Kanye West’s hits keep coming: Here are the companies that have cut ties with him
If nothing else, the Yeezus tour has made it crystal clear that Kanye West has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. He’s just one of those guys who can make his name out of something that nobody else can seem to do.
And here we go again.
This time the target is a major producer and label. It’s not even a major label, really — Kanye’s just signed with a small outfit called GOOD Music rather than a major label, but it sounds like one.
In what appears to be a last-minute twist, the Yeezus tour is sponsored by a different brand than his usual sponsor, Samsung. His latest promotional offer is a video of Kanye, in his usual red tracksuit, showing off his new Samsung Galaxy phone with a tagline that’s supposed to suggest he is “taking over.”
Here are the companies that have parted ways with Kanye:
1. Kia
It was clear from the beginning of Kanye’s latest promotional offer that his brand was being marketed as a vehicle for the rapper to flex his marketing muscle. What wasn’t clear was whether his sponsors were really ready to make the leap.
Kanye took a risk with GOOD Music: The music label didn’t have a strong reputation as a music label when it was founded in 2010, and now it’s been acquired by the electronics giant, Samsung.
This risk may be paying off. Good Music’s sales have increased 5 percent in the past four months, according to its latest earnings report. But its stock isn’t doing well — it’s down 31 percent over the past 11 days.
2. Samsung
Kanye West’s new Samsung Galaxy phone. (Photo: Samsung)
Samsung spent $1.16 billion in advertising for the Yeezus tour. That figure includes marketing for the Samsung Gear and Gear 2 smartwatch products that are supposed to show off the phone, the phone’s software, and also showcase the Gear 2’s ability to convert a 3D image into a 360-degree VR experience.
Samsung has yet to respond to calls to comment on the tour, the Samsung Gear, or Kanye.
3. J