Radio Direct Response: Direct Response Radio Advertising Agency | Blog Zone

Remember a few years back, when Subway ran their campaign featuring Jared Fogle, the man who lost a tremendous amount of weight eating Subway sandwiches?

Now, Washington is debating the legality and fairness of making advertising claims, like Jareds whose results may not be typical.

Senators want to protect their supporters from advertisers, while also protecting the interests of friends in the advertising community, Federal and consumer watchdogs want to protect consumers and punish the wicked. Advertisers want unscrupulous competitors shut down while retaining their own rights to sell their wares, as reported in a recent story in Radio Business Report.

RBR reports that Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Saftey Chairman, Mark Pryor (D-AR) laid out the types of deceptive advertising he was concerned about, including bait and switch, ads disguised as news, paid bloggers, false testimonials, free offers, false advertising of green products and bogus claims in general. He added, the vast majority of advertisers are good, suggesting we must find ways to punish the bad minority without hurting the honest majority.

Also in question are consumer testimonials and whether it is fair to highlight those who have experienced extraordinary results with a product. Advertisers said yes, it is fair and often motivational to others.

The Federal Trade Commission is concerned that consumers exposed to deceptive advertising, particularly in health matters, fail to explore conventional treatment options, a dangerous situation that can sometimes lead to fatal results. One proposed solution is to require advertisers to disclose average results. Advertisers cry easier said that done, saying that even defining what an average result is can be nearly impossible, especially in the weight loss category.

Advertisers support self-regulatory practices, saying the last thing they want is the bad reputation and scurrilous competition from false advertisers. In fact, many complaints come from competitors, a healthy sign of a self-policing marketplace.

Industry support for self-regulation is over 90%, says C Lee Peller, President and CEO of the National Advertising Review Council. Advertisers who refuse to participate are referred to the Federal Trade Commission or other appropriate government agencies.

Radio Business Report concludes, Nobody is in favor of false advertising, least of all honest advertisers. But its extremely difficult to construct a dragnet that catches the crooks without also rounding up a large number of innocent. Speech is a slippery thing, which is why the First Amendment must be respected. Trust your instincts because as the old saying goes, the truth will set you free.

Danny Ocean, Vice President/Director of Operations

Format Description:
Mainstream CHR stands for Contemporary Hit Radio (or Top 40 as it known by many), a format currently enjoying resurgence in popularity. The format, which features the biggest current hit records from the most popular artists, is known for high repetition (short playlists), high production values (tight, energetic jingles and audio signatures) and active promotions (street visibility). CHR usually succeeds in cycles of 10 years and is currently enjoying a wave of success not seen since 1999.

Audience:
18-34 Females, 12-24 year-olds

Core Artists:
Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Nickelback and Black Eyed Peas

Key Radio Stations:
KIIS/Los Angeles
WXKS/Boston
WHTZ/New York
WKQI/Detroit
KHKS/Dallas

DR Factor:
Direct response advertising can be a tough sell on CHR. Younger
listeners tend not to have the discretionary buying power of older listeners. And short attention spans make it difficult to hold this audience’s attention during spot breaks. To succeed, speak their language, enhance their lifestyle and bestow status upon them for choosing your brand.

For more information, visit:
All Access
Billboard
FMQB
Wikipedia

Recently, a California university unveiled a beautiful, new campus. Its buildings were set in close proximity on lush, green grounds. But university administrators conscientiously chose not to pave paths between the buildings.

Instead, they observed the paths students took between buildings throughout the first semester of classes and let those routes determine where paths should be paved.

So simple. So smart. So user friendly.

In advertising, most creative is the brainchild of 1) the client, 2) the advertising agency, or 3) the client in collaboration with the advertising agency. And while there’s much to be said for the product knowledge of the client and the marketing skills of the agency, there’s nothing like input from the end user to get the message right.

Many years ago, RDR conducted research for one of America’s leading home security companies. We identified 80 key benefits a consumer would enjoy from owning one of their home security systems. And with the client’s help, we narrowed the list down to 30.

One by one, in focus groups with existing and targeted customers, we tested one brand benefit against another, eventually generating a 1-to-30 ranking of these benefits by importance. Surprise, surprise. The benefit that had been prominently featured in the company’s existing radio commercials ranked #23 on the consumer’s list of Top 30. Two weeks later, new commercials focusing on the #1 benefit began airing. And the weekly lead volume shot up by more than 35%, practically overnight.

That’s a great example of letting your end user tell you which path to take. Pave prematurely, without seeing where your users want to walk and you may end up with a road to nowhere.

Mark Lipsky, President & CEO

In journalism, lies used to be easy to refute. Documented evidence could overturn even the most specious falsehood. However, in the 21st century, it’s becoming very difficult to sort through journalistic balderdash to find the truth. The Internet has opened a “Pandora’s Box” of official-looking websites that generate a ton of biased content loaded with half-truths, rumors, innuendo and damn lies based the creator’s agenda. Nothing is sacred, from celebrities to politicians to world events.

And a “half-truth” is more sinister than a lie. Often times it’s the truth left up for interpretation. One can have their own opinion, but one cannot have their own facts. It’s never been more apparent than in Washington D.C. these days. There are rumors, lies and half-truths floating around about health care reform that it’s difficult to know the truth. Liberal and Conservative Radio and TV talk show hosts spin it their way, while newspapers, magazines and websites spin it another way. Then we have Bloggers and Tweeters sharing their opinions loaded with miss-information. Even the esteemed New York Times has been caught taking liberties with the truth.

What’s a person to do?

I don’t have the answer. I’m just an adman. All I know is that for the commercials that we write and produce, we need to have disclaimers for claims made by our clients.

Under the Federal Trade Commission Act:

1. Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive.
2. Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims.
3. Advertisements cannot be unfair.

If these rules are not followed, the advertiser can be faced with hefty fines and/or prison.

Maybe the same rules should apply to journalism.

Vince Raimondo, Vice President of Marketing

The “serious” RDR Blog Zone writers are taking a well-earned vacation to make way for a three-part series of “Things We Wanted to Do This Summer.” Here in Part Three, we let our imagination run free to share some things we’d do if time and money were no objects.

I would rent a huge house for the summer and invite all my friends and family to come and spend time and enjoy just being.

I would embark on a summer long European/Asian tour. Stops would include, but not limited to: Barcelona, Spain - Lisbon, Portugal - New Castle, England - Marseille, France - Zurich, Switzerland - Hamburg, Germany - Seoul, South Korea - Nagoya, Japan. Along the way I would take in some futbol matches, fine dining and the night life of each culture. Having friends in Seoul and Nagoya, I would be able reconnect with college friends who I haven’t seen in years. This would be the vacation of a lifetime.

Fly to Fiji and spend three weeks alternating between relaxing on the beach and exploring the rainforest.

If I had unlimited cash, I’d do the last few renovations on my house. We need to put in a new master bath, new screens on the porch and a new driveway. I love my house so much, that every night when I come home, I feel like I have 3-4 hour mini-vacation before I go to bed. We dine al fresco on the patio often, and then we move to the porch, open the French doors and listen to music or listen/watch the Phillies. I’m a simple man. I enjoy a simple life, I love being around my family, my friends and my colleagues. I love my Job (shameless kiss-up) I love playing my guitar on the porch and taking walks. I don’t need to go away to exotic places. I don’t need much.

I’d probably take three weeks and amble through Europe. Northern capitol cities. Small villages. Eat the food. Meet the people. Live the life. Immerse myself in a kaleidoscope of cultures far removed from the western world where my right hand is perpetually cradling a Blackberry.

I would spend six weeks in Provence or Nantucket- spending 4 hrs. a day writing and the rest of the time eating, drinking good wine and having fun!

If money were no object I would hire a personal trainer, travel around the world and sample food everywhere and hire a part-time Mary Poppins for those times that I just need a break.

I have always dreamed of seeing a baseball game in very major league ballpark. Failing that, getting on Chicago’s tour bus and never getting off will fulfill my other lifelong dream.

The “serious” RDR Blog Zone writers are taking a well-earned vacation to make way for a three-part series of “Things We Wanted to Do This Summer.” Here in Part Two, we’ll share some of the things our staff and clients are still hoping to check off their wish list.

Take my nephew to Citi Field and then tour NYC. We have a list of places he wants to see. When he says he wants to tour “The Big Apple” I admit I get a little tear in my eye.

Taking my daughter to Alaska to go dog sledding. There’s nothing like the smell of the cleanest, driest air in the world and the feel of overjoyed dogs licking your fingers to the bone.

Something that I have yet to do this summer is go on my trip to Chicago to see the Phillies play at Wrigley field against the Cubs. It will be my first time in Wrigley and only my second time in Chicago, the first time since I was 14.

I wanted to start running this summer, but health issues have delayed the start date. So…I have six weeks to work up to a very slow and easy mile. I’ll start out walking a quarter mile and then running a quarter mile. I miss the endorphin buzz and the meditative aspect of running-empty mind-breathing and cadence.

Most of mine are for the house we bought 18 years ago. I have design and remodeling plans that I’d like to do that seem to be in the will-get-to-eventually category.

I still have yet to make it to the beach with my family. The weather has been only fair, so I’ve been reluctant to commit an entire weekend to it. Hopefully by August it will finally be summer.

The only thing we said we would do with the kids that we haven’t yet this summer is the Zoo.

The “serious” RDR Blog Zone writers are taking a well-earned vacation to make way for a three-part series of “Things We Wanted to Do This Summer.” Here in Part One, we’ll share some of the things our staff and clients were able to check off their wish list.

We had a huge, huge water party extravaganza. I went to Toys R Us and bought the biggest slip n slide they had, water guns, water balloons, pool toys, sprinklers and tons of bubbles. We invited all the kids in the neighborhood and let them go crazy. It really was a blast. All the moms got involved too! I have also, finally, taken my kids on a whale watch in Boston. It is something we planned on doing last summer, but circumstances prevented us from going. It was well worth the extra wait and even my three-year old had an awesome time!

Catch up with friends and family that we haven’t spent much time with recently. Of course, after catching up with them, now I remember why we haven’t spent so much time together recently.

I promised myself to take a vacation for the first time in three years and I did!! My wife and son and I went to Ocean City, NJ. The weather was not good but it didn’t matter. We had a great time, watching movies, playing cards and board games. We rode bicycles, took naps and went on the beach for 10 minutes. We went out to dinner every night. No crowds. For the first time in twenty years, my son never said, “I’m bored.” It was a sign of maturity and he genuinely had a good time with “old Ma and Pops.” We really enjoyed each other’s company just doing mundane, simple things.

This summer (spring, fall) I told myself that I would make it to 30 Phillies games. With 32 home games remaining in the regular season, I’ve gone to 20. So I’m on course to hit my goal.

I promised myself that I would see Chicago with Earth, Wind & Fire and I did.

Get in shape and lose 10 pounds. Organize all my photos. Not use the TV as a babysitter. I am 0 for 3 right now.

A recent survey published in USA Today reveals that social networking services such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are aren’t about to replace old-fashioned, non-digital communication anytime soon.

Women prefer “face time” 70 times more than using social networks. Men prefer personal contact 33 times more often, according to the survey.

As for Twitter, nearly 70% of the adults questioned said they didn’t know enough about Twitter to have an opinion about it.

Still, social networking services are growing in popularity. Facebook now has 250 million members, including 50 million whom joined in the last three months. Twitter has more than 35 million users. MySpace membership is estimated around 130 million.

While there’s little doubt that these sites and new social networking sites will continue to reach more and more people over time, at present, half of the respondents said that they do not use social media.

This report strikes a familiar chord here at RDR. We’ve been dealing with reports that new forms of media will bring about the death of radio for decades. Sure, iPods and streaming audio have carved out a share of the marketplace. Still, more than 90% of all adults spend time each week with their radios. Our clients certainly can attest to radio’s ongoing and measurable impact.

In recent weeks, we’ve taken steps to launch our own Facebook and Twitter sites for our agency. We recognize the power and appreciate the potential of these exciting new media.

But we’ll be wary of the buzz and temptation to throw entire marketing budgets at new and unproven channels. Everything in moderation - or in the case of radio, modulation.

Mark Lipsky, President & CEO