Soul Train's Impact and Decision Making Marketing

Question: What helped Soul Train become successful the way it did?  Answer: The people that were watching it. But how? 


Let's think about this for second. Yeah I know I said it a few times before, but Soul Train was one of the longest shows in American history. The reason behind that is because the producers and marketing team knew what the people that were most interested in the show wanted. And as time goes by, so do people, so they had to implement different strategies by studying what young African-Americans were most interested in. The 70's music was becoming a thing in the past. In the 80's there was a new genre of music that came out that was known as "Rap" music. Some people, at the time, did not know if "Rap" music was really music at all. The show had to continue, but had to change in some perspective, and still remain "original".


Soul Train marketing team had to do major research from what's "cool"" in the fashion seen of adolescents to the different styles and dance moves that were done on the streets. Also, they had to know who are the "It" artists that the streets were craving. Most importantly, they had to understand what "Rap" music was all about.


Even though Rap/Hip Hop music was, at that time (and still to this day), the music that kids were listening to, R&B still remained a genre that will never play out (unlike Disco). Rap music became a big influence on style and sooner than later, the style portrayed on Rap artists was reflected on R&B artists. Don Cornelius felt that the show would undergo a whole other route. Which eventually, it did.

Soul Train Across The Globe

Who would ever imagine that the infamous showcase "Soul Train" would reach boundaries much further than the whole United States of America, given the fact that Don Cornelius had such a hard time for Soul Train to be aired on another city's network besides the single local network located in Chicago, IL.? 


For the Global marketing concept of Soul Train to be known across the globe, it had started another branching by hosting a reward show dedicated to the performers of soul. In 1985, the Chicago based Tribune Entertainment company became the exclusive distributor/syndicator of Soul Train. In 1987, the Tribune company helped to launch the "Soul Train Music Awards." This program is a live two hour television special presented annually in prime-time syndication and reaches more than 90% of U.S. television households. The Soul Train Music Awards represent the ethos of the Soul Train program which is to offer exposure for Black recording artists on national television.



The first annual "Lady of Soul" reward show was aired on August 6, 1995. The show was hosted by Gladys Knight, Tyra Banks and Brian McKnight. Performers included Monica, Brownstone, Da Brat, Mary J. Blige, Naughty By Nature, Queen Latifah, Brandy and CeCe Winans. Debbie Allen was the recipient of the shows "Lena Horne" Award. Salt & Pepa received the Aretha Franklin Achievement Award.


From there Soul Train had received so much publicity, and from there on, and word of mouth and promotions, it reached homes across seas. This greatly boosted the narrow demographics that it once had in America.

Marketing Environment of Soul Train

Demographics played an important key role for the distribution of Soul Train on different television stations across America. Don Cornelius had gone through a series of research and strategic planning with the help of endorsements to get the show on air, opening to more than just African-American teenagers as an audience, but to African-American adults and Caucasian households as well. Chicago, IL was the home of Soul Train, and from Chicago, the show broadcasted in New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and a host of other city networks. At the time during the flood of advertisements and promotions of Soul Train, there was competition with another showcase called "American Bandstand". Soul Train at the peak of it's game, was often compared with American Bandstand and was also referred to as the "Black American Bandstand". But, American Bandstand had nothing on Soul Train pertaining to the style advertisements aired during Soul Train's commercial break and so forth. 

Strategic Planning, Ethics & Social Responsibility

Soul Train's memorable Showcase can never be duplicated. Why? Because the marketing team behind this infamous show had an original and clever idea of how they would set up their slogan, their acts, and even their dance routines. Their social responsibility at that time was to bring Love, Peace and Soul (which was Soul Train's slogan) to every household and also to bring self love to the African-American community with the influences of Johnson hair care products of black beauty.

Overview of Marketing for Soul Train:

Soul Train was an American musical variety show created by Don Cornelius, who also served as a host and executive producer, that aired from 1971 to 2006. Through its 35 year history, the show featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. Funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared, but wasn't as popular as the other genres. A lot of new revolutionary stages and phases of soul music like the "Philadelphia Soul Movement" artists, also made their mark here.

Soul Train made a claim in their opening in later sequences claiming to be the longest running, syndicated show in American History.

Don Cornelius is now a multi-millionaire with the help of Soul Train and his hair care products that became successful due to the publicity of Soul Train.

"Production was suspended following the 2005-2006 season, with a rerun package (known as The Best of Soul Train) airing for two years after that. Despite this, in years on air, Soul Train will continue to hold the honor of the longest, continuously-running first-run syndicated program until at least 2016, if and when its nearest competitor, Entertainment Tonight, completes its 35th season." (Wikipedia.com)