to traditional media coverage and word of mouth spread by participants in the event, now there are online tools that allow events and their contents to be known wherever is desired.

Puerto Rican Entertainment Law

The entertainment industry is not very different from other industries, but its product is unique. The creative process that is behind the manufacturing raises questions about the ownership and control of the artistic aspect. As we all know, the entertainment industry covers different facets like film, music, TV, radio, live theaters, special events, among others. The execution of these variants involves the collaboration of various businesses working together to achieve a final goal. These businesses are mainly suppliers of products or services, and to work together drafting of a legal document is required that stipulates the contribution of each of the parties involved. This is when an entertainment lawyer is needed.

In Puerto Rico there is not a huge number of lawyer specialized in this field. One of these specialists is Atty. Hector Quiñones. So, to know a little bit more about his career, the following was asked:

Gloriana: For how much time have you been working with entertainment law?

Hector: I have been litigating for more than 10 years now.

Gloriana: Why did you decide to specialize in such field and where did you study it?

Hector: I have always been passionate for the entertainment industry. As I finished my Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree in the University of the Sacred Heart in San Juan, I started researching where should I continue my postgraduate studies. That is when a friend of mine recommended me a law school located in New Hampshire. So, I took the LSAT and the entire tests necessary to apply to the Franklin Pierce Law Center. Fortunately I was accepted, graduating in 2001.

Gloriana: In which fields of the entertainment law have you specialized?

Hector: I have had the opportunity to deal with almost all aspects involving the entertainment law, but I have been more focused in copyright, breach on contract, advertising law.

Gloriana: Can you give us any expert advice, especially for the event industry (filed which I am aimed)?

Hector: Of course! Well, of all entertainment aspects, the event field is one of the most complete, but also complex. There are a lot of different types of events, which need the recruitment of different suppliers. Al these suppliers have to work under legal contracts to avoid further liabilities. I always recommend honesty among negotiations and to have contracts as detailed as possible. Everything can be talked through and negotiable, but is important that everything discussed goes to a paper too. 

All entertainment professionals should always have an entertainment law advisor: an attorney or counselor who helps in the contracts drafting and negotiation. Following this advice a lot of legal liabilities can be avoided.

Artits and Their Legal Issues

The Spanish Ballet and Flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés is considering suing the production team in charge of his show planned to be held in the Mexican Blackberry Auditory. The performance was scheduled for this past Friday, October 19. The dancer claims that in his arrival to the arena, he noticed that it was completely empty and there were no production staff members around to explain what happened.

Among dislikes, in a press conference Cortés highlighted that in his 30 years of dancing trajectory he had never lived such experienced. Feeling embarrassed with the public he guaranteed that his lawyers were already working the situation and assured his fans that the next presentations will be done as planned.

Is really sad seeing how the entertainment industry is still affected by people who do not understand the power of the human word. About legal issues, breach of contract is basically the principal cause of legal problems between parties. This is why it is extremely recommended to build strong clauses in the contracts to resolve this issues as friendly as possible.

American rapper Chris Brown is in risk of facing another legal problem. After being sued for the brutal beating he executed against his girlfriend and pop artist Rihanna, he was sentenced to community service and to keep good behaviors. At this day, he has not accomplished with none of his obligations and even though they broke up when the lawsuit happened, rumor has it that they are getting back together.

I do not think Rihanna should get back together with Brown. His conduct demonstrated that he does not fully respect the female gender and less respects the law. He should be concerned about accomplishing his obligations and be a good example for his fans.

Another artist facing legal issues is American actress Lindsay Lohan. After several former problems with the law, now she has been accused and arrested of doing a “hit and run” in New York. Apparently she ran over a pedestrian and escaped. Accused for running away from the scene, paying a fine was the only thing necessary to free her. Still, the legal situation will not finish there because she is still in probation for a previously lawsuit for jewelry robbery.

These situations are example of how artists should protect their image in order to keep credibility. These actions only demonstrate that they do not care for the public safety, the law and the United States politics. Both Brown and Lohan should work with a PR that can provide them a crisis management plan and a lawyer to resolver their legal issues.

Puerto Rican Digital Distribution: CEMCA Records

Digital development has transformed how the public delights the entertainment. Thanks to these changes, music and its distribution require a transformation in the traditional training of the musician. Being “music-talented” is simply not enough anymore. To be successful in a competitive market, the musicians must acquire knowledge and skills in self-management in how to promote and distribute their creative content, and be successful entrepreneurs. Here is where CEMCA comes in.

The CultuArte Musicians Business Center (English for Centro Empresarial para Músicos CulturArte and better known as CEMCA) is the first and only center in the island of Puerto Rico led to the strategic education in music and arts. CEMCA is an initiative of the Music Conservatory School of Puerto Rico that looks to propitiate new ways to benefit musicians and music students in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Some of the digital distribution channels used by CEMCA in their educational programs are: AOLMusicAmazon, ECD Hong Kong Limited, eMusic, FNAC.com, Napster, MusicMatch, OD2 (and their licensees, including HMV, Cokemusic, and VirginMega), iTunes (Worldwide), Listen.com/Rhapsody, Puretracks, Real.com, SonyConnect, MSN Music
Loudeye, MusicNet (and their licensees, including AOL and Yahoo! Music), Liquid Audio, SnoCap, and Walmart.com. This long list of channels help the school and the musicians (the students) to have many and better ways to distribute their music or artistic content.

CEMCA is basically the first record label in the island by this school focused in the digital distribution of intellectual content through the Internet. The school prepares its students to become professional in the music industry and its distribution thanks to programs like CEMCA. Other strategies used to collaborate to this education are workshops of business plan making, market analysis and financing sources, national and international internships with successful music-related companies, and lessons in entertainment law and media publishing. CEMCA’s programs not only prepare these professionals in the music industry but also boost them to be administrated entrepreneurs.