“The jackson Statues”
In 1995, music pop star
Michael jackson and his record label,
Sony Music, were preparing for the release of a new album – what would become
jackson’s HIStory: Past, Present & Future, Book 1. The project would become one of the most expensive music product promotions ever. Part of the plan for promoting this album came from
jackson himself. Reportedly, when record executives asked him what he thought might be done,
jackson told the Sony executives “build a statue of me.” Not only did Sony build one statue of
jackson – they built nine of them, each about 32 feet tall, constructed with steel and fibreglass. These
jackson statues – with
Michael cast in military garb, bandolier across his chest, fists clenched at his side, gazing off into the distance – were placed strategically in European cities in June 1995. They became center pieces in an elaborate $30 million campaign to promote
jackson and his new album.
