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CPR Promotional Check-Up - Apr 2, 2012
April 2, 2012
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Paige Nienaber is VP/Fun 'N Games for Clifton Radio and C.P.R., which is radio's first-ever promotional consultancy.
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Car Endorsements
Tommy Kramer had a great line: "When you get on the air and say 'My friends at Adams Toyota...' you're listeners know they're not your friends. They're people who are paying you to pretend that you've used and enjoyed their products or services. They're not that stupid."
True story: a friend unprompted told me that "(DJ) is such a whore. Every time I listen to him, he's talking about some other endorsement deal." This person isn't in Radio and picked up on this.
Also, you have to remember that no one cares that someone they already consider to be overpaid and over-privileged gets to drive something for free. It's like DJ's broadcasting from the Grammys.
The best car endorsement thing in YEARS was done at Hot in Houston: Mommy Bloggers. They got five women who were actual damn listeners of the station, and gave them each a car to drive for the summer. And blog about.
Instead of hearing a DJ talk about how great their free perk is, the audience read testimonials from peers, highlighting how this car had made their everyday life just a little easier.
So....one of the stations has an auto company that would like their PD/Afternoon Guy to endorse a car.
Said-air talent has been driving one of their cars for eight years and is actually a big fan of the company and their service follow-through.
Said-advertiser did not want just a standard "This is Paige Nienaber and when my friends at Yugo asked me..." shlocky spiel.
The original idea (but can't be done because of web constraints) would be a series of romantic videos of the PD out, vacationing, on-dates, commuting, with his true-love: his car. To the tune of either "Long May You Run" or "I'm In Love With My Car." Like the "Will It Blend" youtube series.
What we've decided on was a Deep Thoughts By Jack Handy series of vignettes. Like:
THEY SAY YOU SHOULDN'T TEXT AND DRIVE... THE THOUGHT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME. ... I'D NEVER TREAT MY (BRAND) THAT WAY.... SHE ALWAYS GETS MY FULL ATTENTION.
THEY SAY CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS... QUITE FRANKLY... YOU COULD DINE ON MY DASHBOARD. WHICH IS REALLY NICE... CAUSE THE CUP HOLDERS REALLY CONVEINENT... AND IT GIVES A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO DINE N DASH.
I WAS LISTENING TO RADIO... AND GOT INSPIRED BY A SONG.... SO I DROVE MY CHEVY TO THE LEVEE... AND IT WAS $6 FOR PARKING.
"I took my Chevy out on a Friday night. We had dinner. Went for a long drive. And we went home together. Do you think I should tell my bike?"
Tornados
It's officially April which means it's storm season.. I asked Kori and Mary from Cox in Birmingham for some sage advice. You'll remember last April their market got nailed, so they know of what they speak. This is a good tutorial for storm season:
From Kori White:
Tell them to create their plan now. Identify who is going to do what; school closings, collect damage information, connect with emergency response departments now and let them know that they are the avenue for getting information out to the community, gas up all the promotions vehicles, get the person that will push out messages via twitter, facebook and web on point now, develop a disaster relief plan now-make a list of the items that people will need and get ready to roll. Buy up batters and water now for immediate response and assistance and be prepared to purchase food for first responders. Book hotel rooms for workers and set up shifts now.
From Mary K:
Before - update people on the latest weather forecast.... review safety plans with listeners
During - 30 second updates don't save lives... tracking the storm and it's path and naming it by city by city saves lives
After - call and make sure your staff is ok; let listeners describe what's going on....be ready to hit the streets... sometime people just need a lending hand or a listening ear.... sometimes even a hug and a prayer...
One thing I learned about April 27th - is to remind people to put on their shoes.... How often do we come home and kick off our shoes. In some of my graduate work; with the in person interviews I have conducted most reported about having their feet cut up so badly when they were finally about to crawl out.....
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