ATL Radio Branding - Good & Bad

[trusty]

With "The River", "The Bull", "The Bear", "Dave", "Project", etc. I heard a new one this morning. Seems that WWEV is now branding itself as "The V".

That's right, "The V". Now, excuse me, but I can't help think of all the money this non-com ContempChristian station paid to come up with - "The V". It may look stupid on the screen, but not as bad as it sounds on the air.

"The V".

The folks at V-103 are probably laughing about it. "The V". I mean "Victory 91.5" at least SAID something about the station, but "The V"???

Oh, well.

Oh a better note, Magic 102.9 out of Gainesville (actually Clarkesville) is saying something like, "We know what's been happening on radio in this market, and we welcome all you Sunny 100 and Lite listeners."

I like that.

---------------------

So, you have some examples of really good or really bad branding in Atlanta radio? (besides Planet Radio, of course ;D)

 

[Barbapapa]

Stations hurt themselves by poor nicknames. "The V" doesn't sound so bad but I believe that anything more than a generic, bland or slightly cute one will do nothing but harm. "Dave" is a good case, I'm square in the middle of the demographic that gets the term "Dave" but I think it's silly as applied to a radio station and it must affect the way I consider the station at some level.

When the Morning X named their show the "Don Miller morning show" when there's nobody named such was just stupid and it cost them. A listener gets an impression that they think they're funnier than they really are, are confused that they don't get it and feel alienated. Even if the end effect is small it can only be negative.

"River" is good because it allows a listener's memory to register the station but has nothing to annoy or confuse them.

"Bull" could go either way, it is a strong term but it's cute and creates no confusion.

"Project" should be OK. It's a generic term, a little trendy sounding but not so much as to annoy and confuse.

 

[TheRealOtherNeil]

Stations hurt themselves by poor nicknames. "The V" doesn't sound so bad but I believe that anything more than a generic, bland or slightly cute one will do nothing but harm. "Dave" is a good case, I'm square in the middle of the demographic that gets the term "Dave" but I think it's silly as applied to a radio station and it must affect the way I consider the station at some level.

When the Morning X named their show the "Don Miller morning show" when there's nobody named such was just stupid and it cost them. A listener gets an impression that they think they're funnier than they really are, are confused that they don't get it and feel alienated. Even if the end effect is small it can only be negative.

"River" is good because it allows a listener's memory to register the station but has nothing to annoy or confuse them.

"Bull" could go either way, it is a strong term but it's cute and creates no confusion.

"Project" should be OK. It's a generic term, a little trendy sounding but not so much as to annoy and confuse.

I will respectfully disagree with you on "Project." To me, a project is something that is temporary and will end soon, e.g.: Alan Parsons Project, Manhattan Project, Mercury Project and “The Blair Witch Project.”

As for "Dave," originally I thought it would be a station that plays all: Dave Matthews Band, Dave Grohl, Dave Clark Five, Dave Mason (who lives in Atlanta but no stations play his music.), Sam & Dave and Dave Alvin. In retrospect I wasn’t too far off on the first two. I too am in the demo wheelhouse but have no idea what Dave is supposed to mean.

 

[Barbapapa]

I too am in the demo wheelhouse but have no idea what Dave is supposed to mean.

Maybe "Dave" harkens back to the early eighties and stuntman Super Dave on Showtime. Then there was Dave Letterman who also made it cool to say "Dave", whatever the reason the station has sunk even lower by us discussing it right now. You don't hear anyone debating what the "River" means.

 

[tcsnrayp]

"Dave" is a good case, I'm square in the middle of the demographic that gets the term "Dave" but I think it's silly as applied to a radio station and it must affect the way I consider the station at some level.

Oh good--maybe you could tell me exactly WHAT that demo IS?

 

[FloydB]

What made the "insultants" start calling radio stations by names, anyway? Jack, Dave, Bill, Bob. Blech!

Where's Floyd FM? But, to confuse people even more, let's make Floyd FM hip-hop, instead of the first thing listeners associate Floyd with when they think music: Pink Floyd.

Station branding is as important as the genre and the personalities. The personalities, unfortunately, have become the "red-headded step children" and only a money-sucker from the beancounters point of view. But, if a station is branded with something that puts a bad taste in your P1's mouths, then you might as well just have snow 'cause nobody'll be listening.

Brainstorm: This is an interesting thought I just had: Jack, particularly, is supposed to be a jockless format, right? So, why personify a station that has no personalities?? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Lounge_Lizard]

I'm in the "Dave" demo as well - and I don't have an issue with the name. Dave could relate to Dave Matthews, David Letterman or Dave Thomas and his Frosties. The name only let me know that the music would be a bit different that what I was used to hearing before. In the beginning of Dave's days, that was true.

The idea of using the proper name instead of an idealized concept name, i.e. "River", "Bull", "The Pig" is that is supposed to get insinuated to the listener faster than something that is an object or concept. A proper name has power and familiarity - according to psycho-analysts. You have a name, and it speaks volumes about you - Are you Dave (approachable, affable, fun, kinda edgy and oh so choclately) or are you WXYZ-FM the Big Sky? Jack is in your face, unpredictable (Jack Black, "You don't know Jack", "J@ck Off!"); but Lite FM, while descriptive, is basically boring (great for puns as in "Leave the Lite on for you all night long" but still pablum). B-98.5 doesn't tell you a thing about the station...unless you agree with the idea that B is a second rate grade, so the station is a second tier player...not good enough to be in the top of the class, but not too mediocre to fall below the average. I guess, then, B-98.5 is descriptive - it's just above average. But I know Daves and Jacks, and I can relate to a station called that on a first name basis. That makes the reason for proper names easier to grasp. You don't REALLY relate to "The brown haired guy" or "fat, ugly, naked guy".

All of the consultants out there (and you know who you are, Benji) know that everything is tested, verified, previewed and recycled. The name game is a current fad that will go the way of ROCK, POWER, MIX and WILD soon enough. Think of The Don Miller Morning Show as a pre-cursor to Adult Swim's "Tim and Eric Awesome Show! Good Job!" Its aimed at the same people, the same concepts of humor.

@Barbapapa - I agree that nicknames can hurt a station. They can and often do, get you talking about how stupid that it sounds and telling your friends how could you ever name a station "The Pig" or "Bear" or "Rooster". But as sure as you are talking about it, someone else will go - "Rooster? What type of station calls itself Rooster - what type of music is it? And where on the dial is it so I can see?" And viola - a new P2 is born.

Just my $0.02 - you are welcome to your own ramblings.

 

[FloydB]

I see your point, Lounge. Yeah, I can see the proper name thing. And, for the record, I've liked Dave since they flipped. But, I also liked Z-93.

My favorite stations growing up in the day had names that related to the calls. WBBQ was Q-104 before the flip to AC. Then, Sunny 105, keeping the calls of WZNY went to Y-105. The best Alternative station at the time was WCHZ, "Channel Z" (little did I know about the B-52s song at the time). The other thing about that, though, is that the branding already associated you with the calls, so from an Arby standpoint, it was already grilled in your head what calls you're listening to.

Yeah, I know. Things change. But, we've all complained that this current era of radio sucks. I miss the old days! :'(