A Loyal Reader Writes:
“I’m a PD who is responsible for writing all the imaging material for my stations. Coming up with ideas for these seems to be more challenging every day. Do you know of any good resources for ‘stealing’ creative liners?”
No; that’s not something I would recommend even if knew of any.
Station Imaging doesn’t come from using other people’s liners; it comes from creating, communicating and building upon a genuine connection between you and your audience.
Despite widespread belief to the contrary among radio programmers, Station Imaging does not consist of snappy one-liners.
Real Station Imaging is a combination of two thing:
1. Reflecting back to your core audience the ways in which they really do use your station (entertainment, information, companionship — it varies according to your station and your audience).
2. Making a promise to your listeners.
What do you promise?
You promise to deliver what your audience already has told you they expect from you (i.e., #1, above).
Station Imaging Is Not Sloganeering.
Sorry. I realize it’s easier to parrot a clever slogan than to identify and then communicate your station’s Unique Listening Proposition.
Illustration:
What’s the slogan upon which Federal Express (now FedEx) was built?
“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”
Wrong. Sorry, that was a trick question.
“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight” was not a slogan. It was a promise.
So you begin your quest for a good station liner by answering the question, “What promise do we make to our listeners?”
And then you look for ways to present that promise compellingly and concisely.
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Brilliant response Dan, as imaging director for many years, it always amazed me how instead of reflecting the core values of the station and how it benefits the listener by incorperating that message into station branding seemed to fall by the wayside of “We play 10 in a Row”, City’s # 1 Hit Music station, or “Your Listen at work station”, all of these over used cliche’ positioning/branding statements have little to do with what the listener hears.
What goes on between the records (when not voiced by the jock) is extremely important in a PPM world. Making a promise, delivering that promise and then iterating that same promise again is what will make your station “top of mind” and keep the loyalty to your brand on their presets. You can’t “steal” a liner/sweeper from another market and make it work in your market. Be creative, have brainstorm sessions in staff meetings, ASK your listeners in a perceptual what THEY want to hear, and use that knowledge to create your own brand specific imaging
You nailed it, Dan
Amen!
Ha. Tell that to the 97% who steal everyday. It’s the “radio way.”