Know there's been a thread about era re-planning before but I think this is a special case.
'Talk That Talk' must have been one of the absolute worst eras planned, after 'We Found Love', it had the potential to surpass Loud's success even GGGB. The era was miraculously "saved" by 'Where Have You Been', if it hadn't been for it, the fail would have been more obvious.
The album itself is not bad at all, people may argue they like another album but I myself think it's pretty good, I grown to like the urban tracks and now that I've listened to it for a long time I'm pretty sure the title track could have been a major hit ala What's My Name.
So if you've been head of Rihanna's promotion team how would you have promoted the album for TOTAL SLAYAGE? I mean, not like modest success but a major breakthrough for her. I think it was very possible.
Here's my attempt:
Lead Single - September 22nd 2011
We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris
This is the only single that was released at perfect timing and with a perfect video.
2nd Single - February 2nd 2012
Talk That Talk ft Jay-Z
Obviuously with a video and a venture on choreograhy, very bright and colored, bad ass artsy classy look for Jay-Z, super colored high fashion urban for Rihanna. Maybe more of a performance video, maybe outdoorsy,
very creative with a style that can be remembered like 'Disturbia' nothing like that but a style as solid as that video.
Letting, of course, 'We Found Love' to totally cool off as it was #1 still in January, like wait until it gets to #3 to release this single, starting February was the perfect date because even though it was still #2, it wasn't likely to top the charts again after 'Set Fire To The Rain'. Big mistake to not make a video of this song. Suggested directors are David LaChapelle, Ray Kay or Shane Drake.
I'm sure it would have been a Top5 at least with a great video. With high possibilities of being a #1.
3d Single - April 9th 2012
Where Have You Been
A little earlier release giving TTT 3 months to perform. With the same video maybe a little harder performance by Rihanna in the video but her original effort and choreography was great anyway, with a successful TTT single it could have toppped the charts, too or maybe what they got a Top5.
4th Single - June 29th 2012
We All Want Love
Giving the dancefloor a break with a warm story-based video ala 'Beautiful' about the desire of love, maybe featuring a warm story like 'Hate That I Love You' but more scrptied and a little sweeter mixed with diferent love stories probably in the same group of friends or probably just a Rihanna story. Like a feel-good nostalgic vibe. Accompanied with heartfelt performances it would have given a more tone-down, classy, sentimental aspect to the TTT era.
An alternative to this video would be calling Dudley O'Shaughnessy again to make like a follow-up to WFL to make the era more engaging and conceptualized. A video of a reconciliation, film-like, too, with a warmer look and an open ending.
Directed by Joseph Kahn, Melina or Jonas Åkerlund
I think it would have been a Top10/Top5 either way.
5th Single - August 24th 2012
You Da One
I think this song could have had much more success if released with a much better video, a more colorful video more about Rihanna herself, probably flirty with a model but not so much, just more about her. Maybe like a happy version of 'Man Down' incorporating choreography in a 'California Gurls' vibe but without any fantasy, maybe crazy scenarios, but not like the ones at the actual video of YDO who feel very forced.
I find it surprising YDO video was bad, I mean it wasn't bad per se, but it was like a less-stylish, formulaic, black & white remake of the 'Rude Boy' video. I think after the WFL masterpiece, maybe Melina was overblown by the video success.
This other version of the video could have been done by her, Francis Lawrence or Ray Kay. Top5/Top10 minimum.
6th Single - October 15th 2012
**Choice 1**
Birthday Cake Remix ft. Chris Brown
For a harder urban-dance hit, I choose this because Rihanna herself was very persistent in the duet. The controversy of the duet is what it makes it a choice, for me, with a right video there would have been no problem, just a fun controversy. And if she wanted the duet she should have gone the whole way with a video of the two backed in the success of previous singles would have been fun.
In style the video shouldn't be flirty between the two because of their past, but like a provocative competition ala 'Can't Hold Us Down' without the violence and 'Run It'. But in more futuristic scenarios like Yeah/Boom Boom Pow. Ray Kay would be perfect to direct an stylish video like this.
The remix would be featured in the Deluxe edition of TTT there, boosting sales and not affecting single sales much. There's no lose with this single.
With the controversy it could top the charts or be a Top5/Top10.
**Choice 2**
Cockiness (Love It)/Cockiness (Love It) Remix ft. A$AP ROCKY
Remix or not, either way it would have been cool. Again an urban-dance push for her.
The video would have needed to have crazy dark graffiti style borrowing maybe from Missy Elliot's 'Work It' and DC's 'Soldier'. A choreography is welcomed maybe a lot of girls in the style of Sean Paul and Sasha's 'I'm Still in Love' with Rihanna on front. Dave Meyers or Melina could have done it great. Easy Top10
An alternate interesting choice would be to release both tracks with their stated videos as a double song or double single, if they're allowed to chart as one they could work great and even when not, I'm sure both would have worked.
Final 7th Single - November 30th 2012
Farewell
Calling Dudley for a final time would be ideal giving TTT era a whole circle feel. The video would be of them saying goodbye but with a more mature feel, like they tried to be together but simply can't like they don't let each other live. A sad tone but with a hint that maybe in the future they could be together again. A dark version 'Big Girls Don't Cry'.
Directed by Melina definitely making like a ballad follow-up of 'We Found Love' or 'We All Want Love'. This could easily top the charts. And make Talk That Talk like cultural, maybe sell like The Fame (without TFM).
The album sales are difficult to predict but I hint 4X Platinum in the US and some of the same sort WW being positive. But around more or less than that, it could have been the Rihanna revelation.
Anyway, their promotion team need to learn some serious lessons.
The cool 'Diamonds' could have been released in the last week of 2012 or in January or later with a poppish dreamy Björk-esque video, but that's another story.
Back to TTT, I think an era like the one I described would have been of total slayage.
To make the fantasy more real I photoshopped a wikipedia charts table, so if all the cards were played right it probably would have looked like this.
So what do you think? How would you have promoted TTT? Obviously I made it longer 'cause I care, but how would you have done it? Is my promo plan right or you would have done another?
I know my post is long so this is for the ones that care.
