Mark Kassof Quotations of Chairman Mark

Focus is crucial in marketing, whether it’s for a radio station or anything else. The question remains: What are you focusing on?

Many radio execs and consultants are experts on the radio industry. I’ve met guys who seem to know any station and format you can think of (and some that you can’t).

Sure, it’s good to know what’s going on in New York, L.A., Wichita… wherever.

But that’s not the right focus…

My focus is radio listeners… the ones in whatever market I’m working on at the time.  Frankly, I’m even more interested in listeners than whatever is going on in the industry.

I hope you are too. Because listeners in your market are the only ones that can make your ratings success.

History is rife with examples of stations that failed because their managers focused on an industry trend (or fad), rather than what’s needed and will work in their own markets.

The one I always think of first is Disco,  pioneered by the original WKTU (not the current one) in the late ’70s. That station was an instant smash in New York, prompting “industry savvy” G.M.’s (note: sarcasm) to clone it. Unfortunately, the format didn’t play in Peoria (literally) and lots of other places it was tried.

The Disco fiasco is especially poignant to me because a station I successfully programmed as an AOR — San Antonio’s original KTFM (not the current one) — foolishly jumped on Disco after I left, with disastrous results.

There have been many more since — the ’70s format, the ’80s format, Jammin’ Oldies…

More recently, the Adult Hits format has been a winner in some places, a flop in others. Even in Canada, where the format enjoyed its first and biggest successes, “Jack FM” failed to gain traction in Toronto.

And most recently, the success of “Amp Radio” in Los Angeles has prompted a revival of CHR. Jack in Toronto is now CHR — Kiss 92.5. At least they picked a different name…others must have thought that the name “Amp” has magic, for some unfathomable reason. CBS planted Amp in Detroit — where it displaced a solid 4 share Smooth Jazz format. It’s too soon to say, but I’d bet Detroit’s Amp won’t do as well.

Unfortunately, listeners in Detroit just don’t read Inside Radio, Radio Ink, All Access and the countless industry-oriented web sites. What’s the matter with them??? Don’t they know that Amp in L.A. had a 3.8 in September???

To some extent, listeners in every market are unique. But even more significantly, the competitive structure of every market — based on listeners’ needs and perceptions — is unique. So just because a format is hot in one market doesn’t do you a damn bit of good in yours!

So, sure…keep on top of “the biz.” But keep your focus on listeners in your market. Base your strategies on them.

One of my fond memories of growing up in Chicago is the hot dog joints. You can’t go more than a block or two in Chi-town without seeing the Vienna brand hot dog sign. Chicago’s hot dog joints are one of things that make it unique…Since leaving my hometown, I lived in K.C., San Antonio, and Minneapolis (among other places) and never saw anything even remotely like them.

So, when we moved to Ann Arbor, I was thrilled to discover the “Chicago Dog House”…a run down shack with the Vienna sign proudly displayed. As soon as I walked in, the smell of greasy fries hit me and I felt right at home.

The Dog House was a dump. It was crowded, noisy and had questionable cleanliness. Its counters were worn. Its tables were warped and carved up. It had a street sign “borrowed” from one of Chicago’s North Side corners. It blasted an eclectic music mix — anything from classic rock to Etta James and Leon Redbone. Behind the counter was a wall of bizarre headlines from tattered tabloids, yellowed by age and the grease in the air.

The Dog House closed last year when the city shut down its street for a major construction project. I grieved.

But recently, the shack reopened as “Ray’s Red Hots.” Of course, I had to check it out…

Ray’s Red Hots is clean and bright. Everything’s freshly painted and fixed up. The counter is new and the tables have been refinished. The street sign is gone. The tabloids are gone. They’re not serving Vienna brand, but something called “Red Hot Chicago.” They don’t taste quite like Viennas.

Ray’s dogs don’t have the flavor of the Chicago Dog House. Neither does the place.

So what’s the point???

Too many radio stations are like Ray’s Red Hots. There’s nothing wrong with them. They’re technically competent. They’re clean. They’re professional.

But something is missing…call it charisma, the “X-factor,” a certain specialness or even quirkiness.

For example, as a Chicagoan, I grew up listening to Larry Lujack. He wasn’t the most smooth and professional announcer. He screwed up sometimes. He had dead air sometimes. I think that made listeners pay more attention. They knew they weren’t listening to a machine.

Lujack was a star on WLS. Its smooth-as-silk midday jock Bernie Allen was a personality that only I would remember.

This isn’t unusual. One of the things I’ve learned doing research is that some of the most compelling personalities are ones that most “radio professionals” would think flat out suck! But they’ve made a personal connection to listeners in their communities.

Think about your friends. Are they perfect? Or do they have certain “schticks” that make them interesting, amusing or endearing?

Ideally, a radio station is like a friend to the listener. There’s a personal connection, and a hometown connection. But too many stations today sound like they’re from a cookie cutter and could literally be from anywhere.

What about your stations? Are they like Chicago Dog House, or Ray’s? Are they merely professional, or do they have flavor ?

It’s fashionable to bash radio executives today. But radio G.M.’s and P.D.’s are among the smartest people I know.

And, now more than ever, I think radio managers get the idea of establishing a brand and being focused and consistent. They get it more than they did years ago. It’s been years since I’ve heard statements like: We need more 25-54’s…let’s add some oldies to our CHR station.”

Radio guys “get” brand integrity more than some big money execs in some other industries…

The auto industry has been a lifelong interest of mine and I follow it closely. As a marketing guy, I was astounded by something I heard recently from Chrysler brand CEO Peter Fong. He sees the brand moving “a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac.”

I say two things: (1) Mr. Fong, check your medications, and (2) I want my tax money back!

Even in the best days of the Chrysler brand, it was never more than upper-middle, like Buick. And that was a long time ago. When the corporation dropped Plymouth (another mistake), Chrysler became the purveyor of its low-end minivans and cheaper cars like the PT Cruiser. Chrysler moved downscale, not up.

Once you do that, there’s no turning back. It’s just not possible to move a brand up the luxury and prestige ladder. (Unless consumers didn’t know who you were in the first place.)

And that’s why Toyota, Nissan and Honda created Lexus, Infiniti and Acura back in the ’80s…because they knew consumers wouldn’t pay big bucks for “Toyota,” “Nissan” or “Honda”!

In contrast, it is quite possible to move downscale, but it’s not usually a good idea…

Until recently, the 3 Series was the least expensive BMW. In ‘08, they launched a lesser model — the 1 Series. It’s not selling well.

Undaunted, BMW is now reported planning a new 0 series! Not only will the model be cheaper yet, but it will also be the first front wheel drive BMW. Front wheel drive has advantages, but optimum handling isn’t one of them. Ask any car aficionado…y’know, the kind that have bought “The Ultimate Driving Machine” for years.

Besides, who wants to say: “I drive a zero”?

Moving a luxury brand downscale is hardly limited to autos. Starbucks recently introduced Via — an instant coffee….hardly an upscale product.

Starbucks must know it’s on shaky ground here. Its website states: This is not instant coffee as you know it. This is rich, flavorful Starbucks® coffee in an instant… Starbucks has found a way to offer a truly great cup of coffee that you can prepare by just adding water.

This is brand dilution…literally. Even if Via tastes as good as Starbucks claims, that’s missing the point. Starbucks isn’t just about the coffee…it’s about the total experience. Y’know, the rich smell of coffee in the air, the barrista skillfully preparing your Grande Java Chip Frappacino with a shot of espresso (note: not my order), the students spending hours on their laptops…

Why else would someone spend $5 for a coffee???

You’d think the folks at Starbucks would understand this, but execs often lose sight of the big picture when they’re chasing revenue in a down market. Even if Starbucks sells tons of Via, it hurts them long-term.

So, I have a suggestion for BMW, Starbucks and any other companies that are losing their way. Hire some ex-radio execs as brand managers. There are certainly a lot of them looking for work, and they “get it.”