This is another entry in a semi-regular series on how traditional media outlet brands can build upon original development.
There are times with clients when you get on the same page within minutes. Great conversations. Birds of a feather. The conversation always turns to the station/newspaper outlet’s brand. And here is where Brand Marketers have a window of opportunity the observe the gap and do something about it. So we come to the point of the conversation of “we all, more or less agree,” If we can’t get here, the process ends. There can, of course, be more research to bolster the side you’re supporting.
I once consulted for a substantial, traditional midwestern newspaper, charged with analyzing whether the company should start a 24-hour regional news channel We had some very early numbers that the market would support ad sales to make a 24-hour regional news channel spring forward and establish itself as the new, hipper news organization. Here is where the discussion dropped off: The paper’s big boss was all about his newspaper’s brand. I tried to give an example from history: I spoke of how a video-centric local media usually exceeded our expectations (And our expectations were on the order of improving traffic by two-to-three times within 8 weeks. We saw these kinds of number.)
The News Boss said “I don’t want to have any product that doesn’t have our newspaper’s name as the banner product.”
I asked “Even if it could make money?”
He didn’t quite respond, but I’ve spoken enough to know when I haven’t had my point.
This week, the local Blockbuster around the corner from One LR Plaza, East Coast Division, is holding a GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE. Blockbuster should have been Netflix. But they were worried putting movies online would result in channel eruption – that they would piss off the bricks and mortar franchisees. Borders is shutting down as well, one of the major book companies that couldn’t wrap its arms around the next step.
Now we get back to the problem of The Brand vs The Slogan. Let’s see: is the “Live Local Breaking News” tag more compelling than “Your number one news station?” Whatever the successful stations are doing, you can argue they have a top brand in local media. HOWEVER, that brand is a very limited eyecatcher. Imagine if NBC decided that the NBC NEWS brand was huge. Every show out there should be branded “NBC NEWS’S Who Do You Think You Are?
Then there’s this: your online audience is different that your broadcast audience. If you had a radio station and a TV station, you wouldn’t run the same programming. You’re trying to get to different people. If you decide that you will only replicate the broadcast experience on your website, then you’ll only get – at best – part of your existing TV audience. Wouldn’t you like to do better?
Oh – and let’s talk “Core Competency.” It’s amazing how many ideas can be shot down by a single voice that tsk tsks and says “That’s not our core competency.” Maybe that’s true. But should that end an initiative? Companies add disciplines regularly. They evaluate an idea, build out a business plan and if it looks like a winner, the project is a GO. Your core competency is not “making a newspaper.” It’s developing new ways to collect and disseminate valuable local media information. (As they put in that wonderful National Car Rental Ad: “Your Core Competency is… Competency!)
Another example comes from Coca-Cola. Coke has dozens of sodas for sale across the world. When Coke added Canada Dry Ginger Ale to its offerings, Coke didn’t insist the beverage change its name to Coca-Cola Dry Ginger Ale Each product stands on its own brand, and each contributes to the Coca-Cola Company’s coffers.
I fear things about my business all the time. Don’t let the TBD mess serve as anything more than a single data point. Its radical change came about because of intractable culture changes, not because the finances flopped within four weeks. People need local news and information. No – not in the way they used to. And we may mourn that. But then we can see that we have to program and daypart content and advertising because we’re trying to hit different audiences. Be Bold. And when you do so, give it more than a few months, especially if the public feedback and online social media is pulling for you. (Which you can also build online via social media.)
