Being In Sync: Taking Advantage of Events that Bring Us Together.

If you need any extra encouragement to "capture the moment" at your station, here’s a timely read from Seth Godin's blog.

It's about the dwindling number of "group mania” events like today's Super Bowl and how they serve as vehicles to helps us prove to ourselves and others that we’re in sync and “belong.” We may watch even if we don't care just to be able to talk about what everyone else is talking about.

Similarly, stations demonstrate that they "belong" (or not) in part by the level of attention they pay to these sorts of things. Imaging, content, social, promotions - how far we choose to go will do a lot to determine our perceived like-mindedness.

Crain’s predicts 110-million will tune in for this year’s game. But don't worry if you didn't think you scored a connection touchdown this time. There will be plenty of event opportunities in the coming months starting with the Olympics.

Take time this week to consider all the celebratory/talk-abouts that are coming up in your market and how many ways you can use them to help remind listeners that you're both on the same page.

How Your Station Celebrates Holidays; Or, Once You Get Past “God Bless the USA..."

Not surprisingly the most played gold titles on Country Radio yesterday (from Mediabase, July 4, 2013) were Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” and “American Soldier,” Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America.”

While there are generally a handful of songs that can make up a limited hit category for most holidays – these are good examples – your time might be better spent creating quality, original imaging pieces to compliment these few songs rather than scouring for more musical square pegs to put into round holes.

The best holiday imaging is more localized, "personal," and "in the moment" than a library title no matter how well it may fit or how good it might (or might not) be. Imagine how different and powerful Independence Day imaging might be this year vs. years past in Oklahoma or along the New Jersey shore.

Start working on your next holiday imaging by writing how you and your community celebrate - from your market’s iconic events and places to your listeners’ voices sharing personal experiences and emotions. Localize data (like this and this).  Or create a holiday theme or spin, again with a local camera angle.

(And while you're writing fresh material please, on your website, post obviously local and not a stock photos of fireworks or whatever is the appropriate celebratory expression. And use unique shots for each station. Yes, some New York City stations should be embarrassed).

For future holidays, consider how inspired imaging  - even more than your specialty song category - can make your station stand out and engage more by reflecting the local spirit and emotions of the moment.

The A&O&B team remind you that a holiday isn't a good reason to play a bad song, but it's always an excellent opportunity to create unique, engaging, brand-boosting imaging.

Increasing Listener Engagement One Can of Coke at a Time

Want some topical inspiration?

Have a Coke.

Coke's special ‘Carpe Diem’ cans can promote causes (like Coke’s World Wildlife Fund or Diet Coke’s heart health awareness cans) or capture the spirit of the moment (Santa and snowflake cans). 

Often the packaging is part of an integrated marketing effort (this one for the Final Four is part of a Coke Zero ‘watch and win’ promotion). 

Coke knows a lot about its consumers. 

Beyond promoting a contest or a cause (watch how Coke’s Sr. VP/Integrated Marketing, Communications and Capabilities describes Coca-Cola’s vision of engagement and responsibility here), cans like these also subtly reinforce Coke’s relevance. The packaging says, ‘you’re interested in this and so are we.’

Taking a cue from Coke, the days leading up to the ACMs (or the CMAs, Memorial Day or any event that our listeners are interested in), are perfect times to show that we’re excited about what our listeners are excited about.  

Over the course of a year, how many different "Coke cans" can we create and, in doing so, engage our fans and demonstrate our shared enthusiasm?

Airline Safety Briefings and Imaging: The Challenge to Capture Attention

Fly the same airline enough and you can pretty much recite the pre-flight safety briefing from memory. It’s easy to tune out because it rarely changes.

Recently though, the new United has given their safety briefings a lot of creative attention. Now, when the screen drops down, you could see any number of different versions of the safety briefing.   

While United President and CEO Jeff Smisek casually updates fliers on what the airline is up to, there are multiple messages. The update may have been recorded in a control tower or while walking a concourse in O’Hare. 

Different hubs are featured which adds to the visual interest. 

Embedded videos could show the painting of an airplane at warp speed or feature employees in a spirit of cooperation. 

There are a variety of cabin shots that accompany the traditional copy.   

This safety briefing is no longer the easy-to-ignore, same old thing.

Probably inadvertently, the pre-roll to the video I watched (yes, watched) this afternoon was shown. "March 1-15." An expiration date on an airline safety briefing video? 

I’m impressed.  

I don’t know what percent of their fliers United projects will see any of these videos more than once or twice but I’m guessing it’s a pretty small number which makes this initiative all the more noteworthy.

Could any of your station imaging be minimally effective (particularly for heavy users) because it’s been running unchanged for a long time?

Could a change in style or voice or copy recapture attention?

Could setting a start and stop time for each piece of imaging help it stay fresher and more effective – even something for you own ‘frequent flyers’ to look forward to?   

Fall Rituals: Raking and Writing

Fresh, fun, topical imaging on your station stands out like a just-raked yard in fall. And this time of the year provides plenty of opportunities for writing (and raking).

What will you write for: Halloween, Election Day, the change from Daylight Savings Time, Veterans’ Day/Remembrance Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve/Day?

Plus weekend chores, 4th quarter movie releases, and likely a number of local events.

Put a stationality spin on your writing, have fun, attract attention. Sound real and listener-focused. Communicate core values. Be brief, sincere and creative.

Just don’t miss the opportunity.