The advent of product placement in entertainment may be the ultimate intersection of art and commerce. Occasionally, it’s done exceedingly well like when E.T. put Reese’s Pieces on the map. Other times, such as the more than 30 products displayed in last summer’s Jurassic World, it can be over-the-top and distracting to an audience. Finding the right balance of the two is the real challenge.
Compared to other media, integrating sponsors directly into radio content has an added degree of difficulty because there are no visuals. But now, with the ability to use digital platforms to expand advertiser integrations across multiple channels, there are new opportunities to explore. And that is exactly what iHeartMedia is doing with an internal group called SoundBoard.
iHeartMedia’s CMO Gayle Troberman describes SoundBoard as an “in house audio-centric branded entertainment studio.” She says brands are being invited to collaborate with iHeartMedia’s portfolio of resources to produce original long and short-form audio, video and experiential content to create, “the next generation of storytelling.”
The group recently launched their first original audio program, “Coca-Cola’s First Taste Fridays,” a weekly podcast hosted by DJ Maxwell. In each episode, Maxwell talks with teenagers about new music they’re listening to. Special guests stop in to talk about their new projects while everyone enjoys an ice cold Coke.
For this week’s edition of Radio’s Most Innovative, we asked Troberman to explain how this project came together, its integration across multiple platforms and how she sees the future of branded audio content.
JM: Please explain the “First Taste Fridays” program.
GT: Coca-Cola’s “First Taste Fridays,” iHeartMedia’s first original audio program, is the freshest source for teens to discover and share new music. Hosted by DJ Maxwell and co-starring teens from around the country, this weekly podcast is packed with live interviews from the hottest artists such as Avicii, Hailee Steinfeld, 5 Seconds of Summer, Alessia Cara and many others, along with exclusive first tastes of the best new songs, and behind-the-scenes access to the taste makers who know what’s next.
JM: Did the idea originate from Coca-Cola, the team at iHeartMedia, or was it a collaborative process?
GT: Coca-Cola’s “First Taste Fridays” was conceived through conversations between Coke’s music team and my team at iHeartMedia. Coca-Cola wanted to connect and engage with teens through music discovery and sharing. Given radio is the #1 place teens go to discover new music, we took Coke’s objectives and co-created this program.
JM: Did you conduct any market research or test the concept before launch?
GT: We jumped right in and are learning and optimizing along the way. We just wrapped episode 3 and are really hitting a groove with DJ Maxwell, the guest artists, and the teens. Formal pre- and post-research is currently in market.
JM: Were there any hurdles you had to overcome in launching “First Taste Fridays?”
GT: I believe most marketers are massively under-invested in the power of sound. In the age of visual distraction, sound is breaking through and in most cases performing better than video and display advertising for marketers. Coca-Cola’s “First Taste Fridays” is one of iHeartMedia’s first forays into original branded audio content, and we are excited to have a brand like Coca-Cola recognize the untapped potential that comes from combining the immediacy of new music each week, the power of long form storytelling via podcasts and the scale of broadcast radio.
JM: How are the iHeartMedia stations and personalities involved?
GT: We lean heavily on our scale and reach to drive success; it is what sets iHeartMedia apart from other media companies. We have promotional media for Coca-Cola’s “First Taste Fridays” running on over 100 of our stations, one of our rising on-air personalities Maxwell is the host, we are amplifying the podcast both locally and nationally across our social channels, etc.
With radio and podcasts, we can now deliver the same depth of connection and movement on brand perceptions to the consumers who listen to the full podcast, but we can also scale that impact by taking the best most compelling moments and putting them on-air to reach our 245 million monthly radio listeners.
JM: How do the podcast elements integrate with on-air content at the radio stations?
GT: We create “highlight” promos for every episode by pulling the best moments from each “First Taste Fridays” podcast to create :30 and :60 audio promos that run on-air. Additionally, we get our DJs and personalities involved by giving them highlights of each episode they can organically integrate on-air. Essentially, with programs like this, iHeartMedia can deliver the impact of branded content with the predictable reach and frequency only radio can deliver.
JM: How will you measure success with this program?
GT: Connecting Coca-Cola with music discovery is the # 1 goal. There are many ways we are measuring success for this initiative with pre- and post-analytics being conducted across all platforms.
JM: Do you see this as leading to more branded content for radio stations?
GT: Yes. Advertisers are looking for more accountability and more innovative placements than ever before, and this will help brands explore new ways of telling their stories.
JM: Many people seem to feel that teens are leaving radio behind, but they are the target of this program. What do you see when it comes to teens and radio consumption?
GT: According to Nielsen’s recent Q1 2015 Total Audience Report, today, Radio is the #1 mass reach medium, reaching over 93% of consumers each week, and radio continues to be the dominant way people (and specifically teens) discover new music. Teens are one of the most active demos for engagement on both AM/FM radio and on our digital service, iHeartRadio.
JM: Innovation is difficult. What suggestions do you have for someone with an innovative idea that isn’t sure where to start?
GT: Start with an important insight and build from there. We were lucky to build Coca-Cola’s “First Taste Fridays” from the ground up using solid insights surrounding teens and new music. Also, having (Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia) Bob Pittman and (Coca-Cola SVP of Content) Emmanuel Seuge on your team doesn’t hurt.
To hear a “First Taste Friday” podcast, click here. You’ll need an iHeartRadio account to access it.
Thanks to Mike Stern for writing this week’s RMI.
INNOVATION QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Innovation, more and more, is a social activity. It occurs at the edges between team, when people collide in unexpected places to spark new ideas.”
Martin Duursma, VP Citrix Technology Office
More of Radio’s Most Innovative
- Radio’s Most Innovative: Radio Broadcasting
- Radio's Most Innovative: High School Radio Day
- Radio’s Most Innovative: PRX’s Podcast Garage
- Radio’s Most Innovative: Dan Vallie, National Radio Talent System, Part 2
- Radio’s Most Innovative: WNYC Studios
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Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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