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News From Audio Graphics:
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Radio Needs Testing - But Is It This? |
Jerry Lee, WBEB (B101) Philadelphia owner, deserves his legendary status in the radio industry. In my opinion, he stands far above any other person in radio. Mr. Lee is an owner's owner, one of only a few who takes chances. The only other person, whom I'm aware of, that has so publicly declared his desire for the preservation of radio's image with the same intensity is WCLV owner, Robert Conrad. There are no group heads that come close to either of these two gentlemen in importance to radio.
I've known Robert Conrad for twenty-five years and cherish the many times we ate lunch together, had business meetings, and participated in the long gone "Achievement in Radio Awards" as board members. It is at the last AIR Awards ceremony that Robert stood up before the Cleveland radio community and declared himself an "old fart in this business who's earned the right to say..." and then went on to lambaste the attendees for failing to keep radio's responsibilities to the community alive. It was one of local radio's finest hours, even if nobody followed his message.
Jerry Lee is giving the radio industry another chance to salvage itself, this time in the eyes of advertisers. He, like Robert Conrad, is a radio "old fart" who's earned the right to speak - and to be heard.
There are a few thoughts that trouble me over the concept Jerry Lee is delivering to the Advertising Research Foundation’s Audience Measurement 3.0 Conference in New York this week. To summarize his offer, it's to "test" radio commercials and prove they are better at delivering reach and efficacy than Philadelphia's television commercials.
Thought #1's concern revolves around Mr. Lee paying for the creative of radio commercials involved in this testing. Expecting a client to pay for the production of commercials has always been unacceptable. Radio has conditioned clients to expect free creative and production, except for advertisers whose buy is placed by an agency that produces the spot. So, is Mr. Lee testing radio's standard product or a version that he's paid to enhance? If it works, will WBEB pay for testing all campaigns so this process improves industry perceptions? (See "stunt" below.)
Thought #2 (on my list of "this troubles me") is about the research WBEB conducts on its current batch of commercials. It's described at Radio Business Report as "...unique multi-level research and testing process for radio commercials...." RBR goes on to say it "...first identifies which messages really connect a consumer to a brand – avoiding the common mistake of packing too many messages into a radio spot." If this is true, why hasn't this been adopted nationwide?
Thought #3 rests with an extension of the above "testing." Radio & Records reports that "Commercials are then tested on likeability." Stay with me because we've just gone through paying for the creative and identifying which message connects. Now we add this layer of testing "likeability," where the commercial must rank higher than a 7 (out of 10) to be taken to the next level of testing.
Thought #4 is the most troubling. In Mr. Lee's testing is a process called "facial coding," which determines if the commercial "emotionally connects" with the audience. I ask this with all respect due a person of Mr. Lee's stature: Isn't that the essence of what all advertising is about? "Move emotion and you'll move product" is something that every creative person learns very early in their career. Connecting emotionally is essential. That's why most radio commercials fail today; they don't connect emotionally with the audience.
70%-80% of radio industry revenue comes from local advertisers, and few can afford additional dollars for testing their campaigns.
So this announcement made by Jerry Lee at the Audience Measurement 3.0 Conference is aimed at national buyers, or only the biggest of local clients. (I remember reading somewhere that Mr. Lee will pay upwards of $20,000 to test each commercial, so the buy had better be six figures.)
May I suggest that radio already has the ability to test commercials at a greatly reduced cost. Testing is simple, only requiring an advertiser to have a web site. If the advertiser doesn't have a site, you can make one for about $15. If you're interested in how,
contact me.
Now we come to the major point:
If the radio industry pursues "testing" of its commercial product, it should not be done
with enhanced commercials - but ones that are similar in quality to what radio stations push
out of their production rooms daily.
All commercials that leave a radio production room should be of quality - in writing, production, and message. This shouldn't be something that carries an extra charge that either the station or client picks up. That this edict has not been followed is one reason why radio revenues are declining.
As for the following line which appeared in every article written about Mr. Lee's announcement - "This isn’t some stunt..." - I'm confident it's not being presented as one. But, going through the hoops described above to make sure a radio commercial delivers response is going to be perceived as a stunt.
Advertisers today are measuring response. If you can't deliver response with an expanded reach, you need to do it with improved creative. And you can't do the latter with overworked production directors, sales persons writing copy, or by yelling at the audience.
Move emotion and you'll move product.
The days of using focus groups to determine if commercials work are drawing to a close. We've reached a stage where advertising needs to be adjusted on the fly to improve response - in the middle of a schedule.
Response is today's measure of quality, and that metric is being observed on the internet every day. The radio industry needs to figure out how to incorporate this response metric for all clients. Using Jerry Lee's plan, that's not going to happen.
You do have to applaud his effort, though. At least he's doing something.
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