jacoBLOG

One marketing book after another seeks to identify so-called “best practices” for brand marketing. But what happens when a heritage company makes a series of mistakes, leaving its brand image in shambles? That’s where Domino’s Pizza sat a decade ago – falling sales, fewer stores, and pizza that tasted like cardboard. How did they find their way back? With a little “radical authenticity.”

Read More

Radio and the coronavirus. Just eight weeks ago when we rung in a new year, none of us could have imagined our industry, our communities, and our families would be facing a health crisis that many describe as a potential pandemic. Today, we are starting the conversation with a guest post from promotions savant, Paige Nienaber. For those of you who know him/work with him, he puts away his “fun and games” hat to address how radio can face this demon, and live up to its promise.

Read More

With all the polling and behind the scenes research being conducted by all the campaigns, as well as scores of independent, why do so many fail to accurately predict the outcome? If that sounds a lot like the ratings, maybe it’s because we’re often asking the wrong questions and measuring things that have little do with why consumers behave the way they do. Today’s blog post steers away from politics, but makes the point that perceptions are different than reality – in the primaries and in the ratings.

Read More

The rise…and fall of major entertainment brands provides a source of learning for radio broadcasters as the industry navigates the rough waters of disruption. Today’s post looks at the travails of NASCAR, once a high-flyer in the sports community that has hit a rough road. And what we in radio can learn from their misfires and mistakes.

Read More

If you’ve even been casually following entertainment trends, you know the business model for music artists and groups has been roiled by new tech trends.  It wasn’t that many years ago when owning music was something most people eagerly did.  But not anymore. While streaming services have become more popular, royalties cannot make up for […]

Read More

There are few things in life you can count on, but baseball is one of them. Every February, the teams recongregate in Florida or Arizona for spring training – the beginning of a new season. And the other thing you can depend on is that these games will be broadcast on the radio, as they have been since KDKA started the tradition in 1921. But not this year. The Oakland A’s games will be stream only. Is this a blow for broadcast radio or the test the industry needs to prove its amazing value and worth to fans, advertisers, and yes, the teams themselves. Play ball.

Read More

Every song has a story. And now the demand for more and more compelling content – in films, on TV, in podcasts – is on the rise. Today’s blog post tells the story of a 40 year-old album being adapted for a new film, and a podcast devoted to telling the stories about Classic Rock – the songs, the albums, the artists. What impact does this have on radio – and how could this trend become even more important to the medium down the road?

Read More

Start-ups in the tech and gaming space are a dime a dozen. But when HQ Trivia debuted in 2017, it rapidly exploded in popularity – a real-time, appointment-setting mobile trivia game played by millions around the world with a live entertaining host. Last week, after steadily climbing numbers, HQ Trivia folded. It’s rise and fall provide great lessons for new entertainment brands about what – and what not – to do for that all-important second act.

Read More

Presidential campaign spending will likely break records this year, as billionaire candidates empty their pockets to advertise – especially on television. So, how do these Presidential hopefuls set themselves apart from the pack? Marketer Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow” is the gold standard guide for differentiating brands. And the Bloomberg campaign has obviously read the book. Their newest social media advertising is not only “purple,” it is being widely shared and written about. Including right here.

Read More

When it comes to building great station brands, radio’s pioneers created “rules of the road.” When followed, they often led to long-term success that made a lot of people a lot of money. So, why then do so many radio broadcasters skip some of these same key steps in the building of their companies’ digital assets? Our blog post today looks at what it will take for broadcasters to stay competitive in the digital arena.

Read More

One of the biggest challenges for professional athletes has nothing to do with shooting the puck or hitting the ball. It’s planning what happens after their playing days are over. Whether you watched last night’s NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, Earvin “Magic” Johnson was a presence – even though he was wearing street clothes. Magic’s post-basketball accomplishments have been as important as how many baskets he score with the Lakers. And in today’s post, he’s got 7 great lessons for radio talent as they inevitably deal with their next moves.

Read More

Innovation in radio is often talked about, but rarely does it surface. That’s because so many truly original ideas don’t sound that good while they’re in their early stage don’t sound very appealing. Today’s blog post takes a hard look at innovation in the radio broadcasting industry, and why it’s so hard to launch a truly breakthrough concept, product, or service. And I’ll give you a phrase to watch out for when someone reacts to your next brainstorm idea.

Read More

Did you forget it’s World Radio Day 2020? Not to worry, our blog post today is a celebration of the medium from the standpoint of the people behind the mic. Their most impactful day in radio? There are great stories here (and we hope you add yours).

Read More

How many times have we seen tragedy strike a high-flying radio station? A PR disaster can be a nightmare especially if if not handled swiftly and deftly. Right now, the world of sports offers radio a crash course of what to do – and what not to do – when disaster happens. And Forbes provides a handy checklist of action steps to take when it all goes wrong.

Read More

The news landscape is hyper-tense these days – especially on cable TV. But on the audio side, public radio groups are making serious moves designed to provide better local, state, and regional coverage by creating content hubs. There’s a lot on the line, especially entering an election that promises to be loud and controversial. Today’s blog post tracks public radio’s strategy – not just in radio news coverage, but in podcasting. That’s where the action is.

Read More

The Oscars went “jockless” again last night – the second straight year without a host. And it showed. Whether you stayed up late to watch the festivities or flipped over to Netflix, the Academy Awards lacked continuity, flow, and energy, while not always making sense. As we know in radio, that’s the role of a talented, entertaining host – even a “zookeeper.”

Read More

Some radio station brands have proved to be built to last – surviving decades in the same markets, with the same call letters, in the same format. What are the attributes that define these stations, and what can we learn from their staying power and success?

Read More

What’s your favorite album? It’s a question we’ve been asking each other for decades. But if current music trends continue, the album will become a thing of the past. And that is already having an impact on both the music and radio industries.

Read More

Yesterday, we talked about politics and radio – strange bedfellows, indeed. Today’s post starts with a Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown (pictured below right) and an odd mashup with radio.  Aside from considering a run for President this year (he wisely decided against it), Brown made some headlines of his own last week.  It seems […]

Read More

Hopefully, you’re not sick of politics as we roll headlong into the Presidential campaign. Radio programmers, managers, and owners can learn valuable lessons from how the candidates are using strategy and tactics to beat the pack in this winner-take-all race. Put your politics aside, and check out our awards for the best political moves that can teach us programmers a thing or two about winning.

Read More