Keynote Zurich 7 May 09 Audience EGTA European saleshouses for advertising space on TV and radio. • •
What is Hero Brand about? How does Hero Brand apply to TV and radio brands?
Being a hero brand means in the first place: do something special that means something special to a group of people. So main question is – Tv brands, radio brands, what have you done lately that was special and how did that mean something special to which group of people. More specifically, for the saleshouses: what have you done special lately that meant something special to the advertising market? Focus on that. I the second place, being a hero brand means you have to look like a hero, act like a hero, behave like a hero and talk like a hero. I twittered a question in the morning: “give me one piece of advice that I can give to media sellers of European TV and radio stations.” I got 78 reactions, Facebook included. I found there were 4 groups. 1. “You look cheaper and trashier day by day”. (the tendency to feel “digital” makes TV stations want to look like websites. Trashy and messy) 2. “You act like victims”. TV and radio are the glamour media still. They make the stars. They define the role models. However. When you create events or presentations, glamour is far away. 3. “You behave like salesmen”. You’re always trying to sell more space. You seem not to care for the programs you bring, but for the space in between. If there is any left. 4. “You talk like banks”. All your presentations are about figures and graphics. That is due to the fact that your spokepartners these days are media buying centers. They only understand figures and grahics. But that’s just Twitter. What would you expect.
Real heroes aren’t defensive. Focus on the positive. THE CROWD EFFECT. Brands need social acceptance. As a matter of fact, in Hero Brand I describe how brands live because people need each others confirmation that they made the right choice. TV and radio are still the most powerful way today to create that feeling and give that confirmation. Internet is not a medium. So don’t fight it like a medium. I heard a media man saying, “Youtube cashed only 100mo in a year. That’s nothing!”, meaning it is not serieus business. From a media buying point of view that is right. But Youtube is not a medium. Youtube is like a river, you throw a message in and it’ll get to the sea. Maybe. Public toilet doors don’t get much money either for being the medium they are. Internet is a world. A new world. With new possiblities. Yet to be discovered. Try it out. But don’t try to apply the old “buy attention” rules, cause you’ll be dissapointed. Embrace change. It is of no use, fighting against progress. Especially when it is technology driven. Think of the days of horses. Imagine you were in the horse business and someone invinted the car. Where would you put your energy? Most horsemen put their energy in warning the world for the danger of cars and how unpractical they were. They never listened when you called them. Others have started new businesses with horses. Like circuses and race tracks. They were smart. If you own race horses today, you’re probably better of than many in the car industry. Q&A