Bill Jacobs may be watching too much TV, but the good news is that he’s seeing qualities in popular television series characters that just might have some application to what we’re doing in radio. – FJ
While not everyone is into the hit AMC show Breaking Bad, it’s clear that the show has huge momentum as the first episode of its final season smashed ratings records. Like many people, I was late to the party, but prodding from two teenage children, coupled with having a Netflix account, spurred me on to watch Breaking Bad, and now like so many others, I’m a P1.
For those of you who haven’t watched, the show is centered on Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer, who worries about how his family will survive financially when he dies. He puts his chemistry skills to work by going into the meth manufacturing business.
While the show is a fascinating look into a world that few of us will ever know about, its underpinning contains a wealth of lessons and insights about how to succeed in any endeavor – including radio.
Here are six Breaking Bad lessons for brand building success in radio.
- You need a great “cook” – Walter becomes a great “cook” – the guy who makes and produces the meth. His product is as pure as it gets and it becomes the meth everyone wants to get their hands on. In the process, Walter leaps to the top of his profession. In radio, a great “cook” is also the secret to creating success – and in all the key departments: programming, sales, the air studio, and the digital team. Show me a great radio brand, and I’ll introduce you to a great group of “cooks.”
- The only thing to be is the best – Walter is a great chemist who is incredibly meticulous when it comes to making meth. He has standards, and is maniacally insistent that its purity be as high as it can possible be. That’s the kind of approach that icons like Steve Jobs and Steven Spielberg live by and it’s the mentality that also contributes to building great stations. Good enough is never good enough.
- The winners win the streets – Early on, Walter learns that to make the big money, he needs to expand his territory by making his meth available in other areas. No matter the ratings methodology, a large customer base – that is, a big cume – is almost always a core requirement for winning. Serving the few – and even doing it well – is rarely a formula for long-term success.
- You need distribution – Making meth is one thing. Getting it out to those that want it is another. While meth delivery caused Walter a number of problems (think about the joys of working with a Mexican cartel), he knew he needed to get his product out there and available to those willing to buy it. For most of radio’s arc, distribution was simple – the ubiquitous broadcast radio in all its locations. Today, distribution is more challenging. Great radio brands need to have multiple outlets, from database emails to apps to streams to social media assets. And as difficult as it often can be to operate in these new spaces, it’s still more desirable than dealing with a cartel magnate, Gus Fring.
- Stay grounded – As Walter climbs up the ladder, meeting the highest levels of drug kingpins, his ego gets in the way and creates serious issues for his family, partners, and himself. He believes so much in his greatness that it clouds his vision and strains relationships. Success is what we all strive for in radio – as owners, personalities, programmers, and sales managers. But avoiding reading your own press clippings and even your latest ratings will keep you grounded and focused for the never-ending daily battles.
- Become irreplaceable – We’ve preached the “linchpin” mentality for many years (thanks, Seth Godin), and it’s something that Walter White figured out early on. Of course, Walter’s irreplaceability entailed murdering certain individuals (not an option we would recommend for you), but his status as a key player helped him stay alive and in power during many moments on Breaking Bad. You survive in radio by mastering numerous disciplines (air work, production, client relationships, community connections, promotions, scheduling music, etc.). Making yourself irreplaceable should be a key focus for anyone who wants to be viable in the radio business.
Most classic stories, yarns, and plays teach us lessons when we pay close attention to them – even shows about former high school chem teachers who become successful meth lab mavens.
Yes, it’s perfectly alright to simply enjoy a TV show without having to consider its deeper meaning, but a great series like Breaking Bad often forces us to consider the many lessons it can offer.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Fred –
These are great. Here’s the line that immediately resonated with me –
“Jessie, you asked me if I was in the meth business or the money business. Neither. I’m in the empire business.” Walter was not afraid to dream big!
Mike, always a great quality – aim high!
Entertaining title and a great way to resell the basics!
Thanks, Dave – and Bill gave me the day off!