Let’s put this bad boy in the limo

You don’t need me to tell you how working in radio production is one non-stop party: an endless stream of  pro-celebrity showbiz moments.

Now this video from US music production house Groove Addicts has finally captured it for all to see.

The video follows the production of imaging for Austrian hit music station Ö3. The production sounds great, the video is amazing and the people are so incredibly cool they require a special building with lots of moody lighting.

After all, that’s what radio’s like, isn’t that right production friends? Hey, I’m talking to you there, lying flat under the desk, trying to fix that hum on the reverb send.

Thanks to jinglenews.com for bringing the video to light.

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How do you feel about radio?

Two radio blog posts reached my eyeballs this evening.

One is an articulate, properly-researched essay, setting out some challenges that face radio in the UK. The piece runs to what looks like a couple of thousand words, quotes primary source data and extrapolates thoughtful analysis into resigned conclusion. It has lots of charts.

The other is a short effervescent explosion of excitement, fresh from a product launch.

I recommend you read them both. Then decide which mood to choose.

You could choose to bemoan the state of the radio industry. In fact, go further and take pleasure in its travails while wallowing in a warm bath of righteousness.

Or decide to do something about it.

People thrilled by the potential of new technologies, who enjoy trying out new stuff and who are committed to improving radio for listeners are shaping the future of our industry already. And they seldom have time to write 2000 word essays.

The author and marketing guru Seth Godin puts attitude at the top of his hierarchy of success.

So what shall we be tomorrow? A ‘glum’ or a ‘get-it-done’?

Photo: Show us your smile by dotbenjamin on Flickr. Used under CC licence.

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Aftershock

Here’s a promo campaign, and one you won’t experience much in the UK.

The campaign is for the BBC’s new season exploring the impact of the recession. It’s a global recession and this is a global campaign, delivered by radio, television and online around the world.

The Aftershock season starts this weekend and contains everything from a radio drama based on the fall of Lehman to a Robert Peston documentary.

The programmes on radio and television are actually quite different so the promotional campaign requires a big idea to transcend the detail.

Here it is for television:

…and for radio:

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The approach, as you’ll see and hear, is to present challenging questions about the possible effects of the recession. It’s good that the agency (Rainey Kelly Campbell Rolfe Y&R) and production teams (including the good folk I recently managed) have played to the different strengths of each medium while remaining true to the common theme. That’s not always as easy as it seems.

Moreover, there’s a vibrant debate already on the YouTube page sparked by the campaign. If you’re going to ask challenging questions, I reckon that’s a good first response.

But what do you think?

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Little things

It seldom does any harm to suck-up to the boss. At least that’s what I keep telling my team. So you won’t be surprised to hear that the BBC’s Director of Global News Richard Sambrook delivered a characteristically brilliant keynote address at last week’s Radio Festival.

Richard’s speech underlined the continuing importance of radio in reaching global audiences and during it he played the audio imaging used by the BBC of old…

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…and that of today…

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Richard’s point, reflected in this contrasting audio, was not just that one sounded more contemporary than the other but that today’s BBC is about nation speaking to nation in a two-way global conversation, not just London calling the rest of the world. The idents reflect that change.

I was also struck by the copywriting, short as it is. We swapped out “This is..” for “You’re with..” a few years ago but the impact of doing so has only sunk in recently.

The aim was to move from a station announcement to something that acknowledged the relationship between you and the broadcaster. Station announcements still have their place of course (St. Pancras International for example) but radio is about human connections and the newer phrase adds an emotional dimension. “You’re with..” also puts both the BBC and you on the same level. Immediately you’re closer and in good company.

At the time this change didn’t seem a big deal. It was unlikely to bring us new listeners. We did it because, well, I tend to be a bit obsessed with detail. I felt a bit silly writing instructions about something so trivial.

Then, more recently I found this blog entry from a listener in Mexico, and this from Yahuda Berlinger in Jerusalem who is otherwise critical of the BBC:

Every hour the BBC ends the hour with some jingles. The jingles used to end, “… wherever you are, THIS is the BBC.” Lately they have switched to “… YOU’RE with the BBC.”

It’s not much of a change, but I think it’s a good change. “You’re with” gives you a sense of community, where “This is” is just self-promoting. “You’re with.” It’s got a nice ring to it. Yes, I am. I am with you. I hate you, and I can’t trust you, but I’m with you while I’m listening to you, so, yeah. I’m with you.

The “you’re with…” line has made it into this quotations page, into a bunch of Tweets:

…and now into Richard’s speech which, need I remind you, was very good.

It all serves to demonstrate that radio station brands are highly geared machines. A tiny turn on the controls can shift us a huge distance in the minds of our listeners.

Photo: Spot the Differences, by *Dragonfly* Used with kind permission. Go to Flickr to see all the differences. Audio: copyright BBC. Used graciously.

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