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John Mayer has gotten more press in the past week than he has in years after making racially insensitive remarks in an interview in Playboy magazine.

He’s developed quite a reputation as a womanizer over the years, and he added to that perception by referring to ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson as “crack cocaine”, talking longingly about his other high-profile ex, Jennifer Anniston, and publicly declaring his love for pornography.

John Mayer’s brand has a strange gap in it.

John Mayer plays what many people consider “wimpy” music.  His songs are more likely to be heard on the “soft ‘n easy” radio station than the local hit music station.  Hearing John Mayer next to Phil Collins, Celine Dion, and “Circle of Life” era Elton John is not the least bit unusual.

Yet John Mayer’s look and his words work against that image.

His most recent song, “Who Says”, includes the lyric “who says I can’t get stoned?”.   That might account for why it hasn’t been played much on the radio next to Celine and Phil.

His look, with a full sleeve tattoo, doesn’t fit with those artists.

And the comments he made to Playboy further distance himself from the pack.

Does John Mayer intentionally record soft music, yet put forward a rough image, in order keep credibility with a young and hip audience?  Click here to see how youth-focused news outlet MTV is handling the story.  The MTV angle is that an outspoken musician is better than a formulaic edgeless one.  Rolling Stone’s Caryn Ganz said “it’s better to have a rock star who isn’t afraid to open his mouth.”  Ganz went on to tell MTV that “he hasn’t converted me, but he has almost certainly convinced people to buy his albums based on his ability to speak his mind.”

Could John Mayer’s behavior be a calculated PR move?

It would be a bold and difficult juggling act to maintain.  But it is possible that his actions are a conscious effort to remain relevant to a young audience while keeping his musical appeal with older, more conservative, fans.

Still, a non-congruent strategy like that seldom works.

Rock star brands are almost universally true to their image across all of the senses.

For example, you won’t find a topless pool on your Disney Cruise.  It doesn’t go with the Disney brand. You’ll have to go on a Celebrity Cruise for that privilege.

Try buying a Porsche mini-van.  It won’t happen, because a mini-van just doesn’t go with the Porsche brand.  Even their Cayenne SUV stretches the limit of the Porsche brand!

If John Mayer is carefully trying to balance both ends of the spectrum, good luck to him.  Very few brands have successfully accomplished it long term.

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I’ve taken a few shots at Garth Brooks in the past for the brutal mismanagement of his brand a decade ago.

Garth was the biggest music star on earth in the mid-1990′s.  Until he decided that he wanted to be more than a country star.  His efforts to become a pop music star alienated his country fans, confused his large pop music following, and left his career a shell of what it once was.

But I give Garth credit for one thing: he hid.

By going into retirement eight years ago, Garth made himself scarce.  By becoming rare, he again became valuable.  He has only played live a few select times since 2001.  Those shows were major events.  The few songs he has recorded and released have been successful, but he has avoided attempting to string together a run of hits.  The Garth Brooks brand has been, for the most part, a nostalgia brand since he went into retirement.  No doubt this is intentional.

Garth is a smart businessman. His foray into pop music aside, Garth has made some brilliant career moves. His retirement was the smartest of all.  When he chose to retire, he was dealing with a divorce.  He had taken lumps from his pop music venture and scrapped movie plans.  He also saw the future with a stunning crop of up-and-coming country stars ready to take his place.

Garth knew that by becoming scarce, he would become more valuable.

Think about the Nintendo Wii.  For three years this has been an impossible item to find at Christmas.  You’d think Nintendo would just make more.  But they know better.  Having limited quantities makes it far more valuable.

Ditto for Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo, and next year’s Christmas toy of the moment.

Limited quantities? It’s weekends only.  He is only doing four shows a week, one on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday.

Demand?  There aren’t a wealth of great country themed shows in glitzy Las Vegas.  Especially ones with the mainstream appeal of a Garth Brooks.

History?  Elton John, Celine Dion, Cher, and others have proven you can keep your career alive (or revitalize it) by playing Vegas for an extended period of time.

Unique?  Garth will be playing his own theater in an acoustic setting.  He says he plans on writing new songs, sharing works-in-progress with the audience, and playing his own versions of other songs.

As long as Garth Brooks keeps himself rare enough, he should be able to keep his demand high enough to make his shows at the Wynn very valuable.

Like any successful brand, the equation applies:  SCARCITY + DEMAND = VALUE

Let’s assume your brand is in demand, otherwise you wouldn’t be in business.

Brands that are everywhere have limited value.  There’s no rush.  There’s no exclusivity.  There’s nothing special about it.

But brands that are limited in quantity have nearly unlimited value. 

Seats on a plane bound for a resort destination?  Scarce and in limited quantities.  High value.

Tickets to a sold-out concert?  Scarce and in limited quantities. High value.

Hotel rooms during a major convention?  Scarce and in limited quantities.  High value.

Gasoline?  Only when there is a shortage does it truly become valuable.

Being available everywhere in massive quantities sounds good, but it isn’t the best path to high profits.

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