Unless you have a new take on the Santa Claus story, stay away from Santa based commercials. Why..? Unless it's a new idea or angle (Santa shaves his beard and head because he loses a bet), listeners have heard it before. That causes branding confusion and tune out. Better to come up with a new angle on holiday spots ( Rudolph, corporate take over of North Pole), then to keep blasting the same old ideas over and over. It's why listeners aren't listening anymore.
Let me translate that into language the corporate suits who run the sales departments will understand :
Santa is on the downside. No positive energy or spin.
If we're going to make radio vibrant again, let's start with vibrant new ideas, not just beating the old ones to death. We can help. Really.
Using your creative message to make your client,and you, financially successful
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
We got our wish
I was just doing a spot for a station rep who explained that a 20 donut hole was going to be filled by the client doing a personal read. When I asked whether they'd be coming down to the studio to cut it and what kind of read they were, the rep just said, 'they have a computer, a microphone and a small home recording program. They'll do it at home, mp3 it to us, and we'll sweeten it here.' While the technology and simplicity is truly amazing, I got a slight pang of sorrow. Here's why.
Used to be, that being 'on the air' was a big deal. Maybe not to us-- after a while radio pros get jaded about the mystique. However, to the 'civilians' (the listeners), whether we knew it or not, there was a magic to being on the air.
At one time, we treated it that way too. We used to hire professionals to do the shows, not just anyone off the street. People who were callers one week, never became show hosts the next. Plus, if a client wanted to voice their own spot, they would come to the station, and a producer would monitor the spots. It was special.
Along came corporate radio with sweeping changes, including an attitude that was all business, very little entertainment, and all about the bottom line. Now, anyone could be on air--and certainly, if a client wanted to, they could just phone in their read. They never had to see the station. What that meant was, we showed everyone the man behind the curtain-- and the magic disappeared.
Today, for about $500, anyone can have a home studio and, in fact, run their own show on the internet. We got our wish-- we demystified the business, making it pedestrian and ordinary. We showed the world that anyone could be on the air-- that it didn't take skill, experience, talent or even the ability to communicate clearly. The audience and the clients got the message.
We got our wish--- radio today is easy and impersonal. However, the magic is gone. Our loss.
Used to be, that being 'on the air' was a big deal. Maybe not to us-- after a while radio pros get jaded about the mystique. However, to the 'civilians' (the listeners), whether we knew it or not, there was a magic to being on the air.
At one time, we treated it that way too. We used to hire professionals to do the shows, not just anyone off the street. People who were callers one week, never became show hosts the next. Plus, if a client wanted to voice their own spot, they would come to the station, and a producer would monitor the spots. It was special.
Along came corporate radio with sweeping changes, including an attitude that was all business, very little entertainment, and all about the bottom line. Now, anyone could be on air--and certainly, if a client wanted to, they could just phone in their read. They never had to see the station. What that meant was, we showed everyone the man behind the curtain-- and the magic disappeared.
Today, for about $500, anyone can have a home studio and, in fact, run their own show on the internet. We got our wish-- we demystified the business, making it pedestrian and ordinary. We showed the world that anyone could be on the air-- that it didn't take skill, experience, talent or even the ability to communicate clearly. The audience and the clients got the message.
We got our wish--- radio today is easy and impersonal. However, the magic is gone. Our loss.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
There are times when it's not your fault---but there are times....
Sure, clients can be ball busters. They can exist just to bust your chops, because their feeling is, if they make it too easy on you, you won't be earning your money. These guys come along once in a while and really make life challenging.
But sometimes, it IS your fault. You get sloppy. You get careless. You fall back into old habits because they're easy. Many times when we have to redo a spot three, four and five times, it's because the client is being difficult or just plain surly. But there are times when you just forget the dates and times on a personal event or you don't focus your client and instead, take their laundry list of items back to be crafted into a commercial. Even worse-- you provide your creative team with a website and nothing more than the words, 'take a look and see what you can use.' Or you just don't want to press the client because you're afraid you'll lose the buy.
Never lose control of your client, especially when the creative process is about to happen. Make sure you are clear as to what they expect to happen and what their major problem to be solved is. Most clients are confused by the process of advertising to begin with. They don't know what they can't use all of that 30 or 60 seconds to tell the world everything they need them to about their business. It's your job to stay in control, keep them focused.
There's a fine line between just existing in this business and true financial success. Step over the line--- stay in control. Become a success story.
But sometimes, it IS your fault. You get sloppy. You get careless. You fall back into old habits because they're easy. Many times when we have to redo a spot three, four and five times, it's because the client is being difficult or just plain surly. But there are times when you just forget the dates and times on a personal event or you don't focus your client and instead, take their laundry list of items back to be crafted into a commercial. Even worse-- you provide your creative team with a website and nothing more than the words, 'take a look and see what you can use.' Or you just don't want to press the client because you're afraid you'll lose the buy.
Never lose control of your client, especially when the creative process is about to happen. Make sure you are clear as to what they expect to happen and what their major problem to be solved is. Most clients are confused by the process of advertising to begin with. They don't know what they can't use all of that 30 or 60 seconds to tell the world everything they need them to about their business. It's your job to stay in control, keep them focused.
There's a fine line between just existing in this business and true financial success. Step over the line--- stay in control. Become a success story.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
HOW RADIO BECOMES RELEVANT AGAIN
Face it---unless there's news unfolding, or some jock just got into hot water for pulling a moron stunt like running naked through the White House lawn yelling "Obama's my guy..!", radio doesn't make an impact. Seriously--- when did you last talk about your favorite radio show or personality on a daily basis?
Worse, when did you actually talk about a radio ad?
The time has come for radio execs--- all of you suits, corporate and local-- to understand that the 90's are OVER. O-V-E-R. The corporate radio model so successful for 15 years is now as dead as Michael Jackson.
Point? Unless you make some serious investment inside your building, you are going to become a trivia question.
So, I'm a solution guy---- and my solution is simple.
HIRE.
Spend money on your air sound, that thing you've gutted like a trout for 15 years. You said it didn't matter---NOW, IT MATTERS.
Rebuild brand loyalty (sound familiar?). Doesn't it make sense that pounding the call letters and your station slug into the brains of listeners 100 times an hour means nothing if YOU GIVE THEM NO REASON TO LISTEN?
OK, so start by hiring creative on air talent and TURNING THEM LOOSE--- though make sure they know there ARE at least SOME guildelines (refer to the White House thing mentioned above. Might be a funny idea in the staff room after a few energy drinks, but it doesn't play on Main Street).
Hire quality, trained copywriters, then marry them to production directors who can create images people actually TALK ABOUT instead of tune out.
Investing in your product doesn't mean making podcasts available for download. How lame is that-- a generation briought up on i-pod's doesn't want music YOUR way--they want it THEIR way. BUT--- if you ENTERTAIN again, that generation will tune in.
That's what we've forgotten how to do. So the message today is the same one you provide your clients with--- INVEST in your product. Build brand loyalty by giving your listeners something to listen to again. The results will save our industry. Stay the course, and we become as irrelevant as a newspaper.
Worse, when did you actually talk about a radio ad?
The time has come for radio execs--- all of you suits, corporate and local-- to understand that the 90's are OVER. O-V-E-R. The corporate radio model so successful for 15 years is now as dead as Michael Jackson.
Point? Unless you make some serious investment inside your building, you are going to become a trivia question.
So, I'm a solution guy---- and my solution is simple.
HIRE.
Spend money on your air sound, that thing you've gutted like a trout for 15 years. You said it didn't matter---NOW, IT MATTERS.
Rebuild brand loyalty (sound familiar?). Doesn't it make sense that pounding the call letters and your station slug into the brains of listeners 100 times an hour means nothing if YOU GIVE THEM NO REASON TO LISTEN?
OK, so start by hiring creative on air talent and TURNING THEM LOOSE--- though make sure they know there ARE at least SOME guildelines (refer to the White House thing mentioned above. Might be a funny idea in the staff room after a few energy drinks, but it doesn't play on Main Street).
Hire quality, trained copywriters, then marry them to production directors who can create images people actually TALK ABOUT instead of tune out.
Investing in your product doesn't mean making podcasts available for download. How lame is that-- a generation briought up on i-pod's doesn't want music YOUR way--they want it THEIR way. BUT--- if you ENTERTAIN again, that generation will tune in.
That's what we've forgotten how to do. So the message today is the same one you provide your clients with--- INVEST in your product. Build brand loyalty by giving your listeners something to listen to again. The results will save our industry. Stay the course, and we become as irrelevant as a newspaper.
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