Imaging Matters

There is a theory now making the rounds in US radio that imaging doesn't matter in the world of PPM. A recent blog from Edison Media alerted me to this.

That theory is wrong.

It is probably true that PPM is teaching some of the new programmers what experience hasn't had time to teach: Imaging needs to be of high quality, and it needs to be brief, it needs to be true, and it needs to be compelling. Otherwise, it is just a tune-out. Okay, I think I we can all agree with that.

But an accompanying thought is that there is a whole generation that is used to hearing their music without hype. Think iPod. And do not irritate these listeners with imaging.

Well, think record player. They never had much to say between cuts either. Saying that an iPod doesn't include hype between tracks is just silly.

On the other hand, think of other ways young people are exposed to music. Think MTV. Hype. Oh, I think so! How about the role of concern about image? Think iPod cases. Do they sell because of a concern with image? Think iPod's TV spots and magazine ads. Can you get just a whiff of concern about image? There are MP3 players that cost less, but none with the image of an iPod.

For radio programmers, imaging accomplishes two things (at least).

1. Environment. Radio is a social activity. It connects us to other people. As an iPod, radio sucks. As a club we want to belong to, it can be great. We use audio. Or we have nothing to add.

2. Viral marketing. Your imaging expresses in words how you connect to and benefit your listeners. You give them the words that they can use to easily and quickly communicate their appreciation of you to others. What, your imaging doesn't do that? Then the imaging is wrong. But it isn't wrong to have imaging. Just do it better.

We've got to stop throwing the baby out with the bath water. Bad imaging replaced with no imaging? Radio formats that are hell bent on becoming just bad iPods?

No. And never!

...More Duct Tape, Please

Wrap it really tight, so my head won't explode.

The PPM panel is a failure.

At least in terms of compliance.

I wrote, just a couple of days ago, about learning that a PPM ratings panel participant had to participate only 8 hours out of 24 to stay in the sample.

Now, more details have been explained to me. Actually, it is simply necessary that the participant's PPM pager is undocked for at least 8 hours a day.

So, if they pull it out of the dock, put in on the table beside the dock, and then walk out of the house without it? Right! Everything is okay. The silly thing doesn't know the person took off and forgot it. And Arbitron is okay, because it isn't docked.

I asked a senior manager at Clear Channel about this and was told "Everybody is very concerned".

Me too. How 'bout you?

Christmas Sales

All around us, every other kind of business, particularly retail, are pulling out all the stops. They are trying to look good. They have beautiful displays. They use color. They play the right kind of music at the right volume. They approach customers with well researched phrasing as they offer assistance. And so on. They want to create a great shopping environment.

So, we get it easy, right? There are no hordes of  shoppers pouring through the doors of the radio station.

But let's not take it easy. Let's think like the retail stores, and take some time to study our own shopping environment.

As consultant Mike O'Malley put it so well in a recent blog:

• music
• staging
• execution
• talent
• other basics

All of these and more are part of our own "in-store experience".

How are you doing? How can you do better?

My challenge for today: Think of, then implement, 3 things that will spruce up the quality of your listening experience. Let's work as hard as all the other businesses.

PPM: Time for More Duct Tape

So there I was, minding my own business, when I decided to read the daily news from Radio Ink. No problem, yet. But then I clicked on the article "Arbitron PPM Call Focuses On Sampling Incentives".

And I read this:

Another area involves in-tab rates, or the number of panelists who meet the minimum eight-hour carry time for adults and five-hour carry time for children. Charlebois said Arbitron is focused both on improving compliance and on "smoothing the variation that we're seeing in daily in-tab rates across key demographic groups."

I've been reading everything I can about PPM. But I missed any mention of this! Am I understanding correctly that people can participate in this thing, and all they have to do to be counted is carry around their meter for 8 hours? So, given 8 hours of sleep, they can simply not participate in the survey for half of their waking hours? And then you tell me that Arbitron is acknowledging a PROBLEM in this area?

Yikes!

All of you people who have so loudly criticized the diary, hello! Diaries only lose 15% of listening. And we could fix sample size problems in phases 2 and 3 of each survey. And people could record listening to any conceivable device.

Go ahead, add to this "carry around problem" the fact that meaningless background sounds are picked up, while anything involving using earphones is not. Add in the fact that sample sizes are so bad that roll-out of PPM has had to be delayed. Now, tell me, how exactly are things better? Please tell me soon. This duct tape is keeping my head from exploding, but it isn't very comfortable.