It used to be that radio stations were in control, and their audiences reacted and behaved accordingly. A great example of this occurred more than 30 years ago, typifying how radio campaigns usually worked. Many rockers – especially those from Milwaukee may recall the stunt that WQFM’s Tim “The Rock N’ Roll Animal” pulled off in 1982.
The Who had put together their U.S. tour schedule, omitting Milwaukee, one of America’s great rock towns. QFM was embroiled in one of those classic radio battles with WLPX, and so the idea was for Tim to go out on the ledge of the 21st floor of their building, and not move until the Who changed their minds about Brew City on their touring itinerary.
The stunt lasted two long weeks, capturing local Milwaukee media’s attention, as well as the support of other rock stations in nearby markets. Finally, Tim got the phone call from Roger Daltrey giving him permission to get off the ledge (“You can come back down now”), and a concert was scheduled at the MECCA for the next leg of the Who tour.
It was an impressive stunt and a passionate expression of rock n’ roll love during a time when there was no Internet, smartphones, or YouTube videos to fuel and chronicle the entire event.
So let’s fast-forward to what occurred last week in Cesena, Italy, a city of under 100,000 people. They had the same challenge as Tim the Animal faced with the Who.
This time around, it’s the greatest rock band of our time, the Foo Fighters. And the activist in this story isn’t a DJ but a fan named Fabio Zaff
agnini. He came up with the idea of gathering 1,000 musicians to play the band’s “Learning To Fly” – all at the same time. He called his campaign Rockin’ 1000 and started working more than a year ago to bring it to life.
QFM, of course, had no budget for Tim’s stunt, but with the resources of the Internet, Zaffagnini initiated a crowdfunding effort that netted nearly $50,000 to put his event together. According to the Guardian, the Rockin’ 1,000 team staged auditions to select 350 guitarists, 250 singers, 250 drummers, and 150 bassists. Composer Marco Sabiu directed the show, and the result is one of the most amazing videos you’ll ever see from fans who simply love their favorite band.
As of this writing, the video has amassed 17 million views and it continues to grow at a rapid rate. And why not? It may be one of the most passionate and unique statements by rockers in support of a band of all time.
Watch it all the way through to see Zaffagnini’s “ask” of the Foo Fighters at the end, as well as the impressive credits for Rockin’ 1000. From start to finish, this is a class act, including the beautiful video that accompanied the event.
And the storybook ending is that one day later, the Foo Fighters agreed to book a trip to Italy to play for these rabid fans. Not surprisingly, Dave Grohl – who may be the coolest, classiest rockers of this generation (or any other) – responded to these rock-fueled devotees with a video of his own – of course, in Italian. “We’ll see each other soon” was Grohl’s main message, and it put a bow on an amazing promotion.
And why not? What rock band wouldn’t be over-the-moon show of adoration and love?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txEUgZR-luU
Zaffagnini called Rockin’ 1000 “a huge miracle.” So how did he do it? Consider the elements and the technology that made this amazing campaign possible:
Crowdsourcing – Tools like Kickstarter make it easy for any Fabio in any town in the world to fulfill their dream. If it’s a great concept and people embrace and get behind it, anything is possible. And this campaign wasn’t hatched by a radio PD or a DJ – it came from just another Italian dude with a compelling idea.
Viral video – YouTube and other channels make it possible for millions and millions of people around the globe to share the same experience. So this doesn’t end up being a big local Cesena story and an asterisk on national TV. It became a global phenomenon, shared, embraced, and enjoyed by millions.
Social media – Rockin’ 1000 had accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others to stoke interest in their project and to communicate with fans, followers, and well-wishers. Back in the day, the QFM team had to rely on press releases and their own air to get the word out about their stunt. Rockin’ 1000 had the benefit of like-minded fans communicating with each other before, during, and after the performance.
Video production – The end product is professional and polished. But modern technology – including smartphone cameras, GoPros, and basic video editing tools – make it easy for just about anyone to create a professional, even breath-taking video on a shoestring budget. Back when Tim “the Animal” was on the ledge, a video of this type might have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s why all we’re left with is a photo or two of QFM’s stunt.
But Rockin’ 1000 wasn’t just a success because its creators understood the web and its inner-workings. The reasons this stunt was a home run (or the Italian equivalent) go well beyond Facebook and YouTube. Today, a DJ, PD, or a man or woman on the street have to incorporate the basics of a great promotion in 2015:
This bigger than life event worked because it incorporated the following ingredients.
- Go big or go home – Or as the Italians say, vada grande o vada a casa. No longer will quaint concepts cut through or have impact. The times and the technology command that you think on a bit scale.
- It starts with an idea – All those digital tools mean nothing without a dream that you can visualize, plan, and execute. Too often, programmers and marketers start with the technology, rather than the concept. “We need a social media promotion” is what you often hear. Instead, you need an compelling concept you can bring to life and market – and then think about how you’ll use social media.
- Begin with the end in mind – Dr. Stephen Covey strikes again. The greatest promotion in the world means little if the story fizzles out without that happy ending. Zaffaginni just had to sense the Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl would hear his message and comply if he could just pull the stunt off. There are never guarantees, but having a plan in place (just in case) can be a lifesaver.
- Use the new tools to achieve your dream – So often, radio stations come up with a great idea but limit themselves to executing it with conventional resources. It’s like building a house using cave man tools. If a big idea is going to work in 2015, it almost has to have a digital and social strategy behind it. If that’s beyond you and your team, get help.
- Don’t go it alone – The audience no longer has to be relegated to sitting on the sidelines. For the right idea at the right time, they will come to the party, share your mission with others, and do much of the heavy lifting. Tim may have been alone on the ledge with just listeners calling in or honking as they drove by the building. For Rockin’ 1000, fans were integral players in this drama, from funding to auditions to the one-song concert last week to the tsunami of web sharing.
But then there’s the final ingredient – the music. And if there are parallels to these two events that took place more than three decades ago, it is that sense of unfiltered passion for rock n’ roll. None of this works without zealous fans who believe in the music, love the Foo Fighters, and were able to share in Zaffagini’s dream.
In 1982, the Who were worth standing in line to see – or even sitting on a ledge for two weeks. In 2015, the Foo Fighters are worthy of the same love, effort, and adoration. That was how 1,000 musicians in a field – and millions of fans all over the world – reveled in the spirit that is rock n’ roll.
I don’t know of another music genre that could generate this level of passion, love, and emotion on this mega-scale. This is what it means to harness the power that is rock music. If you work in the rock n’ roll business now, in radio or on the music side – or you ever have – this well-orchestrated stunt had to resonate with you and even rekindle your love for rock.
As it obviously did with millions of fans and Dave Grohl.
Rockin’ 1000 wasn’t just an amazing viral event. It was a happening that restores your faith in the power of the music to move hearts, minds, musicians, fans, and people around the world.
Bellissimo!
Thanks to Dave Paulus.
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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