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CR@25

This has been an exciting comeback year for radio.  Counted out by many media pundits, the economic turnaround has signaled recovery for many radio broadcasters, big and small.

In radio, change is in the air.  Bob Pittman’s return to radio is perceived by many as a positive step for the medium.  A deal on performance rights may or may not be around the corner, but whatever the outcome, it will have an impact moving forward on the way that radio and the music industry do business with one another.

And that’s why the 25th anniversary of Classic Rock as an FM radio success is another important milestone for radio.  WMMQ in Lansing signed on back in 1985, and the radio landscape has been forever changed.  Formats come and formats go, but Classic Rock’s long-term success as a viable format – bolstered by the advent of PPM – speaks volumes about music tastes and where they’re going.

I have been fortunate to be on the frontlines of that movement, and was honored to speak about the birth of Classic Rock at the “140 Characters Conference” in Detroit this year, as well as pen an upcoming article for fmqb’s “Programming To Win” series about what radio can learn from the ascendency of the format.  I also participated in Inside Radio’s analysis of Research Director’s PPM format study that will be presented at Arbitron’s Client Conference this month (along with the Jacobs Media Summit).  Classic Rock's PPM performance may surprise you - it's that strong.

One of the nice things about looking back at this last quarter century of Classic Rock radio is that I’m no longer asked “But will it last?”

Maybe that’s because decades after the musical debuts of the earliest forefathers of Classic Rock  - the Beatles and the Doors – they still are making headlines in 2010.

The deal between Apple (the technology company) and Apple (the record label) to offer the Beatles catalog at the iTunes Store is a big deal.  It solidifies Steve Jobs’ online music emporium as the real deal. And it elevates the Beatles to an even higher status in the world of media and entertainment – if that’s possible.

When today’s teenagers are as conversant about Beatles songs, albums, and history as their parents (and grandparents) who grew up with this music, it says something very important about the “currency” of the music.

And when Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced his plan to pardon Jim Morrison’s indecent exposure conviction at a concert that took place more than 40 years ago – and the story is covered on page 3 of The New York Times – well, it speaks volumes about the power and popularity of the genre and the rabid loyalty of its fans.

Arbitron’s “Radio Today” reports there are now over 800 Classic Rock and Classic Hits terrestrial stations – more than there are Active/Mainstream, Alternative, and Triple A stations combined.

The success of this music on the radio – where it was all originally exposed and enjoyed – speaks for itself.

Classic Rock is community.

Classic Rock is nostalgic.

Classic Rock is current.

Classic Rock is timeless.

And with the radio format that specializes in this music turning 25 with ratings that rival and, in many cases, surpasses its performance back in the ‘80s, it is another reason to celebrate radio’s contribution to America’s media and entertainment menu and a format that most definitely has legs.

Rock on.

Socially Awkward

We have spent considerable time and effort in the past few years going to school about social media, and seeking out some of the best and brightest minds to help us navigate these waters.

We were fortunate to meet Greg Verdino, social media expert and author of microMarketing last summer – a smart guy with a great “take” on how it’s the little things that can make a difference for brands.

This week, I have the pleasure of speaking at the Puget Sound Radio Broadcaster Association’s “Radio Day.”  What topic do they want me to address?

Social media, of course.

And for our Summit 15, in partnership with Arbitron’s Client Conference on December 9th in Baltimore, social media will be a front-and-center topic.

We have two great guests with dynamic views of this space.  Jessica Northey is the CEO of Finger Candy Media, and a self-styled social media whiz.  She has now passed 100,000 followers on Twitter (her dog has 4,500!).

Jessica is sharp, innovative, and she instinctively “gets” how social media can help brands to connect with communities – and vice-versa.  We are looking forward to her “Are You Being Followed?” presentation.

Then there’s WXYZ-TV’s Stephen Clark and founder of “The Backchannel.”  He has done remarkable things in the social space, not to mention energizing the local TV newscasts he anchors.  Stephen has a great story that he is excited to share at The Summit.

So while on my pathway toward greater social media expertise, WCSX morning producer guru, Jim O’Brien, forwarded me a blog the other day that crystallizes the challenge and the problem. 

It’s from Jay Baer, a social media lecturer and consultant.  There is a growing breed of advisors that specializes in Facebook, Twitter, and other tools because so many brand managers are struggling to find that perfect tone.

In Jay’s blog that we’ve linked below, he tells a story about a recent experience at a New York City hotel that speaks volumes about how companies ought to approach their social media efforts.

Of course, it comes down to being “Brilliant at the Basics,” and tackling first things first.  But I’ll let Jay do the storytelling here because he says it with honesty and directness.  Every brand manager, program director, marketing director – and yes, CEO – should give it a read.  If you like it, forward it on.

I appreciate him giving me permission to link it here.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We hope you and your family have a wonderful, safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday!  JacoBlog will return on Monday, November 29.

The iPogo?

You know you’ve made the big time when your best stuff gets parodied – especially by the Sesame Street crew.

Have a great holiday weekend.

>EMAIL RECIPIENTS: CLICK HERE TO VIEW SESAME STREET VIDEO<

The Curse Of Harry Crane

What’s it like to be a little early on a major trend, only to be ignored and marginalized by the supposedly smart people you work for?

That’s the case for one of the characters on Mad Men, Harry Crane.  He’s the head of the television division at the fictitious ad agency on the show set in the ‘60s.  Harry’s problem is that his bosses don’t really see the value in making TV ads, preferring instead traditional print campaigns. As a result, Harry is often diminished by the agency's principals, Don Draper and Roger Sterling. 

As Seattle morning guy and keen observer of all things media, B.J. Shea, pointed out to me recently, Harry’s plight has an analogy with mobile.

Like television, it will be the next big thing.  (Or it already is). But not everyone has gotten the message, even though there isn’t a day that goes by when there isn’t more evidence that smartphones are becoming the most important thing since… well, the Internet.

So, the next time you feel like you’re slamming your head into the wall, trying to get your higher-ups to see the value of mobile, think of good old Harry. In the end, it worked out pretty well for television. 

Of course, who could win an argument with Don Draper?

No Alternative

Alternative radio is having one of those best of times/worst of times experiences this year.

On the one hand, PPM numbers in many markets are outstanding.  Of course, KROQ rules, but that’s nothing new.  X96 in Salt Lake City and The Buzz in Houston are two wonderful stories about how Alternative radio is dominating two key markets.

On the other hand, the competition from the outside is fierce.  Pandora is a major issue among Alternative listeners.  And the format foundation of “new music first” is being threatened by no shortage of online and social sources.

As Slacker’s Matthew Bates (a former terrestrial programmer) told Richard Sands in a recent issue of The Sands Report, “Radio is at least five years behind all meaningful digital benchmarks.  Radio has demonstrably lost nearly an entire generation of listeners.”

Strong words.

But even though Bates warns against radio touting its historical cume strength and accessibility, those are indeed assets the medium continues to feature.

So to stay on pace with its fast-moving, digital-savvy demographic, the key may indeed be the mobile web.  A new eMarketer Daily article features the “ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology.”

This research shows that college students are more likely to have an Internet-accessible handheld device than they are to have a desktop computer.  The trend is unmistakable on college campuses everywhere:

Of course, Bates also warns that the quality of the stream is something that broadcasters need to address.  “A streaming simulcast of the signal is a nice service to provide to your audience.  But your web simulcast needs to be up to snuff.  Audio needs to be normalized in both channels, the spot load gaps need to be utilized with meaningful content, and your mobile app needs to be better than a single-function white-label job.”

Thankfully, it’s beginning to happen.  More Alternative stations are moving into the mobile space, and the apps are getting more interesting, fun, functional, and additive to the brand.

Entercom’s Buzz in Kansas City is a great case in point.  Aside from their audio stream, their great personalities are nicely showcased, listeners can access the station and its promotions, and there’s even a “comments” feature where fans can leave feedback.

The power of a great brand, the mobile-centricity of a young audience, and digital tools are all available to Alternative radio.

Because there is no choice.

And by the way, if you're wondering what college kids are thinking as they grab at mobile devices while leaving desktop computers behind, chances are good you'll be doing the same thing in the not-so-distant future.  As we learned in "The Bedroom Project" and other research we've seen and conducted in the past decade, what happens in high school and college portends what the rest of will end up doing.

Ain't it the truth. 

Inspector Gadget



The Consumer Electronics Association recently released a timely study that predicts the hottest holiday gifts – and no surprise, it points to electronics and gadgets.  Their 17th annual Holiday Purchase Patterns study comprised of 1,000+ adults indicates that one-third of all shoppers will make a consumer electronics purchase during the holiday season, averaging $232.

That’s a lot of gadgets, and it’s a chance for radio to share in the holiday joy.

First, stations should be working with local retailers to put together promotions now.  Smaller outfits that hope to out-hustle and out-service Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are great candidates.  Remember the days when morning shows would “test drive” a different gadget everyday?  Now with the help of webcams and video podcasts, personalities can showcase some of the hottest new toys.  Facebook and Twitter are also great tools to generate recommendations for stores and their electronic toys.

Second, gadgets make great contest fodder and they can be inexpensive.  Walmart has their “Amazing Walmart Electronics Event” offering a Vizio 26” HDTV for under $200, while Target now sells the iPhone and is cutting prices on the iPod Touch.  Contests where listeners can “Pick A Gadget” can be economical, while driving lots of website visits and creating tactical listening occasions.

Third, the CEA study indicates that while the desire is in place for a lot of electronics sales, consumers are still very price conscious.  There’s another opportunity for stations to offer discounts, and even mobile coupons that listeners can take to local stores to get that all-important price break.

Fourth, it is important to know the gadget hierarchy.  And in fact, specifically what people desire this year.  Peace and happiness, of course, tops the general holiday wish list for adults, but notebooks/laptops and iPads are next in line.  And while family and health are very important, so are eReaders and video game systems.  When you look at the CEA's electronics “wish list” on the right, you can see the pecking order that will drive holiday sales this season.

Finally, consumer electronics is a big-time area that has only become more important during the past decade.  Gadgets are cool, and people are absolutely focused on them. 

Understanding this space is an important component of becoming an expert in media in this new millennium.  That’s why it is critical to attend conventions like the CES in Vegas in January as we did last year, and will again in 2011. 

And it's why we’ve booked outspoken CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, Gary Shapiro, for our 15th annual Summit, partnered with Arbitron’s Client Conference next month.

Gary has been especially critical of radio’s attempts to push for legislation that would mandate FM chips in cell phones.  He has a unique vision of the future and incredible perspective, so we hope you can join us in Baltimore for the Summit.

What’s on your holiday wish list?

It’s A Man’s World

James Brown may have had it right...in 1966.

And if you watch any episode of AMC’s Mad Men, there’s no question about who ruled in the world of business in the 60's. 

But as has been the case for the last couple of decades (at least), women are the most sought-after demographic by advertisers.  And there’s a lot to be said for that.  While Don Draper and Roger Sterling were out slaying dragons and winning over new accounts, their wives were doing lots of the shopping and home decision-making.

To minimize men, however, is to limit the buy and reach power of advertising.  Because in so many households, men are playing an increasingly larger role.  And then there are the situations where men are on their own, because of divorce or simply remaining single – 44% of men in this country aren’t married.

When buys are limited to stations like Sunny and Lite, a lot of audience is left on the table.

So what can highly-rated Rock, Classic Rock, Sports Talk and other stations do to combat this obvious trend?

Arm themselves with data and stories that will effectively counter this tide, while addressing objections with proven reasons why their audience matters.

It’s not going to happen with a sales trip to Cozumel.

Or a great client lunch.

Or by packaging in another station in the cluster.

Or by bonusing buys with remotes and other “value added” staff time-wasters.

My partner at Jacobs Media, Paul Jacobs, has been taking on this challenge for 20 years now, starting with our efforts in Alternative through The Edge, and working his way up through Rock and Classic Rock stations.

He’s a born sales trainer, coach, and format champion, and has made hundreds of trips on behalf of male-centric stations over the years.  He wants to do more than speak at advertiser breakfasts, roundtables, and sales meetings.

So that’s why he came up with the “Marketing To Men” initiative set to go early in 2011.  It’s a web survey sponsored by male-based stations that will focus on buying habits, decision-making, and shopping preferences of men.  It is designed to arm any male-based station's sales staff with the local market data they need to turn around objections and mindsets.

It is priced so that if this research helps a station garner just one buy, the research more than pays for itself.  Click here to learn more about how your station can participate.

It’s time to stop whining about missed buys, bad targeting, and other excuses why viable radio stations brands are being left behind.  Sales reps require information that can change the perception that all men are slugs who have no yank in decision-making, child rearing, or actual purchasing.

As a programmer, I am often amazed why a station’s product and content are regularly scrutinized and researched, while the selling efforts are often seat-of-the-pants, with little data to support sales strategizing.

If you’re a manager or sales manager reading this blog, consider what a small investment might mean to your male station’s revenue goals in 2011.  And if you’re a programmer, please forward this blog to your sales and general managers.

We’re here to help, and we’re invested in this men thing.  There are so many great male-based station brands in broadcast radio.

It’s time they manned up.

Reaching The Summit

Maybe I should warn you upfront - this is a longer post than usual today.  That's becasuse I have a lot of wonderful content to tell you about.

It is hard to believe we have put the final touches on our 15th Summit.  Since 1995, when they were originally billed as “Alternative Summits,” Jacobs Media has been producing these events, first at Gavin, then for many great years with R&R, last year with the NAB, and next month with Arbitron in conjunction with their Client Conference.

We appreciate our partnership with Arbitron, and by working together, we have each put together killer agendas.  They have their Urban PD sessions on December 7, followed by a full day of great sessions that include WFAN’s Boomer & Carton, Jon Coleman, Emmis Interactive’s Deb Esayian, Larry Rosin, Cox’s Jay O’Connor, RCS’ Phillippe Generali, and Matt Fisher of curiosity360 (a social media firm). 

I’m especially excited to hear new Arbitron CEO and former head of Meredith Corporation, a top media and marketing company.  And we will also be entertaining the lunch crowd on December 8 with a special edition of “Goin’ Mobile” with never-before-seen segments that I promise will amaze and educate.  We have put together new video stories that are very revealing for radio and mobile efforts, and I’m excited to show them to you.

But then there’s the morning of December 9 – the Summit.  I believe we have the best lineup ever.

Our premise is simple.  Radio – and the rest of the media world – is going through a cataclysmic change that will determine the industry’s place in the new media hierarchy.  Will radio be a major player, will it hold its own, or will it erode in importance?

To get at these answers, the Summit sessions are shorter this year, allowing us to incorporate more content, panelists, and speakers.  They are divided into two broad categories:

The Big Picture – What are the macro factors that are impacting radio and how do outsiders view the industry’s prospects, challenges, and opportunities?

Get The Picture – What can local stations and clusters do to maximize these opportunities, face the challenges, seize the moment, and make the best of the new digital tools that are available?

To that end, here is our Summit schedule for the morning of December 9:

8:00 Continental breakfast & opening remarks by Fred Jacobs

8:30-9:00 - IT’S THE MESSAGE THAT MATTERS: World-renowned talent coach and author, Val Geller, will set the tone for the day.  Whether you’re creating content and entertainment for transmitters and towers or podcasts, social media pages, and Twitter communities, what are the key factors and best practices for creating powerful audio?

9:00-9:40 - A 'BUGGY WHIP' INDUSTRY?: Consumer Electronics Association’s President & CEO, Gary Shapiro, will be weighing in at The Summit. Gary is well-known for his hard-hitting views on radio, and his perspective as head of the CEA will be invaluable for Summit attendees looking to get a glimpse of the future.

9:45-10:15 - USING THE BACKCHANNEL: Everyone in radio is working hard to strategically integrate social media into our programming.  Stephen Clark is an anchorman at Channel 7 in Detroit.  But if you think you know how TV news is being gathered these days, think again.  Stephen has initiated a novel audience interactive program - The Backchannel - using Twitter to communicate with his audience as he's putting together stories.  The Backchannel is an innovative feedback loop that might just change television news and it has applications for News/Talk radio stations, as well as for personalities and teams who are bold enough to interact with their audiences.

10:20-11:00 - IS THIS RADIO?:  A number of major radio brands have dropped the “R-word” because their content now goes well beyond terrestrial broadcasting.  This will be an amazing discussion because of our panelists and the issues they will talk about. Panelists and topics are as follows:

• WTOP in Washington, D.C. is one of the most successful radio stations in the U.S., and Bonneville’s Senior Regional VP, Joel Oxley, will be on our panel to discuss extending radio’s footprint.
• NPR is no longer called “National Public Radio.” To discuss their changing brand philosophy, Michael Yoch, Senior Director of Product Development, will join the panel.
• Jeff Haley, President/CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau, will round out this group for a lively discussion about whether we are still marketing radio and the future for cross-platform revenue generation

11:00-11:30 - ARE YOU BEING FOLLOWED?: Renowned social mediologist and owner of Finger Candy Media, Jessica Northey, will bring her unique – and successful secrets about how to ramp up a social media effort.  She practices what she preaches – Jessica currently has over 94,000 followers on Twitter and her dog has 4,500.  Jessica IS social media – she translates the confusing points into an easy-to-understand platform based on her 15+ years of experience in all media, including radio.

11:30-12:00N - TURNING THE QUEEN MARY: Former Tribune Chief Innovation Officer and radio pioneer, Lee Abrams, will make a return appearance at the Jacobs Summit.  Lee’s challenge to bring fresh thinking to a legacy media business has been well-publicized. In this last session of Summit 15, he will share his vision on what “old media” industries must do in order to be vibrant and competitive moving forward.

I think you can appreciate my excitement, and I hope that many of you can make the trip to Baltimore to invest in your company, your station, and yourselves.  I don’t believe there are plans to archive these sessions, so as Buffalo Wild Wings likes to say “You have to be here.”

Registration info is available here.

And as we’ve said for many years now, “See you at the Summit.”

I Feel Fine

Apple - Steve Jobs' company not the record label - made a powerful statement today.  By promising "a day you'll never forget," Apple made a major promise.

And they delivered.

 
And they did it with style.  As Lee Abrams wrote me this afternoon, "Apple has nailed what most radio, print and TV just can't quite understand.  The hype works against products.  Just make powerful, truthful statements.  IN YOUR HEAD...NOT IN YOUR FACE."

Thanks to the Photoshopping magic of Ralph Cipolla, Steve Jobs has just become the fifth Beatle.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

All You Need Is Like

In yesterday’s post, we took a look at a Vitrue study that examined the days and times that Facebook users are most likely to comment and respond.

Today, the focus is on developing a better understanding of how and why Facebook users engage with brands – like radio stations.

Email marketing company ExactTarget studied 1,500 Facebook users.  Of them, nearly four in ten (38%) became a fan (using “like”) of a brand.  And the average user actually “likes” nine different brands.

So for radio stations, there are many chances to attain fandom from Facebook users.  But it helps to know the drivers that motivate someone clicking on that all-important “thumbs up” icon.

Since the recession began, our company hasn't been subtle about the need for radio to connect with its advertisers to set up discounts and deals.  We’ve seen it in our Tech Polls, and in every single L.A.B. and focus group we conduct.  Deals, discounts, and promotions are the modern-day Holy Grail that are win-win-wins for stations, advertisers, and listeners.

So it's no surprise that in the ExactTarget study, the #1 factor that leads to becoming a fan is receiving discounts and promotions (40%).

Close behind (39%) is simply wanting to show support for a company or brand – a sort of social media “bumpersticker” where people self-identify.  This speaks to the need for radio to put enough into its programming and marketing to attain that cool factor that will drive more "like."

Below are the top “engagement drivers.”  The great news is that each of these elements is a typical radio activity – or should be – that has the ability to drive Facebook fans:

So much for the false notion that consumers don’t like to be marketed to.  As you can see, Facebook users express “like” for brands for a wide variety of reasons.  Radio can actually fulfill many of them.  And note that most of these drivers are good for diarykeepers and PPM respondents, too.  Promotions, discounts, scheduled programming, entertainment activities, and the ability to go behind the scenes to get exclusive content are all part of what amps up the urge to become a fan.

A focus on these elements can translate into not only driving your email database higher, but also providing a handy guide for those at your station who are involved with social media content generation.

ExactTarget also had two other interesting findings:

Women are more about relationships in social media settings.  We also know from our Tech Surveys and other related data that they’re more active on sites like Facebook to begin with – again, driven by interaction with others.

Men, on the other hand, are more about acquiring information.  Knowing these key differences is important, depending on your station’s hyper-focused target audience.

Secondly, two-thirds of Facebook users only access the site when they’re not at work or school – which often translates into morning or evenings.  These are often the times when they have a quiet moment to engage.  So, of course, that suggests that your station’s posts should not be confined to just normal business hours.  

This suggests that the morning show and the night jock (assuming there is one) have special opportunities to engage.

Recently, 97Rock in Buffalo created a “man bites dog” story when they brought back Slick Tom Tiberi to nights.  Tom had been a victim of budget cuts, but station management pushed hard to bring him back into the studio at nights.  And in a recent quote from Tom about audience reaction to his resurrection, he commented in an email, “My face book page is off the hook with comments!”

It is notable that for radio, nights might be a way in to engage consumers with great entertainment, fun, and information.  Especially at a time when they are busily engaging with others in online communities.  The long-held beliefs that nights don't matter or that evening voicetracking is good enough may be debunked by social media usage patterns, opening up doors for radio to engage with listeners during these hours.

Based on these metrics, Wolfman Jack would have had a lot of Facebook fans.

To learn more about how social media and radio can work together, we are devoting considerable time at our Summit (partnered with the Arbitron Client Conference in Baltimore, December 7-9) to this important topic.  And we have great speakers who are walking the walk.

Talent coach pro Val Geller will share the secrets of making sure your personality content is worthy of being shared and followed. This is Val's turf and she knows it well.

Social mediologist Jessica Northey is one of the most innovative people in this space, having come out of radio.  Her "Are You Being Followed?" session will produce great takeaways. Jessica instinctively practices what she preaches in social media, and she is a leading expert who is loaded with great ideas.

And WXYZ-TV anchorman Stephen Clark will demonstrate live The Backchannel, his Twitter network of followers who contribute to his Detroit newscasts every night.  He has discovered the power and job of providing his audience with a voice - and his fellow Channel 7 teammates are enjoying this unique ride. 

For more info on the Summit and the Arbitron Client Conference, click here. 

All Facebook, Some of the Time

More and more, station staff meetings and jock meetings have become wall-to-wall discussions about Facebook… and Twitter.  And how best to integrate social media with radio station messaging and content.

Too often, there’s desire to connect with social media, but the lack of a strategy to make sense of it all.  “How can we make money on Facebook?” is often a management question, while programmers and personalities struggle with the best ways in which to cram social connectivity into all their other responsibilities.

A little research might help.

And now it has come along, thanks to a three-year long study from Vitrue that has drilled down the Facebook experience among the most active sites.  With a base of 1.64 million posts and 7 ½ million comments on 1,500 brand streams, they have a pretty good foundation for making conclusions over a three-year period.

The thing that amazed me about these findings is how similar they are architecturally to the way we design radio stations, clocks, and put together tactics by day of the week and time.  Radio programmers are structurally well-suited to develop social media strategies because they are quite similar to the thinking patterns that constitute smart radio constructs.

The other thing you’ll quickly see is that like studying Arbitron data, these Vitrue “facts” are lacking in the “whys.” Usage patterns are often quite clear, but the explanations behind them are very murky.

Vitrue tells us that social networkers are more likely to respond and recommend during the morning hours.  While 3 p.m. is actually a peak time for Facebook posts, Vitrue reports that morning messages perform the best and end up generating the most comments.

In the Arbitron diary, it’s about Thursday, but in Facebook, it’s Wednesday.  Vitrue found that for whatever the reason (and they don’t really know), there is a greater likelihood for Facebook users to engage on Hump Day.  So while Monday is the biggest post day, Wednesday is the biggest comment day.

Another interesting usage pattern revolves around the top of the hour.  The first quarter hour is when Facebook action is most likely to occur, more so than any other quarter-hour.  Perhaps that time is a sort of reset for most people, a time when most meetings, most appointments, and many deadlines are set.  Maybe 00:00 is a good time for a Facebook check before diving into more important pursuits.  But the usage stats are pretty clear:

By having a better understanding of usage patterns and posting/commenting activities, broadcasters and brand managers can better strategize “best practices” for using social media tools.

The chart below is a nice depiction of how days and times appear to be drivers for usage:

Tomorrow, we’ll look at another study of Facebook usage – one that delves into what drives a user becoming a “fan” of your page.

Thanks to Greater Media's interactive guru, Tom Bender, for bringing  this research to my attention.  

And by the way, to learn more about how social media fits into your station's strategy, social mediologist Jessica Northey, is booked for Summit 15 as part of the Arbitron Client Conference on December 9.  She'll be joined by WXYZ-TV anchorman, Stephen Clark - the guy who started the Backchannel, a novel concept that gives his viewers a seat at the table for Channel 7 newscasts.  Both Jessica and Stephen will break new ground at the Summit.  To register or to get more info, click here. 

You and Your Smartphone

In “Goin’ Mobile,” the ethnographic study about smartphones that we put together with Arbitron, we got a great deal of feedback about how consumers feel about their mobile gadgets.

An interesting sidebar is the way in which specific smartphones make them feel – about themselves and others.  To a great degree, smartphones make more than a fashion statement.  They can define one’s identity, as well as those who carry a different brand or use a different platform.

In much the same way that the vehicle that you drive may be a reflection of who you are, as well as who you think you are, smartphones have many of these same characteristics.

While we were in the process of pulling together this story based on more than a hundred hours of videotaped segments, Keith ran across a cartoon on the Internet that might just save us the trouble.

First, the 360° view of the iPhone:

Then there’s the same perspective from the POV about Android phones:

With both of these platforms, that’s how we saw it in our ethnographic interviews, too.  iPhone customers feel pretty damn cool, while Android devotees think they’re really smart.  And yet others don’t share that perspective.

And then there’s BlackBerry, the platform that both Apple and Android loyalists view disdainfully:

If you carry an iPhone or an Android device, chances are that you see the BlackBerry guy as old, out of touch, and not having a whole lot of smartphone fun.

As Joe, a businessman in Cleveland, told us when he traded in his Treo for his iPhone, it was like a pass to “Coolsville.”

And that’s part of the essence of why these gadgets have leapfrogged other media devices along the way.  Each platform has a distinct image that reflects the wisdom and approach to life of its owner.

That’s branding at its best, and it is a reminder for us in radio that a sense of cool has to be present in our stations, our gadgets (HD Radios and others), and our brands as a whole.

It has less to do with features and utilities, and a great deal more about how devices and stations make us feel.

The phone mavens – starting with Apple – have that figured out from A to Z.

Radio can learn from these consumer electronics giants, yet another reason why Gary Shapiro is booked for Summit 15.

Cool matters.

By the way, there's still time to sign up for our "Goin' Mobile" webinar, courtesy of Arbitron.  It's Monday, 11/15 at 2pm ET.  Register here.

WOMen

While we always talk about the power of social media, the reality is that “Word of Mouth” (WOM) is the secret sauce of recommendation.

Especially for WOMen.

A new study of 2,000 women by Harbinger confirms it.  Women are three times more likely to share opinions with relatives and friends than they are to go online.

That doesn’t mean that Facebook, Twitter, and email don’t have considerable yank.  But there’s nothing like that face-to-face contact and conversation.

Now you’re probably wondering why this blog post about women is coming from Jacobs Media rather than Alan Burns.  But the fact is that most Rock-based radio stations have a considerably larger percentage of women in their email databases than you’d think.

We see this every year in our nationwide Technology Survey.  It is also of note that women are always more likely to recommend stations to friends and family than are men.  That’s how they’re wired.  Women are more social creatures (hence, their larger representation on Facebook).

You can see this in their Net Promoter scores – their propensity to tell others about your station.  Note how much higher they run compared to guys in our sample - and these are all Rock-based stations in our national sample.

So perhaps even Rock and Alternative stations ought to approach women differently - or at least pay attention to them.

We see in research that men are more about information, while women tend to be moved by a good story.

So imagine two different email blasts to members of the same database.  The men get the straight-ahead facts (in an entertaining way, of course) about promotions and events.  And the women get a story from one of the jocks who has the best chance of connecting with them.  And maybe it’s the kind of story that is compelling enough that it will get forwarded to friends, followers, and family.

Consumers want brands (stations) to get to know them.  In that way, your concert pre-sale emails should ideally be for bands that listeners like and care about.  The same thing rings true for events and promotions.

So why shouldn't that also be the case for the approach and style an email takes?

Team Coco

Consider these comments in a recent New York Times article that describe a popular media personality and his new show:

“It will be a hit with advertisers initially because of the familiarity they have with ______.” – Brad Adgate, SVP for Research, Horizon Media in NYC

“We know ______ has a passionate following, and we wanted to tap into that.” – Daryl Evans, VP/Consumer Advertising & Marketing Communications, AT&T Atlanta

Here’s another quote from Evans:

“______ is a proven talent, and a proven brand.  Rubbing up the AT&T brand against the ______ brand is a good thing; there’s a nice brand equity share.”

I’ll bet your station has an incredibly strong personality or show that has strong local passion and perhaps even solid ties with advertisers.  Wouldn’t it be nice to fill in these blanks with your morning show or your afternoon talk host?

The name that belongs in these blanks is Conan O’Brien.  Turner Entertainment ad sales is leveraging his new show on TBS.  In fact, they had deals in place with AT&T, General Motors, Microsoft, and the News Corporation – before the show even aired.

How is that possible, especially for a guy who “the press always liked…more than viewers,” according to Steve Sternberg of the Sternberg Report?

Nonetheless, to hear Linda Yaccarino, EVP and COO for Turner Entertainment tell it, getting Conan off the ground (check out the AT&T blimp) with advertisers was about “working closely with Conan’s creative team” to integrate sponsors into commercials.”

O’Brien’s team also utilized social media, generating nearly a quarter million “fans” for the show’s Facebook page, as well as more than 100,000 followers on Twitter, a strategy they are working hard:

 

This combination of strategy plus investment guarantees a successful launch for Conan, whether the show ultimately wins in the ratings or not.

And it speaks to the differences between the way that TV companies and networks approach their franchise shows and personalities and the way that radio often does it.

Consider the following...

1. Investment. Turner invested in promotional materials and collateral, well before the show debuted.  By thinking and acting big, they communicated the message to advertisers that they are committed to this show and their new personality icon.  In turn, sponsors and brands – already familiar with who Conan is and what he does – feel that if TBS believes in this show, they can, too.

2. Integration. Conan’s team is ready, willing, and able to work with sales and sponsors to handcraft commercials, campaigns, and materials that reflect his brand essence.  By working closely with advertisers, the Turner sales team reflects a confidence in Conan – to him and his team, and to these sponsors.  Plus, the show gets incidental marketing from commercial campaign integration. 

3. Social media. Conan and the Turner team had a plan to generate audience excitement for the show, something that any major personality could do.  But presence on Facebook and Twitter – with strong followings on each – is another metric for advertisers that demonstrates engagement and loyalty.  It also helps to ensure a respectable audience when the show kicked off.

4. Proactivity.  Turner didn’t wait for the first few Nielsen's “to see what happens” in the ratings.  In radio, that “wait and see” approach guarantees a slow advertising start for new shows.  By locking down advertiser commitments upfront, Turner has some breathing room to tweak the show and its marketing after it rolls out.

5. Strategy.  Offering sales trips to Cozumel in January isn’t a strategy.  It’s a tactic.  A strategy is working with individual advertisers to create win-win-win programs for Turner, brands, and viewers.  In the process, some of these advertisers are using their own sites and media to promote the show.  Diet Coke and Bing are both advertisers that are creating their own content or using their sites, while Chevy may give away a new 2011 Cruze.  By helping advertisers debut their own products in the show, Turner and Conan can share in their success.

Tailored promotions, talent integration, product placement, and an intrinsic belief in the product are all components in the Team Coco plan.  All departments at Turner are on board – programming, talent, sales, social, and marketing.

That’s media value, that’s multi-platform marketing, that’s integrated sales programs.

That’s success.

(And if the first night means anything, Conan edged out both Jay and Dave.)

Going Places

I know, I know – if I write one more post about coupons you’re going to “unsubscribe” to this blog.

But couponing and discounts are all the rage, thanks to this sputtering economy and perhaps a changing American mindset about the value of saving money.

Many stations have launched adequate and even successful couponing programs, but in market after market that we visit, the commitment to scaling them up seems to often be half-hearted.  Stations are often so busy selling spots, that providing optimal results for advertisers and great values for the listening audience fades into the background.

Radio still needs to get its head around the fact that it’s no longer about us - our sales goals, and our needs to sell out our inventory at the highest rates possible.  The brands that we now compete against have sales goals, too, but they also have turned their attention to consumers and local advertisers because there is simply so much money there.

Gordon Borrell has been saying it for years – local digital revenue is a treasure trove that will only grow as more and more small businesses grasp its potential.  And how better to capitalize on this opportunity than radio – the medium with a retail footing, salespeople on the streets, and market know-how and history.

Except that’s what Groupon is doing, and they’re doing it well.  I may not love all the discounts that land in my email box every morning, but I like enough of them to have clicked “BUY!” several times over the past few months.

As if that wasn’t enough, Facebook is now in the game.  And this could be big.

Their “Places” feature is front and center on the Facebook mobile app.  It's their version of Foursquare and Gowalla.

But now they’ve flipped it around, so not only can you tell Facebook where you are, it can tell YOU about deals and discounts that are nearby.  “Deals” is potentially very powerful, leveraging Facebook’s gargantuan network of members and melding it with consumers’ desires to save money.

Once you click on “Places” and check in, a screen appears and the yellow icon signifies whether there’s a discount (see the graphic below).  You then open the deal and if you claim it, a coupon shows up on your phone.

They’re offering four types of deals:

1. Individual deals – For free discounts, deals, free merch, etc.

2. Friend deals – Where groups claim an offer together, not unlike the Groupon model.

3. Loyalty deals – When you do business with a company or store on a frequent basis.

4. Charity deals – Businesses pledge to donate to a cause when Facebookers check in at their establishments or stores.

As Facebook recently wrote on their blog, “We launched Places to let you share where you are with your friends and see who's nearby.  Now with Deals, you also can see what offers are nearby and share those deals with your friends.”

Already signed up are GAP, Chipotle, American Eagle Outfitters, 24 Hour Fitness, McDonald’s, North Face, and REI.

It may take Facebook a while to drill this down to some of the local advertisers that radio depends on, but you can see the basic structure and how it works.  It is yet another clarion call for radio to protect its turf, and work closely to serve local advertisers and provide value for its audience.

Facebook is going Places.

Christmas In September?

Relax.  No one actually went all-Christmas music in September.  (But I’m sure there are a lot of radio stations that would have liked to have started spinning Bing Crosby during that month.)

No, it was celebration time in September in smartphone land.  comScore MobiLens reports that U.S. smartphone owners jumped a whopping 15% between June and September of this year.

15% growth in 90 days?

That’s unbelievable, of course, but not if you’re in the middle of a mobile revolution – and that’s exactly what this is.

Smartphone ownership shot up from 51 million to nearly 59 million in one lousy quarter.  And we can’t even attribute it to holiday shopping.  Makes you wonder what Q4 sales of smartphones will show.

The big gainer is Android, now past the 21% mark, while Apple is holding around 24%, while BlackBerry continues to lead in the U.S. horserace with better than 37%.  But the news is not that good for Research In Motion.

As we know in radio, share is share.  And the BlackBerry slice of the pie is shrinking.  From our vantage point, its losses are due in large part to their deficient app platform. 

I’m thinking that the timing of our “Goin’ Mobile” project with Arbitron was pretty good.  As we were editing our presentation over the summer, Americans couldn’t get enough of their iPhones, Droids, and Storms.

So here’s some good news.  You have a chance to watch the “Goin’ Mobile” presentation one week from today at 2PM Eastern, thanks to Arbitron.  We’re doing a streaming webinar that will give you a unique glimpse into mobile – without a single chart, graph, or number.

“Goin’ Mobile” is a visual story of 18 smartphone owners – a mashup of ethnography and documentary – that will get you thinking about the mobile opportunity.  And why it is so important to radio, media, and content creation.

And it will also explain why comScore is reporting numbers like these.

We hope to have you in our virtual audience.

Register below, and please feel free to forward the link to friends and colleagues in media.

>CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR GOIN' MOBILE WEBINAR<

A Big Fat Zero

Way back when in a year that I won't admit to, I was in elementary school, and was suffering from the rantings of Miss Ackles, my science teacher.  When she got all in a puff over our bad performance, she'd threaten us with "A big fat ZERO."

I thought of her when I read a recent study about corporations and mobile strategies.

If you’re the CEO of a broadcast company or even the general manager of a radio cluster, you have a lot on your plate these days.  Yes, the recovery is a great sign, and perhaps it portends greater successes to come.

But don’t exhale just yet, especially if you haven’t spent time, research, resources, and thought on mobile.  Of course, even if you don’t have a strategy, you’re not alone.

Forrester reports that of more than 200 global companies surveyed, more than half (57%) have no semblance of developing a mobile consumer strategy, or they’re in the embryonic stages of putting one together.

Part of the delay is that many view mobile at this early stage as “value added” rather than as a burgeoning source of revenue.  While there’s a lot to be said for customer satisfaction, word of mouth, and loyalty, without a viable source of money, interest isn’t going to be through the room.

It is noteworthy that of the business sectors that are likeliest to have something going with mobile, media companies are on the leading edge.  That’s probably because many CEOs and management teams have correctly concluded that mobile provides an important platform for reaching new consumers and making existing customers happier.

Yet, most mobile efforts are understaffed or expertise is lacking, illustrated in spades by the chart below.

Half of the global companies in the Forrester research study have one employee – or no one – working full-time on developing a mobile strategy.

All of this is a big reason why Arbitron and my company got together to create “Goin’ Mobile,” a project that was put together exactly a year ago.  Our experience with apps and research in this space has made it clear to us that mobile isn’t just an exciting opportunity for media companies – it is the essential space that content providers will need to better understand in order to best benefit from all that it offers.

One of the most knowledgeable consultants in the field, Tomi Ahonen, puts it this way:

“Only those who understand the power of mobile as the new mass media channel will be able to share in its success.”

On Monday, November 15 at 2PM Eastern, Arbitron and Jacobs Media will be re-presenting “Goin’ Mobile” in a free webinar, available to anyone who wants to invest an hour in their mobile education.  The experience of observing consumers using mobile is an important first step in harnessing its potential by developing a strategy that works for your company and your brand.

We hope to have you in our virtual audience.  And feel free to forward it to friends in the media business who you think will appreciate a very different look at what's happening with mobile.

To sign up, click the link below:

>CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR GOIN' MOBILE WEBINAR<

Knick Knacks

It was no surprise last week when Pandora announced it will be loaded in the new NOOKColor, so you can now read and listen to music at the same time.  This comes on the heels of Pandora making a series of announcements about how their Internet radio station is becoming rapidly available in more and more cars, like on Ford’s SYNC.

And it was also no surprise when Pandora founder Tim Westergren explained their complicated philosophy to be everywhere: "Our goal is to be in every new car that rolls off the manufacturing line."

OK, I know what you’re thinking.  “So what - broadcast radio is already in every new vehicle that’s manufactured.”

True enough, but if that's your logic, you’re missing the point about the importance of being everywhere.  We’ve covered Pandora’s broad ambitions many times in this blog, while also demonstrating the power of this channel in our “Goin’ Mobile” project that we put together with Arbitron.

Yet, in meetings with many broadcasting clients, I am often asked about which technical outlets and gadgets are most important “because we can’t do everything.”

Well, that’s not the way Westergren is thinking.

Some of these experiments – like Barnes & Nobles’ Nook – may not be around in three years.  But like a gambler who wants to win, Pandora is placing its chips down all over the table because it isn’t possible to predict the media, devices, and technologies that will be hot down the road.

How will the radio industry best use its stack of chips?

Well, this we know – mobile devices will become more ubiquitous and powerful over the next many months and years.  And people’s urge to connect with one another will intensify and become even more personalized.  And great content will always be of paramount importance, but so will making it accessible to consumers wherever they are and whenever they want to access it.

Where are the digital strategies that will guide the radio industry's thinking at a time when CEA CEO Gary Shapiro continues to challenge radio to embrace new technologies?  Gary will be joining this year’s Summit in December as part of Arbitron’s Client Conference, and we are very interested to hear his “take” on where radio can and should go next.

And then you look at the New York Knicks.  While the NBA fan base is blathering over the Heat, Lakers, and Celtics, what does a storied but long-suffering franchise do during a year when just making the playoffs would be considered an accomplishment?

Simple.  Their idea was to cement the relationship the team has always had with its fans, despite all the disappointments and false promises of the past.  The new slogan is “You. Us. We. Now” and they just launched a new website www.knicksnow.com.

The campaign is multi-media in scope, utilizing Facebook and Twitter to amp up the team’s relationship with its fans.  As Howard Jacobs (no relation), EVP of marketing at MSG Sports (who owns the team), points out to The New York Times, “What is the future of fan engagement?  It’s more dialogue than monologue, a conversation between the brand and the fan.”

For many broadcasters – accustomed to simply playing music and talking to a mass undifferentiated audience – bringing the listener to the table is still an adjustment.  But the payoff in loyalty and digital connection is essential.  In the metrics – Facebook “likes” and Twitter followers – it's looking like the Knicks are on the right track.

But this campaign is about more than numbers.  It is about a great brand with talented celebrity players reaching out and bringing the fan base into the fold, behind the scenes, and into a position where they can interact. 

That’s the secret formula for radio brands, too.

The Knicks are investing heavily into this effort.  And they are deploying agencies and personnel to make sure it operates properly.

While many radio stations and brands are making positive steps in the social direction, the problem of who in the organization heads up these initiatives continues to be hazy.  Oftentimes, it is the third or even fourth job of the PD, the jocks, and the marketing staff.  Which means that no one is truly responsible for goals and results.

Who’s the social media point guard at your station?

Hocus Pocus Focus

Jacobs Media clients know that we are strong proponents of using Listener Advisory Board groups throughout the course of a year.  These are focus group-style sessions, typically held in the station conference room.  They are often less expensive versions of the real thing, and yet, they can yield so much more.  For small incentives (or even concert tickets and CDs), and some pizza and sodas, stations can really zoom in on their core audience to measure their passion levels for just about everything on and off the air.

Some criticize this approach, claiming that L.A.B. groups don’t represent the entire cume, the P2s, and occasional users of the station.  And they don’t.

But as we learned in the diary, and now confirmed in PPM, the reality of winning in the ratings comes down to the fact that 30% of the audience generates 75% of the listening.  Often referred to as the 80:20 Rule, the fact is that a small percentage of listeners are the drivers, the “sneezers” (those most likely to tell others about the station via word of mouth and social media), and the ones who truly “get” what you’re doing.  (Sadly, they often know more about the station than some of the salespeople.)

In public radio, they’re the ones who send in the checks – the “members” who keep stations going, during both good times and bad. 

So, they’re not just worth talking to – they can help guide programming, branding, digital, and social media initiatives – if you take the time to listen to them.  And they are a critical component in winning big. 

Last month, The New York Times highlighted a new online shopping website, Plum Willow.  This company is actively bringing in teams of 15-16 year-old female interns, and literally giving them a seat at the table.  The girls – the core audience of Plum Willow – are intimately involved in the website’s design, features, and usability.

The company’s chairman, Charles Federman, notes that originally, these girls were brought in as “a sanity test” to ensure Plum Willow was actually a good idea.

But as Scott Stone, the company’s co-founder and head of biz dev, points out, “It went from us talking to them to us listening to them.”

This is the real value of L.A.B. groups.  Back when radio was an even-keeled, consistently successful business with very little direct competition from other media, a perceptual study was often good enough.

Today, the ways in which consumers access entertainment and media, utilizing new and different gadgets, changes the game.  More of them are texting than you think.  Smartphones are becoming standard operating equipment.  And many are now checking their Facebook before their open their email.

Determining the passion level for your morning show, getting a sense for how easy (or difficult) your website is to navigate and use, and assessing whether anyone knows about or uses your smartphone app are all questions that you can pose and learn from in L.A.B. groups.

To tune into how your best customers use your station is critical, and drilling down with the help of “Super P1s” from your email database doesn’t just make sense.  It becomes paramount in this rapidly changing environment.

Listening to your listeners, and learning from them is Job One.

While they’re still your listeners.

Walkman R.I.P.

Many people probably think this happened a long time ago, but last Monday, Sony officially announced it will no longer manufacture a Walkman in Japan.

In the game of “Dead or Alive,” you might have guessed that the Walkman was essentially kaput shortly after the iPod took the world by storm. But Sony has been quietly making them. 

These portable combo radios and cassette players that first hit the market in 1979 revolutionized the way that consumers enjoyed music.  While transistor radios ushered in this era, the Walkman allowed for both radio and personal enjoyment of music on tape – all in a nicely packaged portable format.

Today, the Walkman seems like another quaint antiquated product from the past.

But for radio, its official death in Japan underscores the location dilemma the medium continues to suffer from.  Because as the Walkman became obsolete, so did radio listening on the go.

But as we have observed throughout the past couple of years, the iPhone and other smartphones have revived the act of taking a radio with you wherever you may roam.

And fully-featured customized apps with branded content make smartphones that much more fun and compelling to own and use.  Broadcasters are realizing that stations can do a lot more with apps than just stream the terrestrial signal.  Your brand has a lot more depth and richness on a smartphone, instead of just being another preset on a Walkman. Blogs, videos, games, personalities, and event promotion are all part of the suite of features that stations are integrating into their branded apps. 

So, Walkman, thanks for the memories.  And the quarter-hours.  And even that companionship you provided while cutting the lawn or whiling away time on the treadmill.

And for radio operators, let us indeed be thankful that after a decade of essentially no participation in the iPod phenomenon, radio can get its mojo back via smartphones.

There’s an app for that.

 

Retail Radio

The National Retail Federation has just posted a great blog that lists the Top 10 holiday trends in retailing for the year.

As the radio industry tries to finish 2010 on the highest note possible, taking heed of what is happening with retailers in your city or town can translate into dollars and results.

After all, local sales reps need to do more than “sell time.”  If all they talk about is rates, their September PPM rankings, and that first quarter trip to Cozumel, they’re not doing the job of helping advertisers solve problems and attain results.

To read the entire “Retail BIG Blog” post, click here.

But to save you a few steps, here are some of the trends that jumped out at us:

#1 Americans (still) aren’t ready to declare an end to the recession.  But #2, there’s a glimmer of hope.  Slowly, but surely, there are optimistic signs and the NRF sees the pendulum swinging back.

#3 Fundamentals are out.  Fun is in.  This is an important trend for radio to take right to the streets.  According to the NRF, gifts this year will be more fun and exciting, rather than totally focusing on value.  Working with advertisers, radio can build promotions that are fun, while engaging retailers and some of their more less serious products or services.

#8 Men are from Mars.  Women are from Venus.  In radio, we are well aware of the differences.  In the world of retail, women lean toward gift cards, jewelry, and home décor.  For guys, it’s consumer electronics and sporting goods.  This is powerful information to help sales reps legitimize the value of your station, and how your audience can best help them be successful during the holiday season. (and from the programming side, this information could be a valuable tie-breaker as you plan late-year contesting and tactical giveaways.)

#10 Can you hear me now?  Good.  A recent survey conducted for the NRF by BIGresearch shows an interesting finding.  At the 11th hour, they added a question about mobile apps and websites.  The big takeaway is that one-fourth of smartphones owners say they will use these gadgets for holiday shopping, price comparisons, product research, and to find stores – especially 18-34 year-olds and to a lesser extent, men.  As the NRF blog puts it, this “should serve as a clear signal to retailers that this mobile trend is not going away anytime soon.”

This surprised the NRF, but it is no shock to us.  Hopefully, you’ll see some key findings in this blog post that can help you and your staff better understand retailing trends so that you can provide more strategic value to your advertisers. Forward it to your sales managers and reps, and here's to a successful Q4 selling season.

Christmas comes just one time a year, and just as retailers need to capitalize on all this spending, so do you.