The Gorillaz & Capitalism
Gorillaz & Capitalism The Division of Labour Specialisation Economics of Scale Market Expansion Increase in Market Share Innovation Brand/Logos Brand/Identity Mass Produced Products Corporate vs Creative Freedom
The Division of Labour The Gorillaz use the division of labour to divide their productions into different jobs. They give specific jobs to musicians for different productions meaning they can have a large, changeable, collaborative force. They change the musicians used for each of their songs and albums. This gives them people who are focused in specialised areas. Or people who are talented with instruments. The next slide shows some of the labour divisions in the group over the years.
The Division of Labour
Specialisation The Gorillaz bring in genre specific artists in the effort to then capitalize off their interaction with that artist. They do this by attracting people who like the artist. This helps with the direction of their music. And helps attract the audience they are catering for. The Gorillaz give specific areas of production to artists they bring on for tracks or albums so they give everyone specific jobs for the final products.
Economics of Scale For the Gorillaz latest album Humanz. The Gorillaz were signed to Parlophone and Warner Bros, Records, Labels. This really helped their position for economics of scale as they had access to a larger workforce and all the other perks of being signed to labels. Making the production and distribution of their album more productive and more cost effective. Being signed to these labels should have made the production of their final product easier. And the selling of their final product easier and more organised.
Market Expansion The release of every Gorillaz album would have been classed as market expansion. The production of merchandise. Making their products available in certain countries or new territories.
Increase in Market Share The Gorillaz collaborating with other artists can help the Gorillaz increase in market share as they cut out some of the competition while improving their own position in some genres of music. Or they jump into some genres by adding new artists.
Innovation One example of Gorillaz innovation is the creation of some new experiences for their fans. https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/t-mobiles-electronic- beats-teams-gorillaz-ar- experiences/%7Bsubjects%7D/article/1428870 The Gorillaz seem to have a strong understanding of how important it is to envelop people in new realities with AR and VR technology's. Another example of this would be their music video for ‘Saturnz Barz’ https://www.fastcompany.com/40410959/that-virtual- gorillaz-house-becomes-real-this-weekend-and-you-should-go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVaBvyzuypw
Brand/Logos & Identity Here are a few examples of the Gorillaz Branding/Logos. The Group is shown as four made up characters instead of real people. The group consists of (2-D, Noodle, Murdoc & Russel)
Mass Produced Products The Gorillaz make a lot of mass produced products. (Media) – CD’s, Records, DVD’s, etc. Merchandise – Mugs, Sweat bands, etc. Clothes – T-Shirts, Hats, Hoodies, etc.
Corporate vs Creative Freedom Corporate vs Creative Freedom can sometimes be a problem in the industry. But I did not find any instance where it was a problem for the Gorillaz. Here is a link of some corporate vs creative freedom that I did previously. For other artists. https://johnandersonuogcrt.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/freedom-vs- freedom/
The End
Bibliography Slide 1 Gurillaz Picture National Public Radio, Inc. [US], Gurillaz On World Café, 2010, https://www.npr.org/2010/12/29/127741494/gorillaz-on- world-cafe [Last Accessed 04.01.18]. Gurillaz Timeline Picture En.Wikipedia.org, Timeline, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorillaz [Last Accessed 04.01.18]. Store.gorillaz.com, Backdrop Poster Set, 2017, http://store.gorillaz.com/uk/backdrop-poster-set.html [Last Accessed 04.01.18]. Store.gorillaz.com, Graffiti Logo Navy Hoodie, 2017, http://store.gorillaz.com/uk/graffiti-logo-navy-hoodie.html [Last Accessed 04.01.18]. Parlophone Picture En.Wikipedia.org, Parlophone, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parlophone [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Warner Bros Records Picture www.pinterest.ie, Explore Warner Bros, YouTube and more!, 2018, https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/454441418634377701/ [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Imgur.com, Gorillaz 2017 (Wallpapers Collection), 2017, https://imgur.com/gallery/BToSQ [Last Accessed 06.01.18].
Bibliography Slide 2 Gurillaz Face Picture www.pinterest.ie, Explore Metal Bands, Rock Bands and more!, 2018, https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/496662665128492557/ [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Gurillaz Logo Picture www.pinterest.ie, Explore Gorillaz, Band Logos and more!, 2018, https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/562175965959436168/ [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Band Members Photo www.pinterest.ie, Gorillaz Band, 2018, https://www.pinterest.ie/explore/gorillaz-band/ [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Records Turntable Lab Inc.[US], GORILLAZ Humanz (180g) Vinyl 2LP, 2016, https://www.turntablelab.com/products/gorillaz- humanz-vinyl-2lp [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Mug Teepublic.com, Humanz Mug, 2018, https://www.teepublic.com/mug/1433726-humanz [Last Accessed 06.01.18]. Hat AliExpress.com, baseball cap hat motorcycle gorillaz logos Gorillaz Men T sport Gorillaz, 2017, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tang-dynasty-rocktang-baseball-cap-hat-motorcycle-gorillaz-logos/1073007956.html [Last Accessed 06.01.18].