DAN O’DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO

Recently I’ve written about a major market oldies radio station that just doesn’t seem to “get it.” (Being the only oldies station in the market gives them a lot of room to do things badly.)

Here’s the same station, promoting a daypart where:

“We’ve added more of your favorite artists like the Everly Brothers (audio: ‘Wake up little Suzy, wake up’), Buddy Holly (audio: ‘If you knew Peggy Sue, then you’d know what I’ve been through’), Chuck Berry (audio: ‘Riding around in my automobile, my baby beside me at the wheel’) and other rock ‘n’ roll greats!”

Uh, guys? Here’s a radio programming tip for any “gold” or “oldies” station:

If your listeners know who the Everly Brothers are, you don’t need to continue to explain it to them by playing a snippet of one of their songs.

If they don’t know who the Everly Brothers are, that song sample won’t mean anything to them.

Name a few artists (which instantly will connect, in the listeners’ minds, to the artists’ music) or play a brief song montage (which will trigger the audience’s emotional responses to the music).

One or the other.

And then play the actual music your listeners tuned in to hear.

A Radio Station Creative Director Writes:

“A local advertising agency that is really a glorified buying service was soliciting our station’s help to pitch an area spa.

“After reviewing their creative (which was anything but), I offered a brief critique of their radio commercial script.

“I said that besides not connecting with the listener at all, the copy offered no benefit for the listener, no reason to patronize that spa. They should give that soccer mom a reason why she should take time out of her busy day, and money out of her bank account, to have some laser process or cellulite reduction done.

“The agency’s response was, ‘Let’s not assume the listeners are idiots. They can figure out why they should come to this spa.’ ”

Well, of course.

I guess it’s the consumers’ job to figure out why they should patronize a particular business.

And the commercial exists to…um…I dunno, act as an auditory brochure.

• Spa
• Agency
• Radio station
• Audience

One of those four qualifies as “idiot.”

Jerry Felder was a songwriter. When he was six years old, he contracted polio, which required him to walk with crutches until he was 40…when an accident resulted in a wheelchair being his sole mode of mobility for the rest of his life.

As a teenager, he became a blues singer. Standing onstage with the support of crutches. Not wanting his parents to discover how he was spending his time, he adopted the stage name of “Doc Pomus.”

After years as a singer he took up songwriting, because he knew eventually he wanted to get married, and it seemed obvious that continuing as a blues singer wouldn’t support a family.

He went on to co-write (primarily as lyricist) a ton of hit records, many with his longtime collaborator, Mort Shuman.

You know a lot of his songs. Too many to list here. (Elvis recorded more than 20 Pomus-Shuman songs.)

Two memorable examples: Dion & the Belmonts’ “Teenager In Love” and the fragilely beautiful “This Magic Moment.”

But I Am Not Here To Talk About How Doc Pomus Overcame Adversity.

Yes, his story is inspirational, and according to everyone who knew him, he was a kind, wonderful person.

But I am hijacking Doc Pomus’ artistry to offer a lesson both to commercial copywriters and to radio personalities.

Far too many copywriters begin their writing by looking for a clever conceit, a funny situation, or an amusing character.

Almost all radio hosts’ “show prep” consists of keeping up to date with whatever “everyone” is talking about on any given day.

Possibly Doc Pomus’ most famous and most enduring song is “Save The Last Dance For Me.”

What did you think that song was about? A high school prom, perhaps?

Probably Pomus & Shuman were sitting in their Brill Building office, trying to “come up with a song that teenagers would like”?

No.

That song was about a painful aspect of the happiest day of his life .

He was writing about how he felt about, thanks to polio, not being able to dance with his bride at their wedding reception.

Wow, huh?

He Started With The Truth.

And you should, too.

Before you begin writing your advertising copy, ask: “What is the real message that I need to communicate to the targeted consumer?”

When you’ve truly figured out that “true thing” you want to say in your spot, usually the copy “writes itself.”

While preparing for your show, ask: “What do I really care about? How do I really feel about this song/news story/ controversy/information?”

No, I don’t suggest you turn your pop entertainment show into your own personal soapbox.

If your job is to play the hits, play the hits. If it’s to entertain listeners, entertain them.

But if you want to create something that actually affects people and perhaps even outlives you…

Start with the truth.

Thank you, Doc.

When I spent a week consulting Italy’s R101 radio, the morning show hosts (Paolo Cavallone, Christiano Militello, and Massimo Lopez) prevailed upon me to record a promo for them.

As I think you’ll see, I pretty much nailed it.

Oh, Paolo’s very last word in the video, “Poveretto”? 

I’m told it translates roughly to, “That man is a real professional.”

View this radio morning show video on YouTube.