Back in 1996, George Lucas did something interesting. He hired the nation’s biggest Star Wars fan as Director of Content Management in Lucasfilm’s marketing division. Steve Sansweet, who claims to own the world’s largest collection of Star Wars collectibles, was a former Wall Street Journal editor/reporter before getting the offer from Lucas.
Why hire a hardcore fan? As Jim Ward, president of LucasArts noted, Sansweet is adept at “getting the message out to the influential fans who can then disseminate that information to the whole fan base.” Lucas realized that creating and building a huge core of Star Wars fans is dependent on understanding these buzz-generating consumers. Why not hire the biggest Star Wars fan to make it happen?
Of course, some people inside the Lucas operation weren’t thrilled when Sansweet started his new job, but they came to realize that he’s an incredible resource with a unique understanding of the Star Wars culture.
There are fans like Steve Sansweet in every radio station database – Super P1s who would love to help out, turn more people onto the station, and provide a unique perspective. We have to be forward-thinking enough to find and empower them. That risk certainly paid off for George Lucas.
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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