Tomorrow, August 29^th,  would have been Michael Jackson’s 51^st birthday.  The loss of Michael Jackson continues to be felt around the world and is still the focus throughout the media.  Michael Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009 sparked a flurry of media coverage.  We have seen reports on how music sales have gone through the roof, key word search using Michael’s name have spiked, traffic on the internet was historic, and the coverage of his death and memorial service increased television viewership.  In an August 27^th Adage article we read of how Michael Jackson’s death has impacted the world of print media.   According to the article, amid widespread newsstand declines, tribute magazines have generated an additional $55 million for magazine publishers.  From People to Time to Us Weekly, publishers rushed to put together special issues.   

Michael Jackson’s death, although tragic, has been a bright side for many media vehicles.  In addition, many advertisers have seen increased exposure through their involvement with Michael Jackson tributes.  Advertisers such as Ford, Kmart, and Proctor & Gamble benefited from the increased exposure during a recent award show tribute on BET.   Let’s also not forget Pepsi, and how his deal from the 1980’s has continued to generate exposure.  Although the death of Michael Jackson has saddened many, myself included, this was a boost for all media vehicles in a suffering economy looking for an upswing.

Michael Jackson truly is an icon and will forever be known as the King of Pop.  He was one of the most successful entertainers of our time and his contributions to music and dance made him a prominent figure for over four decades.  Happy Birthday Michael.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 4:03 pm and is filed under Traditional Media, posted by Alicia B.. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.