Legendary composer John Williams has scored over 94 films and the Olympic Fanfare Theme.
His scores get stuck in your head like – a hit record.
Jaws – E.T. The Extraterrestrial – Jurassic Park – Raiders of the Lost Ark – Close Encounters of the Third Kind. One of those themes is certainly now – stuck in your ear.
Director Steve Spielberg has trusted John Williams to musically bring life to over two dozen of his films.
Although your title may be Brand Manager or Content Director, you’re still a – Program Director.
You are the Director – of the Program.
So – let’s THINK like a – director.
We’ve covered developing a Strategic Music Matrix and robust pathway for Music Discovery.
Now – intentionally look at the other tactics inside your – ‘movie.’
Cast Actors – Start with your morning anchors. Not everyone is a lead mic. Some have the confidence to steer the ship. Others are fantastic reactors.
Allow leaders on your team to – take the lead. Be the example others inside the building look to for inspiration.
When Michael Jordan – after capturing three consecutive NBA rings – left to play baseball in the early 90s, Scottie Pippen became the de facto ‘leader’.
His leadership failed the following year in the early round of the playoffs. With 1.8 Seconds left against the New York Knicks, Pippen refused to take the court after words with Coach Phil Jackson. The Bulls won the game but lost the battle.
Identify your Michael Jordan – treat superstars like superstars.
Unique Sound – Deploy an Aural Activator. This is something easily identified and used often when promoting ANY brand.
The sound that instantly identifies the brand. Think Intel Inside or McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Often, McDonald’s branding only includes the first five notes of the jingle – without lyrics. You know it when you hear it
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Radio brilliantly drops steel drums between elements without I.D.’ing the stream. Listeners KNOW what they’re hearing.
Having an Aural Activator inside your brand lets the listener know who they’re hearing and is unique to only your brand.
Momentum Build – To JINGLE or – NOT to jingle. Using jingles to build – or stop – momentum in music sweeps is a lost art.
Producing jingles with Thompson Creative is an art. Intentional thought includes what key to compose the spots and cuts that start slow (out of down-tempo tunes) and end strong (into up-tempo starts), and vice versa.
Jingles – in music radio today – are simply placed on a daily scheduler without regard to what element precedes the piece or what follows. Skip the jingle process if you lack the time or insight to allow jingles to assist in scoring your brand.
Let’s also bring back imaging or jingles for our talent. We say talent is a – differentiator. Highlighting talent is distinctive (no one else is doing it) and motivates talent.
Write with Intent – What if Morgan Freeman was YOUR imaging talent? How would you write with him in mind? When you listen to his award-winning Visa commercial, note that no phrase is longer than 12 seconds. Often much – shorter. This writing technique allows Morgan Freeman to take one – and only one – breath in a phrase.
Listen to The Pure Michigan Campaign. Each word is coddled with care from the agency. Tim Allen is then coached (see next paragraph) to weigh and measure each word until the spot nearly hypnotizes you into the emotic feel of Michigan.
Quick story: In Phoenix, our robust budget included recruiting the legendary Ernie Anderson to imagine our station. During the session, our Production Director asked Ernie to put the “Star Trek—The Next Generation” effort into it. Ernie promptly shouted, “There are No f&%ing Star Trek—The Next Generation words here.”
Ernie was right.
Coach Imaging Talent – You know the drill.
You’re on deadline, and after pounding out a sheet of imaging, you email it to your voiceover talent. That person opens it—along with dozens of other pages from clients—promptly reads the words and Dropboxes the session back to you.
Problem – that inflection is robotic and didn’t reflect how you wrote (heard) it – in YOUR head.
Coach your imaging talent. IF they tell you there’s no time for a coaching session, find a new imaging VO artist.
Indianapolis, early 1970s. Fairbanks Communications boldly launched WNAP—a free-form FM brand—to protect the flank of their high-powered AM WIBC.
The brand needed stand-out imaging and the BIG voice of Chuck Riley was already in the building.
Starting with the Legal ID, National Program Director George John and Program Director Cris Conner sequestered Chuck into a small production studio to record their Top-of the-Hour Masterpiece:
“The Wrath of the Buzzard – WNAP – Indianapolis”
Seven simple words – right? The session ran over 11 minutes – to get it right.
Listen to the finished product and an edited version of the original session – including coaching – here.
Bonus! The thunderbolt for the I.D was lifted from Bad Company’s – “Burning Sky”. If you’re unfamiliar with the tune, listen – here.
Brilliant.
If Steven Spielberg directed YOUR brand and John Williams SCORED your station – even for a week – how would it sound?
Certainly – different.
Kevin Robinson is a passionate award-winning programmer, consultant and coach – with multi-formats success all over the country. He has advised numerous companies including Audacy (formerly Entercom Communications), Beasley Broadcast Group, Westwood One, Midwest Communications, Townsquare Media, Midwest Family Broadcasting Group, EG Media Group, Federated Media, Kensington Media, mediaBrew Communications, Starved Rock Media, and more. He specializes in strategic radio cluster alignment, building lean-forward tactics and talent coaching – legacy and entry-level – personalities.
Known largely as a trusted talent coach, Kevin is the only personality mentor who’s coached three different morning shows on three different brands in the same major market to the #1 position. His efforts have been recognized by The World Wide Radio Summit, Radio & Records, NAB’s Marconi, and he has coached CMA, ACM and Marconi Award-winning talent. He is also in The Zionsville High School Hall of Fame as part of the 2008 inaugural class. Kevin is an Indiana native – living near Zionsville with his wife of 39 years, Monica and can be reached at kevin@robinsonmedia.fm.
