Trader Joe’s has a distinct and defined image in a very crowded, competitive grocery space. While most grocery market chains struggle to eke out very small margins, Trader Joe’s profits soar. How do they do it? Let me count the ways. IT’S FUN. A grocery store? Fun? It’s true, it’s hard not to smile in … Continue reading The Branding Genius Of Trader Joe’s
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Last week, the east coast got battered with its FOURTH winter storm in three weeks. Raleigh had some wintry weather too (yeah, yeah, I know, cry you New Englanders a river). When this happens, many of us have the luxury of taking our laptops home and avoiding a harrowing and potentially hazardous commute. If you’re … Continue reading The Power Of Radio In Tough Times
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“Digital photography killed Kodak’s business.” “Netflix put Blockbuster out of business.” “Amazon put Toys “R” Us out of business.” When an iconic brand goes under, the blame game always commences. The truth is, Amazon didn’t put Toys “R” Us out of business. Neither did Target or Wal-Mart. Toys “R” Us put Toys “R” Us out … Continue reading Why Toys “R” Us Is Closing
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Does your brand have a base position? No matter what industry, whatever the size of the company…you must have a clearly understood base position. When we work with radio stations, we often refer to the foundation of our Image PyramidSM—the base music or talk position. For the other components of the pyramid (personality, specialty programming, … Continue reading Be True To Your Base Position
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Where do you go when it’s time to brainstorm and talk shop? Recently, the Coleman Insights brain trust found itself where it often does on a random Friday afternoon. Chili’s. Just before the server took our orders, I noticed our dining musical accompaniment featured the ambient beats of “Jive Talkin’”, which had seamlessly faded into … Continue reading Reducing Friction On Your Radio Station – Part 2
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Friction is a hot buzzword in marketing these days. It refers to obstacles in the customer experience. Can’t find the “submit” button on a form? Friction. Pop-ups getting in the way on a website? Friction. Getting charged unexpected fees? Very irritating friction. Are you adding friction to your radio station? How much has changed in … Continue reading Reducing Friction On Your Radio Station – Part 1
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Have you been looking for music on YouTube lately? Maybe on Instagram? Snapchat? Unknown artists, old and young, are using these platforms to share their talents with the world. YouTube has created a whole generation of musicians with massive amounts of followers, waiting to be heard by the widest audience possible. This isn’t so easy … Continue reading Do Artists Still Need Radio For Stardom?
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In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, my colleague Jon Coleman hypothesized why New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would be a great radio programmer. In the big game, it was Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson who got the better of Belichick in a 41-33 victory. The post-game perception of Pederson … Continue reading How Research Won The Super Bowl
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“Our way or the highway”. “Because we’ve always done it that way”. “We know what we’re doing”. When one company takes over another, they often bring their own ideas, processes and people. When Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America in 2016, and subsequently announced they would get rid of the Virgin America brand, I thought it … Continue reading Are You Listening To Your Customers?
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Let’s imagine, this Super Bowl week, what it would be like if New England head coach Bill Belichick wasn’t the leader of the Patriots. In fact, let’s imagine him out of football completely. What if Bill Belichick was the program director of a radio station? What would those aircheck sessions look like? Belichick would dissect … Continue reading What if Bill Belichick Programmed Your Radio Station?
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