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“We thought a Christmas album that accentuated their faith, family and duck calls would be something the fans would love to have."
—--UMG Nashville SVP Marketing Cindy Mabe

HOLIDAY DUCK, WITH
ALL THE TRIMMINGS

How the Robertsons' Duck the Halls
Looks Set to Rule Christmas

As the Robertson family themselves put it: Release the quackin’!

Having shattered viewership records for nonfiction cable programming with their reality show—a little thing called Duck Dynasty—America’s favorite hunting-accessories family now threatens to have the year’s biggest holiday album.

That’s right: Duck the Halls, the Robertson clan’s amalgam of carols, new holiday songs, novelty tunes and religious invocations—featuring guests like George Strait, Luke Bryan, Alison Krauss and Josh Turner—is a bona fide hit, bowing with 69k and selling 75k its second week. This suggests that by the time Santa’s sleigh starts making the rounds, this thing will likely be massive.

The EMI Nashville release is yet another feather (though perhaps the downiest) in Uni Nashville ruler Mike Dungan’s cap.

Not that the Robertsons need the money. They were already rich long before the advent of their A&E series, which follows long-bearded patriarch Phil, matriarch Kay, their sons (notably CEO Willie) and daughters-in-law—along with fan favorite/wild card Uncle Si. The show’s fourth-season premiere earned a record-breaking 11.8 million viewers. Last year’s Christmas episode (and season two finale) was A&E’s most-watched episode at the time. The clan’s 2013 holiday EP airs 12/11.

These folks made their money the old-fashioned way: selling hunting gear, apparel and accessories via their Buck Commander and Duck Commander companies. It all started when Phil invented a superior duck call in 1972, and it hasn’t stopped growing since. The family biz has raked in $400 million just from tie-ins, and Forbes reports their products and merch can be found in 13 separate departments at Walmart. Bryan and Jason Aldean are among the Robertsons’ business admirers who became partners.

“I give Willie a lot of credit,” says SVP of A&R Brian Wright. “He handles everything—they don’t have a manager. If there was a question, I called him directly.” Wright explains that he, Dungan and SVP Marketing Cindy Mabe met with the family and won them over. “We thought a Christmas album that accentuated their faith, family and duck calls would be something the fans would love to have,” notes Mabe.

Producer Buddy Cannon was tapped to helm the music, bringing tracks to Monroe for the family to sing. Though new to the recording studio, the Robertsons reportedly took to the process like the proverbial ducks to water, and everything was filmed for promotional use.

Mabe’s marketing plan, too vast to even summarize here, has spanned everything from widespread TV (GMA, The View, Kimmel), broadcast and satellite radio (including a syndicated special and a SiriusXM takeover), social media and print to putting Uncle Si on a street corner selling sweet-tea snow cones.

The onslaught began with Christmas in June, as the Robertsons built interest at the CMA Festival with a press conference, a webisode series, a parade of duck-calling Santas and branded rubber ducks. Later in the campaign, content was teased, unlocked and otherwise exposed via UMG’s and A&E’s social outlets; pre-orders began at DuckTheHalls.com on 10/18. The family will represent at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and flyaway contests are in the offing.

Oh, and those sweet-tea snow cones are pretty good. Especially with a little bourbon.

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