Posthumous Sentiment Market (PSM)

Some say love makes the world go round. And we marketers think, we are equally responsible.
Some say love is eternal. And we marketers make sure love doesn't die even after the object of love does.

Welcome to the world where dead earn more than the hail and hearty, the world where dead earn more while they are in the grave. Need me to elaborate more? Sure!

1. Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009). I love him and always will. And so do millions of people around the world. From a small village in India to gold stacked houses of Saudi Arabia, from the jungles of Africa to the developed countries around the world. So when the whole of the planet feels the void, why not encash their 'feelings' and keep the name alive? Keep him in the news and ride on the sentiments?
   
   $260 Million - estimated amount MJ has earned posthumously, so far. From unreleased video clips, to a movie (This Is It!), to a new dance game (by Ubisoft Entertainment), to unreleased recordings (with Sony Music) - MJ will never die. Or at least we marketers will never let him die.
   
   
2. Elvis Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977). My generation hasn't seen him. But I don't feel he wasn't in my generation. I still hear his songs. I still see his videos. Even new associations (Elvis vs JXL - A Little Less Conversation ft. Elvis Presley). He refuses to die.
   
   $1.5 Billion - Yes, Billion. Presley’s Graceland mansion is the second most-visited home in the US after the White House - and yes his wife and daughter earn from it. Merchandising deals, Apple products, Lipton tea, books, article - all earned posthumously.
   
   
3. Freddie Mercury, Bob Marley, John Lennon - all great musicians
   
   
4. Even Princess Diana!

But is my saying that marketers are the real reason why all these legends live posthumously, wrong? Do you think if Businessmen didn't sell the work of these artists (in form of songs, CDs, books, paintings, literature, etc) - these artists would live on the way they do now? Not at all. We see an opportunity, and we seize it and we sell. You buy we sell. And its because the consumers WANT to remember these artists that we marketers see the potential and provide what they WANT and DESIRE for.

But its funny how the albums and songs keep coming years after these legends depart. As if someone planned their departure and activities after that. As if the Businessmen see this as a big market, which I call the - Posthumous Sentiment Market (PSM). Like all the media houses have an obituary prepared for all the who's-who of the world (so that they publish it as soon as they die), similarly the marketers have a plan ready for the PSM.

Elvis died 33 years ago (in 1977) and his merchandise still sells like hot cakes. And it will sell for generations to come. Its a good thing I say, I won't have to put in too much effort educating my grandchildren who the legendary Elvis or King of Pop Michael Jackson were. Or maybe I will have to put in loads of efforts - after all, I'll be one of the marketers.