Nobody Beats the Wiz

Nobody Beats The Wiz, a chain of 45 music, video and electronics stores, engages HRM to help them sell more CDs and Videos. We wondered why anyone would choose them over any one of a number of options that offered parity products and similar pricing. We decided to make it cool to shop at The Wiz.

We brought in Little Steven Van Zandt, the respected musician, producer, actor and activist to partner with us in creating Little Steven’s Underground Garage Rock section in each store, and Little Steven’s Cavestomp concert series sponsored by The Wiz. Steven was and is on a crusade to save rock n’ roll and The Wiz became his ally.

We brought in television and radio personality, and MTV VJ Matt Pinfield to act as the “Music Wiz” on behalf the brand. We developed two promotional searches for the “World’s Biggest Music Fan” and Little Steven’s Underground Garage Rock Band search. For advertising we engaged actor Vincent Pastore (best known at the time as Big Pussy on Sopranos) for a series of TV spots playing against type as an effete boutique owner, a big store clerk and degenerate thief.

Traffic dramatically increased and sales improved by nearly 30% in a market where competition was closing and online sales would one-day rule. It was a great success.