By Dave Charles and Lee Abrams.
Cool…It serves as a magnet for any company aiming to cultivate fans rather than just users. This concept often goes unnoticed because it’s challenging to quantify. You either have it in your corporate and personal DNA, or you don’t.
For a new brand, being perceived as cool can be pivotal; embracing this mindset can propel your success. Legacy media companies frequently struggle in the cool department. They may acquire trendy brands, only to drain them of their cool factor, and when they attempt to rejuvenate that vibe, they often rely too heavily on focus groups and business metrics, neglecting instinct, soul, and passion. The key is to STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND EMOTION.
Mediocrity is a major cool killer. Average might be acceptable, but it’s never cool. Here’s a brief list of cool versus uncool based on how we want FANS to perceive:
(The definition of cool varies by target audience, but here are some thought starters for a fan-centric company)
**COOL:** Underground, street-level, experimental
**UNCOOL:** Large, outdated, corporate, and arrogant
**COOL:** A visual range from Black & White to cinematic, psychedelic, and cerebral
**UNCOOL:** Polished and “agency-safe”—lacking soul
**COOL:** A diverse array of voices, embracing various accents
**UNCOOL:** Generic, characterless broadcast voices
**COOL:** Fresh, simple names
**UNCOOL:** Cliché names like Zimboo, Bimboo, Boogle, Loogie, Voobu, Wally, Vanker, etc.
**COOL:** Driven by passion
**UNCOOL:** Driven by mergers
**COOL:** Designed for Main Street
**UNCOOL:** Designed for Wall Street
**COOL:** Authenticity in action—letting the product speak for itself
**UNCOOL:** Deceptive slogans meant to mislead. Your cable company or local TV news might say “we’re in it for you,” but that’s just perpetuating the nonsense.
**COOL:** A grassroots intellectual culture celebrating enlightenment
**UNCOOL:** Superficial pop culture that promotes nothing meaningful
**COOL:** AI
**UNCOOL:** AI miss used (typo intentional)
**COOL:** Genuine retro
**UNCOOL:** Faux retro
**COOL:** Timeless artists across all genres
**UNCOOL:** Disposable pop performers
**COOL:** Local dives, pubs
**UNCOOL:** Chain franchises
**COOL:** Ideas that can change the world
**UNCOOL:** Disposable, dumbed-down content
**COOL:** Lasting talent
**UNCOOL:** This week’s celebrity with questionable skills
**COOL:** Speaking like regular people
**UNCOOL:** Using corporate jargon or news-speak to appear impressive
**COOL:** Calling out or deliberately ignoring celebrities with bad behaviour
**UNCOOL:** Celebrating or over-reporting on celebrities’ misconduct
**COOL:** Critiquing junk culture without a hint of irony
**UNCOOL:** Pretending junk culture holds significance
**COOL:** Embracing eccentricity
**UNCOOL:** Exhibiting self-importance
**COOL:** Media rebels
**UNCOOL:** Media conformists
**COOL:** Unlimited sound—from jazz to punk
**UNCOOL:** Cheesy “production music”
**COOL:** Content that inspires chills and thoughtful laughs
**UNCOOL:** Content that elicits eye rolls
**COOL:** Individuals who are wealthy due to their intelligence
**UNCOOL:** Individuals who are intelligent because of their wealth
**COOL:** Common sense
**UNCOOL:** Political correctness where it’s unnecessary
Cool…the secret weapon
Dave Charles (left) is the President of Media RESULTS Inc. With more than six decades spent working in radio here and overseas he was inducted into the Canadian Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2024. Lee Abrams (right) has worked as a consultant to over 1,000 radio stations, 12 major print publications, tv stations and cable networks and is the designer of XM satellite.