Molly Cruz is Brand Manager at Top 40 B96 Chicago. Additionally, she is Brand Manager for Top 40 103.7 KISS FM and 99.1 The Mix in Milwaukee.
In that region of the country, summer is a short season. Meaning stations have to be ready to be out with the listeners for about three months.
B96 is a legendary Top 40 station, something that is not lost on Cruz.
“It is the honor of my life to be in this position. I grew up in the Northwest suburbs, so I listened to this radio station my whole life. When the company approached me about coming here, it would have been insane for me to say no. So many people in this market also grew up on B96, but there are so many different versions of B96 that people remember.”
Let’s start by looking at the music mix in the summer. Is there an adjustment?
“Musically, we’re delivering on the brand promise across all the stations. We know that listening habits can be a little different in the summer. Families, kids, they’re out of school in the summer months, we’re just trying to take advantage of the warm weather,” said Cruz.
With a market as large as Chicago, can B96 effectively activate on the ground with listeners?
“We try to be choosy and strategic about what we do and where we do it. B96 in its heyday owned the streets. In the 2025 lens, it looks so much different. But I think the same principles and fundamentals apply to what we do today. It’s harder than ever because we’re all doing more with less, but we’re strategic about it.”
“Maybe we couldn’t get into the Chicago Pride Fest, but we were out in Aurora, one of the biggest suburbs for the second biggest pride celebration in the Chicagoland area.”
“Moug and Karla are doing several listener meetups throughout this summer, making those small but very memorable experiences with the show. Super serving their P1s is a huge priority.”
The morning show has a clever umbrella promotion that draws on a popular ‘80s movie set in Chicago.
“Moug and Karla are doing their Moog and Carla days off throughout this year. Kind of an ode to Ferris Bueller and meet and greets with listeners. They’re going to Six Flags in Gurnee with a group of listeners. They’re going to go out to another minor league baseball game next month.”
I asked Cruz to think about some of her favorite summer promotions.
“There are so many. Out in the suburbs at the start of my career. That was really where I learned how important connecting to the community was. It was like some of the hottest days of the summer. We just went to Sam’s Club and bought a bunch of Popsicles. Then we popped up with them and concert tickets, and gave them away. That was super fun. We did a huge charity event with Turning Point, which is a domestic violence shelter. And that had a huge impact.”
In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Dells is a highly popular vacation and weekend destination for both locals and visitors from the Midwest region. A giveaway with The Dells proved popular.
“We did this contest or this giveaway with Wisconsin Dells, where they had all these discounts. I’ve never seen a crowd that big, and people would just sit and wait. And for hours you’d be at a grocery store, they would show up anywhere.”
How does Cruz use the summer months to help generate revenue for the stations?
“I think it’s really about building those relationships in the sales, having a really strong relationship with your sales manager and knowing the team. Knowing the people who are really passionate about selling the brand and bringing them ideas. Saying I know, back in the day, you did this, and I want to bring it back. What do you think?”
“I always try to create ideas and say, I want to do this with sales and here’s how I’ll do it without them too. I always want to present the idea, but I think now more than ever in 2025, it’s just about being super collaborative.”
“You have to be your own salesperson. You have to sell the brand to the account executives. They need to be excited about it.”
Cruz believes that the fundamentals she learned working in the Chicago suburbs laid a great foundation for many things that still work today.
“I think that those ideas and those fundamentals still apply. We were out there working the streets and connecting with the audience. In the summertime, there’s so much opportunity to do that.”
“I’m always going to be out there. I’m going to Summerfest tomorrow, and I’ll be helping. I am there to facilitate. I’m there to be on the ground floor with the team. They always know that about me. That’s the only way we’re going to get anything done in this time in our industry.”
“It’s still so important to connect with our audience, and they’re outside this time of year. So, we’ve got to get out there and be with them. Whether that’s in a small capacity or hosting and owning an event.”
“As long as you’re there and you’re shaking hands and kissing babies, that’s what it’s about.”
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Jeff Lynn serves as Editor of Barrett Media’s Music Radio coverage. Prior to joining Barrett Media, Jeff spent time programming in Milwaukee, Omaha, Cleveland, Des Moines, and Madison for multiple radio groups, including iHeartMedia, Townsquare Media, NRG Media, and Entercom (now Audacy). He also worked as a Country Format Editor for All Access until the outlet shut down in August 2023.
To get in touch with Jeff by email, reach him at Jeff@BarrettMedia.com.
