If you didn’t spend 1998 glued to the one show on MTV you were allowed to watch, waiting for Ali Landry to choose Screech over him, then you might not know the name Nick Lachey.
If you never lip synched with a mouthful of braces to “True to Your Heart,” then you might not know he is the lead singer of the boy band 98 Degrees.
He is also a PR Genius, and here’s why:
In the late 90s, his target fan base was largely 10-25 year-old girls. Fast-forward 15 years to 2013 and those girls are now 25-40 year-old women. About the same age as the average new mother.
Nick Lachey is a PR genius because this month, he released this:
Yes, that’s right. A Father’s Lullaby is a solo album of 12 sweet lullabies inspired by his adorable new son, Camden (pictured). Eight of the songs are the classics we’ve all fallen asleep to throughout the years, but the other four are Lachey originals.
By the way, I may or may not have bought this album “for Allie” and turned it on right before her nap time, and she may or may not have fallen asleep in my arms on the way to her bed.
What we can learn from him:
In this album, Lachey has identified the common ground of parenthood he shares with many of his original fans, but he’s stayed true to his characteristic vocal stylings. Though babies are the primary target audience of this project, their parents are the ones with the wallets, after all!
So whether you’re a recording artist, author, or business professional, you can identify who your audience is and by engaging with them, learn what appeals to them while staying true to your vision and originality. What’s going on the news that interests them? What books are they reading? What issues and life events are many of them dealing with? And if you’re lucky to maintain a presence for several years, you can allow your message/brand/product to grow with them organically.
Because someday, the brace-faced preteen listening to your music while she does her algebra homework will be the 27-year-old mom singing her baby to sleep.
Kenny Loggins did something similar for his son. I highly recommend it…for Allie.
I didn’t like him back in his boy band days but I did fall in love with him during his reality show. He was so loving and sweet and patient with JS. After that, I was hooked. I’m a big fan now. And you’re right this is brilliant. His baby is gorgeousss!