Blaine Parker's HOT SHOTS for the week of April 28, reprinted in its entirety below, was the inspiration for this week's poll question.
DO YOU LOVE RADIO, OR DO YOU HATE RADIO?
Or worse, do you feel ambivalent about radio?
Worse, because it means radio does nothing to make you care either way.
Possibly worse than if you hate radio because of what it has become.
And, in any event, it would be difficult to blame you.
Radio has become a victim of its own success.
Not recent success, mind you, but its success back in the '80s.
For the '80s are when radio became a big-money game.
Big companies paid way too much money for radio properties.
And radio stopped being a seat-of-the-pants, program-it-with-your-gut medium.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE SEEDS WERE PLANTED FOR RADIO'S SLOW AND PAINFUL DEMISE
That's when it became necessary for every move to be justified with research.
Research can squash the intuition and creative thinking that makes for a great medium led by great people.
Yes, I know, managers and accountants will argue with this.
And I admit, think of all the times you've heard a really good radio station and thought, Wow, they must have some kickass accountants working there!
If you're an accountant, do not be offended. Some of my favorite people are accountants. Accountants are necessary. I cannot account.
What we're talking about is EVIL accounting.
Accounting practiced in the C-suite that has no insight about the things that can't possibly appear on a balance sheet.
Lack of insight into these things are what's leading, ultimately, to the bottom-line orientation that is strangling radio today.
But here's something that is part of the problem, and which is unlikely to ever be figured out by the lunatics running the asylum.
RADIO HAS NO BRAND
Yes, I said it.
The brand geek who writes books about brand is complaining about yet another brand.
Stop nodding your head.
As inevitable as this comment may seem, think about it: the brand of terrestrial broadcast radio at large does one thing: it sucks.
If not, then please tell me what it does do.
As far as These Kids Today are concerned, radio is the way old farts listen to music.
That, or it's how old farts sit and listen to other old farts rant and rave about the old farts running the country.
As far as many more mature people are concerned, terrestrial radio is the default evil when you forgot your iPod or your satellite radio isn't working.
IF CALIFORNIA CHEESE CAN HAVE A BRAND, WHY THE HELL CAN'T RADIO?
Across the country, from coast to coast, including competing dairy-fat states like Vermont, Wisconsin and Iowa, everyone with through-the-roof cholesterol knows that California cheese comes from happy cows.
You know some old fart is sitting there on his cheese log in Kingsbury, Vermont saying, "Bah! I keep my cows angry and they're damn happy for it! Angry cheese is great cheese!"
Everyone knows the Incredible Edible Egg.
Everyone knows Got Milk.
Even motorhomes have a brand. Yes, those gas-sucking, environment-raping recreational vehicles chock full of cheese eaters from the flyover states have a big ol' family-friendly smiley face brand in "Go RV'ing."
But radio--arguably as much of a commodity as eggs, milk, cheese--and a far better vehicle than an RV--has a brand that's crap.
Why? Because if you don't guide people into what to think about your brand, they're going to decide what your brand is for you.
And the results have not been pretty.
YES, THERE HAVE BEEN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THE RADIO BRAND
And the only place you ever heard them is on radio.
Dude, anyone ever told you anything about the effectiveness of preaching to the choir?
So, let's assume this thesis holds water. You might think it's a leaky sieve of a premise, but screw it. Maybe I'm standing here, holding onto it with water all over my shoes. So what?
Let's just answer the question: Why is radio so incapable of branding itself?
I have a theory.
But instead of sharing that theory here, I have a better idea.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What's your theory?
Why does the radio brand suck so bad?
And what should the radio brand be?
And if you happen to work at a radio outlet (as so many Hot Shots readers do), and your station is successful, how has it risen above the abysmal state of the industry brand as a whole?
Answer the question(s) by this Friday, and the best answers will be compiled into next week's edition of Hot Shots.
And all respondents will receive some token of my appreciation to be determined. (And no, it will not be another free download of Be The Cat.)
As always,
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Blaine Parker
Your Lean, Mean Creative Director in
Park City
www.slowburnmarketing.com
www.facebook.com/BillionDollarBranding
Follow on Twitter
@BlaineParker
@SlowBurnBrand
@BookOnBrand
To share your thoughts and answers to Blaine's questions, please click here. Looking forward to hearing from you!
