JacoBlog - Jacobs Media's Blog

Reinventing the Whopper

Burger King has provided us with a smart marketing lesson this year.  Their very successful signature burger, the Whopper, recently turned 51 years-old.

But the company is not resting on the Whopper's heritage, reputation, or laurels.  While the sandwich has always been a big hit, Burger King realizes that it's easy for consumers to take it for granted as they keep looking for the next hot restaurant or food style.

So, they've been reinventing.  You may remember that commercial campaign last year where they punked consumers in the drive-thru line by telling them they were out of Whoppers.  Customers were irked, angry, and desperate to have their Whoppers.  This was a great way to remind us all about the value of the Whopper, and its importance in the fast food pantheon.

And now, they're starting the Whopper Bar, a new concept that will bring the sandwich to food courts, strip malls, and casinos.  Looking a lot like the open style of a Starbucks, the Whopper Bar will feature chrome counters and plasma TVs (that show open flames).  And a key to this new concept is a whole new line of Whoppers, with different toppings and flavorings.

Too often, heritage radio stations get caught in the same rut that Burger King was in.  Signature events and promotions that once were exciting often become forgettable annual events that listeners appreciate, but no longer find buzzworthy.  Whether it's a concert festival, a Workforce Payroll promotion, or a morning show broadcast, the audience appreciates new spins, different features, and additional reasons to listen.

Reinvention isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity, especially in a society where "new" is the mantra, and consumers are always looking for something to talk to others about.  The good old Whopper has now been updated and relocated, and it might just become a topic of conversation more than a half century after it first came to market.

Bringing together your key staffers for a brainstorm and/or conducting a couple of L.A.B. groups are all it would take to do the same thing for a station event, promotion, or fundraiser.  How will you reinvent your station in 2008?

Who Said That?

"We somehow evolved from a culture of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation to a culture of, in a way, mediocrity and bureaucracy."

No, it's not a radio CEO, but it sure could be.  It's Howard Schultz, the on-again-off-again CEO/creator of Starbucks.  Returning to the helm of a suddenly struggling company in a more competitive, recession-scared world, Schultz has laid out an aggressive to new plan... to Wall Street and his thousands of stores.

It's about bringing back that original feeling that you had many years ago when you walked into a Starbucks - that your coffee was custom-brewed, and the barista knew your name.  Schultz is also initiating a loyalty club component so that "regulars" (like me) can enjoy greater benefits.  And overall, it's about a high-quality coffee experience, rather than the brew that McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts offers.

All of these innovations and improvements will cost money.  They will take time.  But that's the process that's required in the quest to re-imagine and improve the experience of walking into a Starbucks.

These are bold steps, but they've already attracted the attention of investors, customers, and the company's employees.  Every industry goes through a downturn, a challenge, and at times, a redefinition of its purpose.  Schultz may not have all the answers, but he's bringing back a sense of leadership and change to his company.  He also realizes the showbiz aspect of the Starbucks experience.  As investors and employees lined up as early as 6 a.m. for the company's stockholders' meeting, they were treated to a barbershop quartet and baristas serving free coffee.  At the end of the day, Starbucks - like radio - is in the entertainment/experience business.

Radio could clearly learn some lessons from Schultz's efforts to resuscitate his business - both with customers and investors.  It starts in the boardroom, but needs to ultimately change and electrify the customer contact point - Starbucks stores.  Or in our case, our radio stations.

Now if they'd only make free Internet part of their new initiative.

Morning McDrive Starts at 5

Jacobs Media's Dave Beasing joins us with thoughts about breakfast & radio:

75% of McDonald's restaurants open by 5 AM daily.  The other 25% were urged to fire up the griddle earlier at a recent franchisee meeting in Las Vegas.  Why?  Not unlike in the radio business, morning drive is proving lucrative, with McDonald's able to catch commuters on the go.  In fact, McDonalds’ breakfast menu is being credited for much of the fast food chain’s recent growth – up an average 7.4% at each store this year.

As this national AQH Rating chart from Arbitron illustrates, 5 AM listening levels aren’t much less than in afternoon drive, and – by 6 AM – radio’s prime listening daypart is well underway.  If the $8 an hour crew at Mickey-D’s is ready to serve up something tasty by 5, shouldn’t the same be true of radio’s drivetime stars?

Starbucks... More Than Coffee

Is it me - or is Starbucks becoming more and more like a great radio station?  Or the kind of station we'd all want to work for?

After I bought some shares of their stock, they sent me a special "shareholders card," loaded up with $3.50.  Every time I use it (yes, I loaded it up with cash), I am greeted as someone special at every Starbucks store I visit.  They recognize me not just as a customer, but as someone who has invested in their business (or the Super P1 that I am).

They do more than serve coffee (i.e. play music) because I can get cheaper coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or the equivalent at Caribou.  Starbucks stores have a vibe, a lifestyle, and an atmosphere.  Their people are always friendly, the music is interesting (which is why they are successfully selling tons of it), and they understand that their business is about more than selling mochas.  They make their customers feel wanted and comfortable in a world that is frantic, inconsistent, and often unsettling.

Like NPR, Starbucks understands they are not just providing beverages to their customers, but are tapping into the core values of their guests.  Aspects of these values include charity, environmental concerns, and technology (music downloading, XM channel, etc.), and deepen their relationships, and bind them emotionally to the brand.

The newest innovation is "The Way I See It" series that's printed on their cups.  These are clever, thoughtful quotes from everyone from Keith Olbermann to Al Franken to Goldie Hawn to Ken Burns.  And now they are "peopletizing" this series by inviting customers to submit their own sayings and thoughts, some of which will show up on future cups (like "Guest DJ" done right).  What a grande concept!