Returning back to the best ideas of 2007, I will discuss in more detail one idea from the NYTimes list, which definitely is noteworthy not so much for its originality as for its impact.

In October 2007, Radiohead released their new album “In Rainbows” on-line.

As the frontman of the band, Thom Yorke stated in an interview with Wired magazine, that it had been a natural and successful choice even though only 38% of those who downloaded the album chose to pay for it. This was not the first time a band made their album available in such a way;however this occasion will be quoted by many, because this was done by one of the world’s most popular bands. Such a step was a big nail in the record industry’s coffin whose first nails were driven by Paul McCartney, Prince, later joined by Madonna and Trent Reznor and nowadays continued by Coldplay and Robbie Williams. In 2007, the label record business was shaken so hard that MTV called it an apocalyptic year.

These events of the music industry once more reminded ad-makers (and media) that this world-wide web, to which I am currently contributing contents, has provided unprecedented freedom of action on the part of users. Traditional media no more have a monopoly over the spreading of news as well as entertainment. Web portals and blogs serve as sources of news, while YouTube and DVD sets of TV series provide entertainment. As shown by a DDB Brand Capital study, 39% of the Latvian population think that Internet is more interesting than TV.

It comes as no surprise that such marketing giants as Nike and Adidas are spending the majority of their advertising budget online.

When will our sector experience such an upset?

Maybe when some major TV advertiser in Latvia will announce that it will not use TV commercials any more (and will instantly become famous for that)?

Maybe when in the US no advertiser will be willing to purchase the most expensive TV airtime in the world – during the Super Bowl?

P.S. By the way, the opportunities offered by the Internet create new solutions for record companies as, for example, http://www.sellaband.com/, where listeners can invest money in some yet unknown bands (thus becoming a kind of shareholders) and may even profit from it after the release of the band’s album.