We hear a lot about “elevator pitches” – being able to boil down your company mission or your IPO concept in a focused, succinct way that can be communicated in a very short time frame. And sometimes I wonder how many radio stations, personality shows, or DJs could pull this off for their brands.
A cool countdown that Lori Lewis sent to me last month from Fast Company brought it home. It showcased their picks for the top 50 most innovative companies in the world. Each of their selections was accompanied by a phrase or at most a sentence that summed up why Fast Company made their selections. A slice from that piece is below, and here’s a link to the entire feature.
Perhaps my favorite is their descriptor for Amazon: “For playing the long game.” What a great way to frame that brand’s strategic belief in doing their homework, taking their time, and providing the customer service necessary to become the world’s biggest online bookstore (or store – period) while even changing the way people read.
And it took me back to “Goin’ Mobile,” and a video that Tim Davis created called “Sergio’s App Tour.” In it, one of our respondents took us on a walk-thru on his iPod Touch, describing in the same clear focused way how his 32 apps worked for him, and why they deserved presence on his desktop.
>EMAIL RECIPIENTS: CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GOIN’ MOBILE/SERGIO VIDEO<
The fact is that if our brands are going to be truly successful, it requires more than just giving consumers (or advertisers) the facts about what we do. “Favorites of the ‘80s, ‘90s, and Today” does not provide value to listeners or to clients. Brands like Ford don’t say, “Making affordable vehicles that have 4, 6, and 8 cylinder motors.” They understand the CX – the customer experience, and they work hard to create a sense of meaning for their brand, as well as experiences for the consumers who buy them.
In the near future, we’ll take a deeper dive into branding, differentiation, and creating content creation – and how to make it meaningful for our audiences.
In the meantime, take a hard look at your brand. How would Fast Company – or Sergio – sum up its essence in a handful of words? (And saying “the most music” doesn’t count.)
What is your brand?
What does it stand for?
What is its core value?
Tough questions. Good questions.
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 stuff, Fred, and right on the money. “The Most Music” doesn’t work for several reasons including when a competitor with deep pockets signs on going commercial-free for 3 or 6 months. Suddenly they’re playing MORE than “the most music”.
I look forward to your future blogs on branding.
Thanks much, Dave. We’ll have a good follow-up on Monday. Appreciate you reading the blog.
Since all IPO pitches accentuate the positive and ignore the negative…so, depending on format, there’s a few …
1. Free music with no hassle. Anywhere you want it. 200,000,000 people tuning in. (for FM music stations)
2. Free audio newspaper and magazine by the best journalists in the world (for NPR).
That’s just a start.
And I’m hoping that we get more feedback over time. Thanks for those contributions, John, and check out today’s post that is a lesson from Apple 101. https://bit.ly/xwx6Jx