About
Design Different is a Small Business, Political, and New Media Consulting firm founded in 2007. We also specialize in not-for-profit consulting, website design & hosting… oh yeah, and obviously we’re starting a record label.Here’s some info from our first post on the subject of what we’re about (posted by John),
First off, you should know that my first love was music. Before getting into website design, web-hosting, or small business consulting… even before starting in politics, I loved music.Naturally, while working on most other projects, I’ve always had in the back of my mind the idea that I might be able to go back to music full time someday.
Recording a great indie song is very similar to recording a great TV commercial or political ad. With the technological advances of the last decade, both can be done “in-house” with a relatively small investment in equipment.
The fidelity level of home recording has gotten to the point that what makes a great indie-label isn’t the “professionalism of the sound” but rather the sound itself. And to have a sound that sells (or spreads), the trick isn’t to hit a perfect pop formula, but to sound unique. Broken Social Scene & Feist are great examples of this from the Arts&Crafts record label up in Canada. In my home town of Omaha, Bright Eyes & the Faint are vastly different bands, both sharing recording space, and the Saddle Creek indie label.
Furthermore, the skills that make marketing a political candidate or local business using new media are identical to the ones used to market a new band. The talents and theory used to brand a business or candidate, are the same you use to build a band’s image. The tricks you learn to get people to show up the polls on election day, or to come try that cup of coffee from the new place- those are the same tricks that get young people off their ass on Thursday night to come see a show from a band they’ve never seen before.
What I’m saying is, the talent & the materials translate. So I figured it was time to make the switch.
At Antiquarian Records we’ll be starting off slow- probably only producing 2 or 3 albums in 2008 from one or two artists. But over time this venture will grow, and perhaps even your band will be the next one we sign.