By John Patkin, PhD, DBA
Music formats are a welcome alternative to divisive talk radio. If you find the right channel, then you get a professionally curated soundtrack complemented by an announcer’s narrative.
The oldies station, for example, is the classic plug-and-play. Turn it on, and it belts out your hits and memories with little talk and regular news. The trade-off is ads.
Some ads are irritating but bearable. Frank Walker from National Tiles is notorious, perhaps the Norman Gunston of Australian radio advertising. Walker’s deliberate nasal delivery has inspired dance mixes, parodies and even on-air impersonation competitions. Based on the concept that any publicity is good publicity, National Tiles’ campaigns work because they generate revenue without interrupting the format.
While National Tiles is spruiking a positive message about home improvement and longevity, plainly worded ageist ads for funeral services, retirement villages, and erectile dysfunction are a sober reminder of our mortality. These would seem like sensitive topics, yet don’t attract the same criticism that sensational descriptive content gets on the “younger channels.”
Balancing the need for revenue versus a potential turn-off is a regular source of friction. Content directors, journalists, and sales teams need to carefully balance short-term gains with strategic positioning. A good content director should have the right to approve ads and their schedule.
Establishing boundaries and a chain of command ensures that advertising doesn’t damage programming.
One memorable case involved a news story about a failing car business that was advertising on a local station. It was a valid piece because consumers needed to know that warranties and service may be lost while the suits felt boosting the client’s sales would avert bankruptcy. Knowing the local paper would also publish the story, the car dealer’s demise was still broadcast, albeit subdued.
The ethics of content can contrast with tone. So-called Grey market advertising can work if handled properly. Research shows that older audiences are less easily offended by funeral advertising than younger audiences, but they still find it controversial. Finding the right tone is considered the key. Advertisers need to avoid negative stereotypes associating ageing with weakness and keep in mind that some have a much younger outlook.
Content directors can play an important role in retaining and curating their audiences by creating a sense of community and ensuring advertising is dignified and respectful. If they feel ads will alienate their audience, they can reject them. As the Nobel laureate Bob Dylan sang, “That he not busy being born is busy dying.”
John Patkin, PhD, DBA, is a nationally certified trainer, assessor and educational auditor. He is a lecturer in the Graduate School of The Education University of Hong Kong.