Alligator Records
Alligator Records Situational Analysis Internal Factors: Product: CDs and Cassettes of the Blues genre Price: $7.98 and up Place: Alligator Records is located in Chicago, Illinois. Alligator Records uses Ryco distribution to distribute their products. ... Alligator Records promotes itself and its blues artists through the use of radio stations playing the artists songs and talking about the artists on the air. ... Alligator Records also has a mail order catalog where products can be purchased. ... Retail outlets that carry CD’s offer sales promotion through sampling, giving consumers the chance to sample the music before they buy it and contests to win Alligator products. ... Alligator Records maintains a website at www.alligator. ... In addition, Alligator Records has won many prestigious blues artist awards, including Grammy’s and W. ... People in the Company: Bruce Iglauer Founded Alligator Records in 1971 with a $2,500 inheritance for the sole purpose to produce his favorite band, Hound Dog Taylor and the House Rockers. ... Today, Iglauer holds 100% of Alligator stock He manages 17 full time employees Financial Information: According to Bruce Iglauer, Alligator Records was grossing around $4. ... Iglauer says that Alligator Records grosses around $3. ... If Alligator Records grossed $3 million dollars of the $11 billion, that gives them 27% of the market for that year. ... § Alligator records has had several well known Grammy and WC Handy award winning artists on the label. § Alligator Records is the largest independent contemporary blues label in the world. ... § Alligator records could use national distribution chains to get their music into more stores, thus offering market penetration. ... § A bad decision about the distribution chain could seriously effect Alligator’s future. ... Those labels are: Arhoolie Records "The best in authentic Blues, Cajun, Tejano, Zydeco, Country, Jazz, Regional, & World music. Blind Pig Records "has grown into one of the premier blues labels in the world. ... " Distributed by Rounder HighTone Records "one of this countrys leading independent labels specializing in American roots music, from country to rockabilly, western swing, blues, and gospel." Tone-Cool Records "were as committed as ever to bringing you the very best in blues-based music." Of these independent labels, Alligator Records is the only label who is dedicated solely to the blues. Science and Technology In the 1980s, Alligator was the first blues company to produce CDs, and in the 1990s, Alligator was among the first blues labels to market its catalog over the Internet through its website. At its website, Alligator fans can read the latest news, check artist bios and tour dates as well as listen to a streaming Alligator music and purchase CDs and other items. Problem: Should Alligator Records stick with regional distribution even though many of the smaller distributors are being bought or banding together, or should they jump on the wagon and use national webs to distribute blues music?