The Jacobs Media Blog

Thanks to the Internet and social media, core fans have never been more important to the health and well-being of media brands. From ESPN to Twitch, more marketers are coming to the realization that fans can be true evangelists – if you understand how they think and what they value. Today, we dig into the ways in which more and more brands are laser focusing on hardcore fans – and why this strategy works.

WFAN’s super-host, Mike Francesa entered the world of Twitter last Friday – years after most radio personalities and sports talk hosts made the leap into the Twittersphere. Fan engagement and acknowledgment have never been important, so does Francesa’s late arrival on Twitter send a message to radio companies about the ongoing need to work with talent on their social and digital strategies?

Facebook is going through some times and has now resorted to launching a major image campaign to rehab its sullied image. Today’s blog post takes a look at their new TV spot (see what you think), and assesses the true health of the world’s largest social media site (better than you think).

In our new Techsurvey, smart speaker ownership has nearly doubled in just one year. But the trend isn’t just about gadgets like the Amazon Echo. It’s the larger phenomenon known as voice. Today’s post looks at two very different developments on the voice front that reinforce this notion that a major trend is happening right before our very…ears.

The “Information Age” may be giving away to the “Trust Era.” In a media environment rife with so-called “fake news,” it’s never been more important for media brands – commercial and public, music and spoken word – to have the credibility and trust of their audiences. We have fresh research from our just-released Techsurvey 2018 that addresses this issue of trust and “bad reputations.’

Yesterday, our focus was on the television industry’s rapid shift to on-demand. Today, we have fresh and compelling new data from our just-released Techsurvey 2018 that shows a similar trajectory. And an eye-opening 6-year tracking chart tells an amazing story that has relevance to everyone working in broadcast radio.

The ways in which consumers watch television are undergoing rapid change. When it comes to on-demand usage, there’s a close connection between the TV and radio industries, it’s best explained by a guy who’s been successful in both media – Jimmy Kimmel. Today’s post digs into what radio can learn from TV’s disruption and the rising on-demand wave.

Mothers Day is upon us – a reminder that rock n’ roll moms deserve even more respect because of what we put them through. When you son or daughter wants to get into the radio or the music industries, it takes a special mom to provide encouragement, advice, and common sensse. Today’s post looks at some famous rock n’ roll moms – a time to think about our own maternal roots as we welcome in this holiday.

Two ouf of favor audience demographics – aging Baby Boomers and Generation Z – are now actively being marketed to by brands as diverse as AARP, Politico, and Amazon. At a time when radio companies should be looking for new revenue streams, more and more major brands are heading to the fringes to achieve success.
Today’s post looks at two exciting, innovative, and well-crafted campaigns that could never happen in today’s radio industry.

Great brands find ways to survive – and thrive – not just over the years, but throughout the decades. Case in point – Levi Straus – the company that made blue jeans famous has experienced a roller coaster ride of turbulent sales and changing styles. Today’s post takes a deep dive into Levi’s best – and worst – practices, providing a guidebook for radio stations steeped in heritage.

Radio brands are in constant search of the benefits that can differentiate them from their competitors. A fascinating marketing tool – “The 100 Lovers Strategy” – helps connect brands with the passions and emotions of their core audience. Here’s how we’re using our newly released Techsurvey 2018 to help radio identify those emotional hot buttons that drive recommendation and usage.

At the Worldwide Radio Summit last week, much time was devoted to discussing and debating Gen Z – the coming generation of consumers that now outnumbers Millennials. For an inside look at their media and tech habits, today’s post focuses on radio’s efforts to address this rapidly growing demographic and cultural challenge.

Facebook is under intense scrutiny for marketing its user data to advertisers. But how different is its practices from the way broadcast TV and radio stations have done it for decades? Today’s blog post looks at the popular new phrase, “On Facebook, we are the product,” in light of the way mass media has always marketed itself.

Pandora is grappling with its business model, having been trounched by Spotify in the race to attract global subscribers. So, now they’re struggling to find the perfect ad-supported model,. To aid their strategy, they conducted reesarch among their users to study commercial tolerance and tune-out. To radio managers, programmers and salespeople, today’s post will have a familiar ring to it.

A couple weeks back, we wrote a post lamenting the virtual disappearance of radio swag and branded merch. I promptly heard from a radio station manager who sent me a huge bag of his station’s tchotchkes – a program they’ve been commited to for decades – because it works. By the way, it’s a college radio station that specializes in hard rock. Read today’s post to see why and how WSOU does it.

Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos is an enigma – the richest man in the world and yet, an unknown. In a recent interview, Bezos openly discussed his company, his philosophy, and his business model. And in the process he advised that brands shouldn’t be afraid of their competition – they should be afraid of their customers. Today’s blog post breaks it all down.

Ford’s decision to eliminate 90% of its car models by 2020 is a true game-changer, with implications across the automotive industry. And for radio, it’s a reminder there are no sacred cows. Broadcasters have difficult decisions to make about priorities and focus in a business environment that is in the midst of rapid change. How might it impact radio? Here’s how we see it.

Putting a face on your brand – that is, defining your “typical listener” – is a great exercise for stations big and small. Now, retailer Chico’s is doing just that in an effort to engage its customer base, as well as help its marketing efforts. In an era of Big Data, it’s a plus to be able to visualize your P1 and P2 listeners.

The broadcast radio and automotive industries have had a long-standing relationship. And at the NAB, new partnership potential started coming together – and it’s all about data. Not a moment too soon, because one tech company in particular, has its own designs on the dashboard.

Rumors of Rock’s death has been greatly exagerrated for years now, but the recent Coachella festival has spurred negative prognostications about the music genre powered by icons like Hendrix, Clapton, Plant, and Page. In today’s post, we break it all down – the good, the bad, and the up and coming. And what it may mean to radio. Have at it.