LP advts, one for the record book

Press, 2 June 1986, Page 1

LP advts, one for the record book

By 1

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London

A new move in record circles is horrifying music lovers — the first LP to carry advertising between the tracks will be launched in Britain within a few weeks.

Eight commercials will be featured on a new LP by a group, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, under E.M.l.’s Parlophone label. If successful, the move will open up a new and cheaper outlet for advertisers as an alternative to radio and television. It could also lead to cheaper records.

The album, “Sigue Sigue Sputnik Flaunt It,” was originally intended to carry 20 slots of 30 seconds each, but has been restricted to eight advertisements which “generally fitted the image” promoted by the group. The advertisers, described as “high tech and

fashion,” include magazines, a cellular telephone company, a home computer games maker, a London fashion boutique and E.M.I. itself. The commercials are reported to have cost a minimum of £lOOO ($2650) each. Mr Tony James, the band leader and manager of Sputnik, said: “People keep asking why nobody has thought of doing this before. I can’t answer that but we are doing it now.” Since the group had let it be known what it was doing it had been inundated with inquiries from advertisers, he said.

“They see it as good value for money. After all, once the advertisement is on the album it is there forever.” Mr James said different advertising would be pressed on the records for local markets.

“Supposing for the sake of argument we sold 10

slots at £lOOO each. There are 10 recognised territories for record sales in the world, meaning we could earn £lOO,OOO per album before we sold a single copy.”

The revenue could lead to a price-cutting war between record companies to the advantage of the customer, but could also turn off music lovers.

A London advertising agency executive, Mr Charles Barker, thought the scheme would be of limited appeal. “I cannot think of anything more annoying than an obstrusive advert when I have paid to listen to music,” he said. The move has led to a wrangle over who owns the gaps between tracks on an LP. Both E.M.I. and Sigue Sigue Sputnik are still arguing over the potentially lucrative silence and are expected to reach agreement soon about profit-sharing.