You’ve heard of Shark Week. It kicks off again this Sunday on Discovery Channel. Every RockTernative brand needs a Shark Week — a predictable, branded, loud moment listeners look forward to every year or quarter.
Don’t look at Shark Week as just a TV show on a network — or a series of shows — but as a creative spark that grew into one of the most powerful programming benchmarks in history. It is also the longest-running event in television history. Sharks may be the star, but the anticipation and cult-like fan base turned the benchmark into a brand of its own.
Now going into its 38th year, it all started during a barroom brainstorm. Discovery executives and founder John Hendricks wanted to boost ratings — and one of them wrote “Shark Week” on a napkin, and the rest is history. That goofy idea, born after a few rum and Cokes, can now make or break the year for Discovery Channel. That’s the power of the right benchmark.
One Crazy Idea Can Change Everything
It wasn’t long ago that I posted here about the importance of radical thinking (brainstorming). When was the last time your team did that? Or better yet: when was the last time your team did that and it led to something great on the air? Shark Week is further proof that one crazy idea can become an annual tentpole that pushes a brand to new heights.
We know about big tentpole concerts at RockTernative like iHeart’s Alter Ego, KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas, and epic shows of the past like BFD, Mistletoe Jam, Not So Silent Night. Those are great, but they’re also difficult to pull off. And those are events — not roll-up-your-sleeves, nuts-and-bolts programming.
Creating anticipated benchmarks is something brands of all sizes and types do — from media to fast food to retail. They don’t need to last a week. In fact, they can run two weeks, a month, or even one day like 7-Eleven Day. They can also be limited engagements like the McRib or Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Why RockTernative Needs Its Own Version
For RockTernative, staging a barroom brainstorm and finding the right version of Shark Week makes business sense because it can bring:
- Noise and attention
- New cume
- Additional listening appointments
- New revenue streams
- Repeatable and archivable content
- Ownership of something important and specific
Nothing knocks down the “boring” and “predictable” complaints like something new and meaningful. Whether as a programmer, consultant, or even when I’m driving morning shows nuts, I’ve always believed in the importance of busting out of the norm. The goal is to create compelling campaign benchmarks that can serve both P1s and Cume — powerful moments of programming creativity that drive real anticipation and brand identity.
RockTernative brands have historically experimented with Zeptember, Rocktober, AC/DCember, and Maytallica. Yes, those can sound cheesy and are sometimes mocked — but it’s not the name that matters; it’s the benefit offered that counts. There are several ways to turn Rocktober from a cliché name into something P1s and Cume both love.
Think Bigger Than the Song Spike
There are also many smaller benchmarks like Mandatory Metallica, Rock Blocks, the Flashback Lunch, or even the ’80s at 8 or ’90s at 9 — but none of them are Shark Week. They’re simply not big enough, or loud enough.
The spirit here is building something bigger and bolder — something more special than the tried-and-true song spikes that disappear as quickly as they arrive. Shark Week works because it’s built, engineered, and marketed — and it becomes anticipated, a brand signature. It’s not the usual fare.
At your next barroom brainstorm, music ideas will probably fill the most napkins, and that’s fine. But also encourage your team to think beyond just music. Consider Beer Week, Manuary, Sextember mornings, Beach Week, Top 10 Month, even stunts. Only you and your team know what can work best for your brand or market — but keep advertisers in mind. What would they want to be a part of? What would they want to renew every year?
Your Brand’s Moment Is Waiting
Over the next week, when you see or hear something about Shark Week, think about how great it will be when your brand builds its next version of can’t-miss programming — and the listeners and advertisers are buzzing about your station.
Every RockTernative brand needs a Shark Week. The question is: what will yours be?
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries.
Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.