Trent Reznor Using His Fans And Tiers Model To Save A Life

from the using-it-for-good... dept

Fri, May 22nd 2009 12:03pm — Mike Masnick

We've certainly talked a lot about the various ways that Trent Reznor has been exploring creative new business models that center around connecting with fans and giving them a reason to buy, but he's now using the same concepts to try to help save a life. On Wednesday, he announced a program to get people to donate money to help Eric De La Cruz get a heart transplant, whereby people who donate certain amounts to the cause will get to hang out/meet with Reznor and other band members during his ongoing tour involving both Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction (which, by the way, hits Silicon Valley tonight, for those in the area -- though, they're not accepting any more donations for people going to tonight's show). As with the Ghosts I-IV model, there are different "tiers" of support available. In just two days, he's been able to raise nearly half a million dollars, once again showing the power of having a strong community and trying to do something good with it. It will be fascinating to see if there's more that can be done along these lines in the future as well -- turning some of these business models into helping out those in need.

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Filed Under: charity, donations, nine inch nails, tiers, trent reznor

25 Comments

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Anonymous Poster, 22 May 2009 @ 12:29pm

I respect and admire Trent Reznor more with each passing day.
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Travis, 22 May 2009 @ 12:49pm

Masnick Effect
This works with someone that needs a heart transplant, but it would never work with someone who needs knee surgery...
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 1:08pm

I honestly don't know why the MPAA or RIAA, or both for that matter, have yet to tap into Trent Reznor's genius.

It is completely obvious that any victory in the courtroom for the RIAA (if you can even call it that) will only plug a small hole in a leaking dam.

The music/movie industry needs change - they needed change 5 years ago, and now they are scrambling, while at the same time alienating its community base. Awesome stuff.
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Tgeigs, 22 May 2009 @ 1:18pm

The RIAA model?
"but he's now using the same concepts to try to help save a life"

If you don't donate, does he then kill Eric?
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interval, 22 May 2009 @ 1:20pm

He's the greatest thing since...
He's a saint. He also...

THIS JUST IN:

"Trent Reznor saves puppy from burning building while working on complete, non-intrusive cure for leukemia, news at 11..."
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Buzz, 22 May 2009 @ 1:57pm

Re: Masnick Effect
Too true.

Reznor should raise money to support brain transplants of RIAA execs.
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Bob D, 22 May 2009 @ 2:09pm

Trent Reznor isnt a genius
I'll admit, he's creative. He's come up with some great models that have worked really well.

But the fact that they have worked so well is mostly due to the fact that he is Trent Reznor. His models only work because he was already famous... its the same thing as 'In Rainbows' (which, dont get me wrong is an amazing album).

These aren't valid business models for bands who aren't already hugely popular. And unfortunately, pretty much every band that is hugely popular got that way in the old system- you know, major labels, distribution, ad money and the like...

Show me a new business model for the music industry that works just as well for someone with 500 fans as it does for someone with 50,000,000 and I'll call you a genius...

That said, at least he's trying.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 2:23pm

Pookie
Hi Bob, seems like you're kind of new here. Check out the history on alternative models. I think you'll find artists of varying degrees of fame have had excellent success with different "free" business models.
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Ernie Oporto (profile), 22 May 2009 @ 2:25pm

just one
That's great for Eric, but there's plenty of others in need of the same thing. Maybe the money should have gone towards researching the cure in general so that others and future generations can be saved. Some other kid(s) in need of a heart transplant just died because Trent didn't pick them in whatever life saving lottery this was.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 2:28pm

Not sure if this has much to do with community, Oprah could do much more just by mentioning it on her show, not sure if you could consider her having a community. Fame does can do that.

That being said, I heard that the RIAA is thinking of going after this if Eric actually does get the new heart, since the original creator wouldn't be receiving any money from the deal.
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Cecil Green, 22 May 2009 @ 2:28pm

tru dat
Yeah, Bob. You should search this site for my patented "pay what you think it was worth" BJ model.
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batch, 22 May 2009 @ 2:31pm

Re:
You raise a good question. It makes me wonder what would we be saying if instead of Trent Reznor raising money for a fan, it was the RIAA raising money for good causes. Too bad thats a pipe dream.
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aguywhoneedstenbucks, 22 May 2009 @ 2:32pm

Re: Trent Reznor isnt a genius
This was trotted out during Mike's last story about an up and coming band, and the commenter said that it could never work with someone who had tons of fans already and would only work for new and small acts.
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Mike (profile), 22 May 2009 @ 2:50pm

Re: Trent Reznor isnt a genius
But the fact that they have worked so well is mostly due to the fact that he is Trent Reznor. His models only work because he was already famous... its the same thing as 'In Rainbows' (which, dont get me wrong is an amazing album).

Bob, I addressed that argument in the presentation I did a few months ago:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090422/0407024607.shtml

In it, I discuss Reznor's model, and then show how 5 other acts, small, medium and large are all using variations on the same model to be successful.

Show me a new business model for the music industry that works just as well for someone with 500 fans as it does for someone with 50,000,000 and I'll call you a genius...

You are probably defining "model" too narrowly here. But they are all using that same model: connect with fans + provide a valuable *scarcity* to buy. It works great. Big or small. Oh yeah, being good helps.
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jack, 22 May 2009 @ 2:58pm

Re: Re: Masnick Effect
best idea ever..........or go like the creepy priest guy in angels and demons and just kill the head and try to replace them.....as long as if he gets caught he dont burn him self to death
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 3:02pm

Kinda Scary
Is Trent Jesus? If so, is the RIAA the army of Hell?
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 3:17pm

Re: Kinda Scary
No, but he was Harold Hill in High School...
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2009 @ 3:19pm

Re: Re: Kinda Scary
Well, I take that back.

He did have a major part in Joseph in the Technicolor Dreamcoat in High School too. :-)
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E.Nacino, 22 May 2009 @ 8:07pm

how it all began
FYI you don't talk about it here, but this all began as a twitter campaign. This was the brain child idea of Veronica De La Cruz, Eric's sister to try and raise money through a tweeting campaign on twitter to attract strangers to donate money for Eric's heart.

A few of us just started tweet soliciting anyone we could. We had a lot of visibility from tweets by Demi Moore and The Expert and handful of others celebrities. People caught on and someone close to Trent informed him. Trent Reznor tweeted for our campaign and then subsequently decided to help in more substantial ways.

Prior to Trent Reznor helping out the with the effort, the campaign attracted about $6k in donations. I would estimate that without Trent Reznor we would be about $10k now. I'm still trying to get the hard numbers on what Trent Reznor has contributed seperate from what the tweet campaign has done, but I think it may be baseless now since Trent's fans claim to have been donating generously independent of buying backstage passes. I've been trying to keep a "twlog" of the what's been happening here: http://www.tweet4eric.com/

E.Nacino
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Mike (profile), 24 May 2009 @ 3:43pm

Re: just one
That's great for Eric, but there's plenty of others in need of the same thing.

Indeed. But should he not help at all just because it's only helping one person?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 May 2009 @ 9:22am

Re: Trent Reznor isnt a genius
I don't like Trent Reznor's music all that much, a couple songs here and there but all in all not my cup of tea. But even skimming over the man's history and how he got to where he is that man is nothing short of genius level.

I'm not saying he's genius because he's showing himself to be a good businessman. Or that he's a genius because he does do interesting takes on music using some very non standard techniques from time to time. Just when you look at everything he's done and doing... yes he is a genius.
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SRS2000, 26 May 2009 @ 11:32am

Re: just one
Sadly 1/2 a million dollars really doesn't go very far in research for something like heart transplants or artificial hearts.
Do you throw your money at something where you may never see any return? Or do you throw your money at one particular case where you are guaranteed to make a difference?

Just because there are other people who need transplants does not mean that you shouldn't help a single one. You make decisions like that when you choose a single charity or cause to donate to.

You could be saving peoples lives.. Are you in the bone marrow registry? Are you an organ donor? You could donate a kidney... etc...

You choose your battles. You can't fault Reznor for his choice.
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SRS2000, 26 May 2009 @ 11:39am

Re:
I did hear that the RIAA plans to sue Eric for him using someone elses heart. They are trying to claim all the future money he will make. They don't seem to care that they don't actually have any claim over the heart. They are also threatening to sue his family in the event of his death.
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onlinedesign (profile), 28 May 2009 @ 12:19am

Re: Masnick Effect
I do see your point. But actually, Travis...the same concept and approach WOULD work for someone needing "knee surgery." For goodness sakes, we donate money for Girl Scout Cookies, surely we can cough up a small donation for Aunt Sarah's knee surgery...or whatever.

Most people are very generous, even in this down-turned economy. The thing about serious social media users is that we stay more tuned-in to what is going on with others. That gives us an advantage to "be in the know" when others need help.

We cannot save the whole entire world, but when individuals get together through social media for heartfelt expressions of need...we come through...even for a hip, a knee, a blood drive, a flood, hurricane, bone marrow donation, Susie needs a new bike, help send a kid to Space Camp, it doesn't matter.

Don't think for one minute that if my beloved husband, Joe, needed a knee I would not be tweeting up my online media moguls like crazy asking for help. I would.

Ya know what? I would ask for help if we needed it and there is not one fiber of my being that believes they wouldn't come through for me and mine.

Joe would get his knee because, over time and multiple correspondences, I know in my heart that MY Tweeples...are some of the best, most loving, generous "Peoples" on the planet.

It's about building better relationships over time. My opinion is: It matters not "what" the need is. As long as it's genuine people will come through for you. We're human.
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onlinedesign (profile), 28 May 2009 @ 12:21am

Re: Re: just one
Very well spoken. I totally concur.
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