As record labels continue to struggle with finding their dedicated audience, label executives are turning to more creative ways to expose the public to their music. Def Jam has already experimented with this concept by placing Rihanna’s music video “Disturbia” during movie previews in national theaters. Def Jam’s VP of strategic marketing, Jeff Straughn is set on taking his Def Jam artists to the next level with other in-theater promotions.

Straughn states “We could put a Young Jeezy [video] in front of a movie like The Dark Knight or some other R-rated or urban leaning movie,” continuing “Then we might put Duffy in front of an Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ultimately we want to take a variety of content and sprinkle it across the right screens.”

The reality of this is that virtually anybody can buy an ad BEFORE the movie preview trailers are shown. Everyone is used to the fifteen plus minutes of commercials that run in theaters before the previews start and just like a TV ad, this space can be bought. In-theater ad agencies such as National Cinemedia have made millions from this business model. A true marketing integration would be for Def Jam or any other label to work with these in-theater ad agencies to create a dynamic in-theater marketing program which includes airing not only the music video but behind-the-scenes footage and call-to-action ads all shown before the movie starts.

It would be practically impossible for Def Jam to integrate any other way within theaters as the movie studios and exhibitor relations would never let a record label air spots during the coveted “movie trailer” time slot which is right before the movie starts. Regardless, this looks like a great opportunity for labels to expand their horizons as Def Jam shows once again that they are willing to think “outside the box” to promote their artists.