Merch or Exploitative Marketing?

Merchandise. The centre of a musicians’ income and how most fans show their appreciation. Whether you’re a start up band or a worldwide sensation, it is always beneficial to have merchandise. Not only does it promote your brand, but builds a relationship with your fanbase.

But when does a band or artist pushing merch become too much? When is it classified as too often?

Women are statistically more likely to spend money on merchandise. Which obviously means catering to more ‘girly pop’ trends is profitable. Bands like Bad Omens haven’t released much music in three years but are still pumping out ‘exclusive’ merch every few months that sells out almost instantly. Pair this with never ending micro-trends and die hard fans, you have a thriving market that will never end.

While I am guilty of indulging my disposable income on new clothes that I can safely say I do not need, the joy it brings me to play dress up never fails to excite me. This is the case for most people, which in turn makes the customers vulnerable to buzz words like ‘LIMITED RUN’ and ‘EXCLUSIVE’. Because no one wants to miss out on owning something only a few people can get their hands on.

Merchandise is being released at a faster pace than we’re used to, but it doesn’t even make a dent in comparison to fast-fashion. I wouldn’t tar merch with the same brush as Shein, so it’s an overstatement to call it hyper consumerism.

My main issue with the above is how exploitative the marketing is and production of merchandise. Imagine being a young adult still living at home that is making minimum wage alongside studying. Not only do they have to pay extortionate prices to SEE the band, travel to the venue, and pay for parking if needed (that can easily add up to £100 on your own) they now feel pressured to show their appreciation because everyone knows touring and streaming is not a money maker for bands.

You now have a guilty fan who feels less than because of their financial situation. No truly grass roots artist wants their fans to ever feel this way. Someone to take an example of would be Yungblud, who has created a cost-effective festival ‘Bludfest’ for his fans because ticket prices were getting out of hand.

In conclusion, no one wants to pay a shit tonne for a t-shirt you’re going to sleep in during a cost of living crisis. While it’s not the bands fault, it’s the capitalistic consumerist trend in society that businesses have realised yields results. Don’t fall for the manipulative marketing and support your favourite artists in anyway you comfortably can. Owning merch or not doesn’t make you less of a fan, enjoy consuming the music and support when you can.