True story.
Sherwin-Williams – an iconic paint brand – hired a part-timer three years ago. He’s an Ohio University student named Tony Piloseno. It turns out Tony loves paint, and he’s also pretty adept at social media.
While working at Sherwin-Williams’ Athens, Ohio store, Tony created a TikTok channel (@tonesterpaints) where he made dozens of short videos, mixing paints to hip-hop and pop songs. These little pieces of video art helped Tony amass more than 1.5 million followers.
He used the account as an illustration to convince his bosses that a more strategic and aggressive social media approach by the old-line paint company would attract younger consumers and be a great marketing tool.
But according to Buzzfeed News, Sherwin-Williams execs didn’t get it, claiming Piloseno made “these videos during working hours,” which not only was “wasting properties (and) facilities” but also (wait for it…) “seriously embarrass(ing) the Company or its products.”
Obviously, there was a disconnect at Sherwin-Williams brass and legal department.
What was the big stink about? Tony had made hundreds of these TikTok videos:
@tonesterpaintsThis color reminds me of @lilnasx ##IntroVideo ##paintcolors ##oddlysatisfying ##HolidayVibes♬ HOLIDAY – Lil Nas X
There are different versions behind precisely why young Piloseno was let go. Sherwin-Williams says they received a customer complaint about Tony’s TikTok videos. Meantime, some of his colorful short-form masterworks were racking up more than a million views on the platform.
We all have our hobbies. Piloseno told Buzzfeed’s Tanya Chen he loves working with and mixing paint. He put together a deck for Sherwin-Williams to pitch them on how social media could attract more youthful customers.
Unfortunately, his strategic ideas fell on deaf ears at Sherwin-Williams. Soon after, Tony exited the paint store. As we say in radio, he and the company had “philosophical differences.”
After reading this story and seeing Tony’s videos on TikTok, you might be asking yourself a couple of questions.
First, is this all it takes to successfully build a following on TikTok?
And second, why would a big company like Sherwin-Williams not see the opportunities one of its employees was offering them to speak to potential new customers?
Creatively, TikTok is quirky. If you haven’t spent much time there, I would strongly urge you do so. Yes, the platform leans young, but it is loaded with clever, fun, (mostly) light-hearted, consumer-generated short videos (< :60) – like Tony’s paint-mixing masterpieces.
There are challenges, lots of lip-synching, jokes, stunts, musicianship, and other video styles that you can watch randomly or by their genres or types. Tony Piloseno’s efforts are proof positive that sometimes the weirdest, simplest pieces of content work best on TikTok.
But it’s that second question that’s the head-scratcher. Why wouldn’t a heritage brick and mortar company like Sherwin-Williams take advantage of the skill set of a young employee to expand its base?
Our company has spent a lot of time these past few years, working with teams of local and corporate radio executives and employees in an effort to help them carve out and define their company, cluster, or brand digital strategy.
Sometimes, these exercises took place over a couple of intense but fun days in a conference room or (better yet) at an off-site meeting location.
Inevitably, the same phenomenon would happen – a young member of the team, often occupying a radio station position like assistant marketing director, morning show junior producer or van driver, would step up and display skills and abilities no one knew they had.
Maybe they were involved in a podcasting side hustle. Or they were programming a streaming radio station. Or perhaps they had a Twitch account and were doing interesting things on that platform.
Or maybe they were successfully recording and posting TikTok videos while upper management was asking, “What’s TikTok again?”
If broadcast radio is to survive in our post-pandemic world, it will finally have to address its “youth problem” – hopefully sooner rather than later. Too many people
working in radio today (and I’m including my aging self in that wide net) cannot relate to the growing legions of Gen Z consumers who will be taking over our world in the not-so-distant future.
Radio programmers, consultants, and marketers rarely bother with the teen audience, for myriad reasons ranging from monetization issues (“We can’t sell teens”) to fear of the unknown.
So, what happened to Tony Piloseno after his controversial departure from Sherwin-Williams? He ended up getting snapped up by the competition, going across the street to work for Florida Paints. Hopefully, it’s a better fit for his skill set.
Meantime, he’s mixing together some awesome paint videos on TikTok and other social platforms. Who knows? Tony may one day be doing exhibits on paint conventions and lecturing that industry on social media “best practices.”
Piloseno’s saga serves as cautionary tale for radio. It speaks to the growing need to listen to the often overlooked young voices in our midst and to take them very seriously. They have unique stories and experiences, after having endured both the Great Recession and COVID in their young lives.
And oftentimes, they have skills, knowledge, and instincts their grizzled – and older – managers don’t possess. Those who have chosen a career in radio have something to say, and should be considered assets of the enterprise.
As I was writing this post, my Twitter account lit up with the news the plug has been pulled on Radio Disney. At one time, this ambitious network aimed at kids was 23 terrestrial radio stations strong.
As many of the obits you read today about Radio Disney will remind us, future stars like Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, One Direction, and Britney Spears achieved much of their original exposure on the network, not to mention its own stable of young stars that included the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato.
Radio Disney began its shift away from broadcast and toward satellite and digital distribution in 2014, selling off almost all of their station group. And now in 2021, Disney’s initiatives with kids will be centered around television and on-demand video – where teens live.
You don’t need an analyst – or a consultant – to tell you what this says about how one of the world’s leading mass appeal entertainment juggernaut views radio’s abilities and viabilities when it comes to reaching Gen Z. Disney knows it needs a steady infusion of youth – that’s what built their kingdom in the first place. They’re just heading in a different direction now.
You’d think an old-line brand like Sherwin-Williams would embrace an infusion of youth.
Then again, you’d hope radio broadcasters would, too.
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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Good story about Tony and the paint company, Fred. It reminds me of my own fate, helping in my wife’s garden by pulling weeds. You don’t know a gardener’s wrath until you pull as a “weed” a plant she had been deliberately cultivating.
Sherwin-Williams thought Tony was a weed. Oops.
Oops is the word, John. Thanks for the relatable story.
Years ago, when websites were the new thing (and before Facebook, Twitter, et al), my team in Cincinnati came up with the idea to create an online brand to cater to younger sports fans. In numerous meetings we couldn’t come up with a domain name. I gathered a bunch of people from the staff – young, old, as diverse as i could make it – to have a brain storming session. Again, failure. After that meeting adjourned a producer, who was invited and I think was in his late teens, came into my office and said, “Lot D.” “Uh?,” I replied. “Lot D. Darryl, people your age tailgate (for the Bengals) at Longworth Hall. People my age tailgate in Lot D.” I learned a lot that day.
Yeah, because you have an open mind & your realize you can learn from people who half your age. The generational biases make me crazy, especially when a Boomer goes off on a Millennial or Z. Thanks for a great sstory.
Hooray for Tony! When CBS Radio allowed me the opportunity to change The Mellow Sound to Softrock in Boston in 1977, we had lots of great folks & interns like him. Recently (11.26.20) The Boston Globe did a story about one our features “You’re Hearing Boston” https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/26/arts/what-boston-sounded-like-1980/. The article didn’t mention “The Eagles. Without the turkeys.” and “Joni. Without the baloni.” rainbow billboard / TV / print campaign but the point is: Experienced dogs do have new tricks that save and make money while attracting audience. Some radio toppers who didn’t live the business as a teenager need to recognize and promote such. Boomer dollars are big! As always. Thank You Fred. Woof.
Clark, thanks for this. Always great to hear how different generations contribute to the greater good of the enterprise.
Hi Fred.
One question:
Do you know if Radio Disney stations that exist outside of the United States will continue to operate?
In Costa Rica it is number 1 by far, and they are very successful in other Latin American countries.
Tito, according to the LA Times: “Radio Disney in Latin America is a separate operation and will not be affected by the decision, Disney said.” So, it is apparently alive and well.
So on point ! I wrote this over a year ago.
https://mcmediaonline.com/consultant-tips-gen-z-more-powerful-than
Thanks for linking this. I love the close: “The million-dollar question we should be asking ourselves now is, ‘How is our traditional brand embracing changing technology and population growth on all levels so that it is inclusive and survives all audio and media competition moving forward?’”
Wonder if Sherwin-Williams is finally asking that question. Thanks for engaging, Charese.