Get Lucky! -Daft Punk's Marketing Brilliance

Daft Punk got lucky this week. Or did they?

The duo knew exactly what they were doing last weekend at Coachella when they released a funky, catchy teaser for their new single, 'Get Lucky' which also aired during SNL the same night.

Featuring Pharrell on vocals, the song has stuck in my head ever since hearing it. And apparently I'm not alone. It harkens back to the smooth and 'robotic' sound that made Daft Punk huge in the late 90's and has certainly caught the attention of thousands worldwide.

So, what does a DJ duo expect will happen once a 1 minute teaser track is released in this digital age that they have been a big participant in? That hundreds of 'full-song' edits would start appearing online and be shared extensively. Laptops and tablets were logged into right away with tech-savvy fans creating unofficial versions of the song overnight. Social Media channels accelerate the sharing of, and in less than a week, news of the song and forthcoming album (release date May 21) is known worldwide without any further effort nor spending on Daft Punk's side.

I say brilliant.

Until May 21, many more versions will pop up on SoundCloud (500+ and rising), get shared, commented on and liked (or disliked) and without lifting a finger, anticipation for their new album will be high. Will people be sick of the song before it even hits the iTunes store? Maybe. Will those who already love it - like me - be looking forward to hearing the real version? Most definitely.




But wait. Maybe they've come to regret their marketing decision. Or are they worried about that possibility of people getting sick of the song before it even gets released? I can't answer that, but I can report that the official release has been announced, and it is at 12:01am tomorrow, Friday April 18 2013. It appears all the hype gave their plans a quick change. Maybe their fans, as amateur DJ's, have created some unappealing versions that many have mistaken for the real thing, and this doesn't sit well with the duo. Who's to say?

Whether they regret what I think was an ingenious marketing approach or not, their use of Twitter's new video service Vine to announce the track listing for the album and the teaser being featured at Coachella where they performed what is now a legendary show in 2006, have certainly prepped the masses for a new Daft Punk album.

I, for one, will be purchasing the song tomorrow.