Radio in the White House: Example of Radio Seizing Opportunity
Labels: Barack, community, Connection, Hot 99.5, Kane, Obama, Opportunity, Radio, Robert Gibbs, White House
Yesterday, we posted on how radio needs to listen more to its fans and give them what they need and want. The need to grow interaction opportunities. To be opportunistic.
Well, a station just did an excellent job doing exactly that. When it was reported earlier this week that Barack Obama didn't even own a radio (not exactly sure how that is even possible in today's world where radios are naturally part of several common products), radio station WIHT (the top-notch station Hot 99.5) came to the rescue, delivering several different kinds of radios, including an iPod with a radio adapter, a new HD Radio device, a new iPhone with ClearChannel "iheartradio" streaming app, and even a traditional counter-top radio.
Hot 99.5FM's morning man is Kane. Kane, you've done it again. Kudos for another outstanding example of reacting to news and turning it into a major opportunity to connect with your audience!
As reported by Radio and Records's Kevin Carter (hey, that's two straight days of referencing you, buddy...good work!):A few days ago, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs casually remarked that he didn’t own a radio ... which immediately opened up a whole world of promotional opportunities for certain enterprising radio types who generously wanted to help remedy Gibbs’ dire situation — with full brass-band press coverage, of course.
Yesterday afternoon, it was WIHT (Hot 99.5)/Washington morning personality Kane to the rescue! With the help of Clear Channel Communications Queen Lisa Dollinger, Kane organized a motorcade to the White House to personally deliver to Gibbs an assortment of gadgets and doohickeys that pick up radio signals, including an iPod with radio adapter, HD Radio and Clear Channel’s iheartradio app for the iPhone. Before the motorcade departed, Kane explained his bold actions: “Radio played a crucial role in getting Mr. Gibbs his current job. The Obama campaign outspent all others on radio and ran more ads than any other campaign. And while we realize that government salaries don’t always match those in the private sector, Clear Channel Radio believes that’s no reason to be without the most ubiquitous form of media in the country.”
Kane was one of several alert media types, including Ann Compton of ABC Radio News and WTOP/Washington’s Mark Plotkin, who were able to evade the Secret Service long enough to deliver their radios to Gibbs.
posted by Unknown @ Friday, March 06, 2009,
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Plan "Opportunity" into budgets, like Hot 99.5 with Bobby Brown
Labels: Bobby Brown, brand building, Branding, Budgets, Hot 99.5, Meltdown, Opportunity, Radio, Scandal
For right or wrong, the media loves to exploit celebrities...and, for the most part, celebrities (plus their publicists) love it, too. Look at all the major celeb meltdowns we seen in this post-YouTube, post-TMZ era. Paris Hilton. Mel Gibson. Tom Cruise. Michael Richards. Nicole Richie. Lindsay Lohan. Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Burke. Britney.
Media watched, gawked and mocked as one PR crisis after another drove ratings, web traffic and headlines.
Bobby Brown is the latest notorious celeb in trouble. This time, instead of the media just piling onto the celeb's scandal, a radio station has stepped up and given a helping hand.
Hot 99.5 in Washington, DC paid his bail (getting him out after a 3-day stay in lock up) as well as his overdue child support payments to the mother of two of his kids born prior to his marriage with Whitney Houston.
In exchange, Bobby Brown will co-host with Kane during the morning show on the rhythmic hit station, putting him to work for his money. It also gives Brown a chance to air his version of the events, entertain, be the spotlight and say any mea culpas he wishes to give.
The by-product?
Massive worldwide publicity references on the entertainment and late night TV shows, cable network newscasts and talk shows, other music and talk radio stations, newspapers...and, of course, the Internet.
And now it's a front webpage web event for Hot 99.5.
Radio station's MUST get back to budgeting a line item called "opportunistic marketing fund". It's a forgotten (but still valuable) brand builder. Planned and budgeted marketing dollars kept ready to use for the station to do good works in the community, creating positive goodwill (and potentially far-reaching word-of-mouth marketing buzz).
Trying to suddenly find $$$ in tight budgets for the station to respond to sudden "opportunities" (as Hot 99.5 has done with Mr. Prerogative) is minimally complicated and difficult. Usually to the point where nothing happens and the opportunity is lost.
Build "opportunity fund" mechanisms into your budgets and explain it to the controllers what that means. And then wait for opportunities. Don't worry...you won't have to wait very long.
After all, celebrities will continue to meltdown...
Just don't forget to put out the press releases and viral video.
More melting down" update (3/2): But will Bobby Brown back out? Update (3/5): Yep, he's out. Even so, Hot's effort was worth it.
Always the drama...it's not easy Being Bobby Brown...
posted by Unknown @ Friday, March 02, 2007,
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