Studying The Target

“Focus,” as author Al Ries (and his daughter in the years since) has been preaching (he wrote a great book on it) is the key to owning a category in a prospect’s mind. 

Also, the focus needs to be on the needs of the user not the product you’re hoping to sell. 

That starts by getting to know who it is you want to listen to your radio station.

Otherwise, you're guilty of "fire, ready. aim."

Odds are you are either younger or older than they are.  So, what can you do to create a reality-based picture that will prove to be effective?

• Join a local service club that attracts members of your target.
• Volunteer at a local charity as a worker.
• Join a church, synagogue or other religious organization. 
• Take a course at an adult school (not college).
• Talk to listeners on Facebook, Twitter and other social nets and get involved in the activities the folks who are your target age care about.
• Take a day “off” the air and live like your listener does.
• Visit places where they work.
• Go to lunch where your listeners go.  Not just one time, just routinely.

Look for folks who listen to your radio station and get to know them.

Live the demo.

Maintain the sympathetic reaction for consistent listenership.

Have a staff meeting and assign everyone to do these things.

Then, reconvene to talk as a group about what everyone observed and learned.

What more can everyone do to become a “real” companion?

After completing these steps, you're ready to aim and then "fire."

My (Bad) Judgment Is Showing

You might subtitle this cautionary tale “do what I say, not what I did.”

With the arrival of NASH-Icons and Collin Raye’s recent Fox News Op-Ed calling a halt to “Bro-Country” and imploring Nashville label execs to return to a style of song that he feels is “true country” I've been asked what I think about it a lot lately.

For my 40 years in the format it seems that about every decade or so someone comes up with a “real,” “classic,” “pure,” “legends” approach to the music with the goal of appealing to older folks who don’t like the current direction the younger demos are pulling the format.

I enjoy this discussion, having led literally thousands of focus groups with every possible narrow demo niche within the spectrum of country music radio fans.  I often explain the key point I have taken away for all of this listening to passionate fans of the music is that older folks take the time to understand the tastes of young ones, whereas younger folks have no desire to figure out what makes their elders’ preferences.

Certainly, 45+ country radio listeners have the memory of at least two or three decades of songs that 18 to 44 year olds do not and they do like a number of those tune, yet - surprisingly and unlike any other format - the majority of upper end country fans seem to like the new music as much or more than they like the more familiar past favorites.

This has kept country music radio from meaningfully fragmenting in spite of predictions from very wise radio experts with experience in multiple formats.

Given the size of the leading edge boom generation it’s logical to believe that perhaps this time is different that past target evolutions.  So, when a personalty or programmer starts to forecast a new opportunity for upper-demo targeted country along the lines of mainstream vs hot ac, I often say “your age is showing” and share my experience to the contrary with them.  

This week, a 50 year old personality I greatly respect called me on that phrase.

“Jaye, I pride myself on staying relevant and plan to work in this format as long as you have (I will be 71 in July).  Telling me that my age is showing feels like age discrimination to me and is a cheap shot.  I have very good 18 to 34 listenership numbers.  You are stereotyping me based on the least important thing you know about me.”

I had to admit that my client and friend was absolutely correct.

In fact, I have long prided myself on helping to launch, brand and maintain many very successful “younger country” stations whose listeners were at least two or three generations my junior.

I guess that means MY age wasn’t showing?  Or, better, that the age of the programmer or personality doesn't matter as long as they resonate with the values of the target.

I’d never want anyone to discriminate against me based on my age.

It’s long past time for ME to start treating other folks the same way.

If I ever forget that fact again, please be like my client and friend and remind me.  Before I get sued for age discrimination.

Country Radio's Diversity Problem

I have been writing about the coming of the Millenials into country's target for more than twenty years, so this week's revelations from Edison Research at the Country Radio Seminar should not come as a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to our evolving target.

Today (from the country/new country section of Nielsen's State Of Audio Today 2014):

Tomorrow (from Edison's CRS research as reported by Inside Radio):

It's not going to be simple or easy as our creators of music open their sights beyond the traditional themes and sounds of America's South, as our personalities evolve to understand how to be relatable and entertain in broader ways and today's upper demos accept these changes.

Of course, it has to happen in a way that "country" remains uniquely "country" or we'll be surrendering the values which make us so appealing and strong, but anyone who would predict that it can't happen or won't work doesn't know our listeners very well.

The evolution has already begun, it's helping us grow right now.

The intelligent way to see and embrace this change is to see it as "country's diversity opportunity."

2014 "Facts Of Life"

Country radio must fight for Gen X's time if we hope to continue to grow at the amazing rate we have done in the last five years in the coming decade.

Generation X and Millennials are related (parents and their children) but you don't reach them both in the same ways.

The three generational cultures that we serve today are all aging, altering their priorities.

Change is accelerated for 18-34, but 35-44 tastes appear to be more stable as social network trends indicate.

Linking all of 2014 generational cohorts:  "immersive experiences"

Gen X feels more stress.

They worry that their "high hopes/tough relaity" lives won't be as good as their parents.

Many are moving downtown and most country format historical hot zips are in the suburbs.  We have some geo-targeting mining to do.

The Workplace is changing, requiring fresh at work listening tactics.

They were more materialistic as teens than their children are today.

Listener expectations are not one size fits all.

What are you planning to do in 2014 to hold onto the young females who came our way in the last five years while increasing loyalty with 35-49 men and women as well?

Heard In The Halls

One of the benefits of consulting is that you hear things from some very smart people.

• “Perceptual images are like icebergs and changing them is like trying to melt ‘em with a Bic lighter.”
• "Women 18-34 are the country format’s fastest-growing audience segment.  However, due to the many stations that also target this desirable group their conversion ratio is often weaker than older core demo cells.  Cultivating at work listening loyalty on a consistent basis can cure this problem."

Thanks to two very well-informed researchers who must remain anonymous for being so quotable (and correct!).

Passions, Positives, Or?

Billboard and Bullseye Callout perform a valuable service each week for the many radio stations with no access to any other means of getting listener feedback on music.

One of the first things I check out each week is the national callout data:

And, later in the week, it's an email-driven survey to radio station database members:

It would be wonderful if every radio station could do this themselves each week and A&O&B clients know that we do a lot to try to help make that happen for them, knowing that fewer and fewer stations are given budgets for it which is why the national ones are so helpful as a way to compare spin ranks to audience popularity, essential to know before maintaining local music categories.

A little trick on myself which I like to play once I have the latest stats in hand is to cover up the titles and artist names and evaluate each song just using the numbers.

In this example, ranked by positive, the strength of #2 is understated looking only at that one number.  After all 16% more people LOVE it with roughly equal "it's OK" percentages and total negatives of 9.6% vs 5.6% when compared to the high-ranked tune when you fail to consider all of the cross tabs.  For A&O&B, passion is a more important data point than merely positives.  Strong dislike and negative burn ("I'd change stations if it came on the radio") are also very powerful deciders.  If you don't have access to a "a favorite, I'd turn on the radio if it came on" number, I'd want to rank, at the very least, on net positives so as to look at polarity in one number.

Even more crucial and not available in these national averages is targeting information for your station. 

• What is your narrow demo?  
• What is your primary and secondary age target? 
• What percentage of men and women in each one?  

Those are the most important things to know of them all.

Just because something is beloved by record buyers or music down loaders, doesn't mean that your precise target listeners feel the same way about it.

There's only one way to be certain:  ask them. 

Then, "slice, dice and crunch" away, until you do know for sure.

Country's Gen X (Conversation)

My Country's Gen X Problem post initiated a Facebook dialog:

Bob McNeill:  Of course country has a 35-44 problem. The average age of a country listener has been right in the middle of that demo for decades and now, with the influx of pop, they're disenfranchised. We never learn.  Country has always been the only adult format that's sustained by current music. Balance is always the issue. And with that, the development of core artists that aren't disposable as they are in pop formats. Disposable songs and artists are a danger to the country format. I fear we're allowing the music business to drive the direction of the format which is problematic since radio and records do have divergent goals at some point.

Ralph Cipolla:  Classic Rock PDs (and Sales folk) have been lamenting the inevitable march of time... now, they face what traditional Oldies stations did 15 years ago. The cell they owned - 35-44 - is now a secondary demo, as the format is firmly rooted 45-54. And each year, it gets one year older. The "newest" legitimately fitting songs in the format are now 25 years old, Led Zeppelin I is 44 years old and was the music of those who are now 60+ years old. Throwing in a category of polarizing Grunge & Metallica songs works for some stations with Rock roots and little competition, particularly in The South, but can be a disaster for others. I've always been interested in the Country airplay vintage v. audience age connection that appears to defy the typical music vintage to listener age if/then equation.  Is this a potential opportunity? A difficult-to-reach young cell appears to be coming along and could be welcomed into the fold, while a traditional core demo sees the ever-growing distraction of Sports/Talk & Talk & time-shifting tech that Arb can't yet measure - but they remain in attendance and need to be the object of a re-doubled engagement effort - assuming its not just a music issue (is it ever?)

Drew Edmundson:  I've always been more of a variety guy (mixing the classics in with the new) in pretty much any format. People 35-44 like new songs (I'm 44 and love Lady A, Zach BB, Aldean, etc). I think there needs to be a healthy dose of older songs so as to not alienate that demo.  I do nights on a country station as well as afternoons on an AC station and I see many crossovers. Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Lady A, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, etc.  I look at this as a good thing for the country format.

Leslie Humble As a DJ/Programmer of Country Music dating back even before my days at WSM and The Grand Ole Opry, I see several factors at play. A large section of the age group 50 - 65 hate the Pop country with the semi Country vocal over Rock/Pop instrumentation. The aforementioned 35-44 Cell is on the edge of being torn by the extreme fragmentation that is today's micro cell centric choices. Even 35-44 should be more incrementally targeted.  Two things: Going back to Jaye's original thought on capturing the 35-44 demo. Isn't it the same as it's always been? Lifestyle. Target your promotions, on air comments, remotes, to a 40 year old woman for that demo. Lifestyle. As far as the music....I must slightly disagree that Garth or 90's are as far as you can go. Even if it's testing that way. I do national voice over work mostly now and my shows are live ones. I see 20 year olds jumping up for Hank Jr., John Anderson, Mel McDaniel, Charlie Daniels and on and on. It reminds me of the story of how top 40 was discovered by Todd Storz by watching the same song played over and over on a jukebox. The music that demo and others will accept is also a self perpetuating thing. How many of us feel like we helped "break" or Make a hit record by playing it? Musically WE tell them what is a hit or good in many cases. The only distinction, to me, is that the PRODUCTION VALUES, must be of the level we expect today. 

Jaye Albright: Thanks, to all of you.  Personally, I don't think that it gets solved by playing 90's or earlier for a mainstream or a "new country" station, since the majority of 35-44 available to country radio today were not listening to country music when they were teens.  It's about balance, as more than one of you have noted. The great majority of today's A artists, almost all of which have emerged in the last five years aren't crossover acts.  Right now, country has 18 touring acts able to fill arenas, which is an unprecedented development in the history of the format.  We do have a handful of them you'd call "crossover" acts, but still the vast majority get played only on country radio.

PS:  If this piqued your interest and you want some specific advice on what to do next, click on the CRS 2013 session "Younger Country: Is 18-34 the New 25-54? and listen to very savvy panelists John Dimick/Lincoln Financial, Chris Huff/KSCS and Sean Ross/Edison Research share their perspectives on coalitions vs conflicts between tastes of the wide country  demographic targets.  It's an hour well spent, if you missed that session at CRS.

Country's Gen X Problem

Arbitron's full Radio Today 2013 annual update tracking all format quantitative and qualitative trends reflects both change and growth as my blogs of the last week have previewed.

It highlights something troubling that you're going to want to look at locally. 

Has recent under-30 growth hurt 35-44?

* All of the demographic proportions have remained relatively steady except for adults 18-24, which rose to its highest level in a decade, and adults 35-44, which declined to its lowest.

*  The country and new country formats are a strong performer in TSL, regardless of age group. Among the 16 top formats, it was tied for No. 1 among persons 12+, and was No. 1 by a full hour among persons 12-24. It ranked No. 2 by a wide margin among adults 18-34, was also No. 2 among adults 25-54, and third with adults 35-64.

Suggestion:  look very carefully at 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 and 40-44 in local perceptual and music test data.  Arbitron's data tracks actual PPM and perceived diary usage data, but isn't designed to be used to choose your most effective target, but 35-44 is going to be with us for too long as a marketing target for our clients to ignore any weakness there.

It's the only target cell in 2013's national averages where it appears that country radio is failing to get its fair share of the total population.

* Radio Today 2013 (get the full client exclusive report at "my.arbitron.com" (the Arbitron customer site where you download data). 

Another Post On Change

The farewell post on the American Comedy Network Facebook page from Joel Graham, who calls himself not just GM/Creative Director but also "Former Head Writer/Staff Writer/Producer/Current Voice Talent for American Comedy Network - I’ve done it all here and loved every minute of it..." is a classy exit, ending with "Thank you for making my dream job possible."

It will be interesting to see if the ACM website and brand find a way to live on as a source of comedy for new media, but then the brand was really only known to radio personalities and probably means nothing to anyone outside our business.



Dial Global President/Programming Kirk Stirkand told ALL ACCESS, "While always a fun, topical and creative service, it wasn't viable any longer in terms of national coverage. We think affiliates will be well-served by the great services from our partners, Wise Brother Media."

I could not agree more.

If your show continues to rely on the kind of lengthy, contrived song parodies and pre-produced bits that ACN innovated in 1983, it's time to take this quick test and find out what decade you're living in.

Obama Voters Eat At Red Lobster; Romney's At Olive Garden

With election 2012 now history and Nate Silver looking like a stat genius, details are coming out about the hyper-targeting and database marketing employed by both candidates.

Click, read and learn:

• "Each campaign has literally thousands of data points on you. They know what magazines you subscribe to. They know if you've ever declared bankruptcy or gone into foreclosure. They know how many kids you have. They know if you ever bought a boat, what type of insurance you own, where you send your kids to school.  Thousands and thousands of data points they collect, to try and create an image of you. And at the center of that is the same question, how can I push your button to vote for my guy or gal?"      - How campaigns target voters
• "Today, many people who have expert knowledge and shape perceptions about markets are freely exchanging data and viewpoints through social platforms. By identifying and engaging these players, employing potent Web-focused analytics to draw strategic meaning from social-media data, and channeling this information to people within the organization who need and want it, companies can develop a “social intelligence” that is forward looking, global in scope, and capable of playing out in real time."  - By offering decision makers rich real-time data, social media is giving some companies fresh strategic insight
• “Future campaigns ignore the targeting strategy of the Obama campaign of 2012 at their peril,” said Ken Goldstein, the president of Kantar Media/CMAG, a media monitoring firm that tracked and analyzed political advertising for both campaigns. “This was an unprecedented marrying of detailed information on viewing habits and political predispositions." 

How much do you know, in as specific detail as possible, about the tribes which inhabit your community?

No matter how much, it's not enough!

“Where were you when…?”

A recently-released Sony/Nielsen survey asked those-sampled to recall their most memorable TV moment, and if they remembered where-they-were when they watched history happen.

The top 5 moments were:

1. 911
2. Hurricane Katrina
3. O.J. Simpson verdict
4. Space Shuttle Challenger explosion
5. Osama bin Laden death

#42 was the final episode of M*A*S*H.
#43 was The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
#44 was the “Who Shot J.R.?” episode of Dallas (the-revival-of-which, incidentally, is Summer’s top TV hit).

Drilling-down to demographics:

• People age 55+ rank President Kennedy’s assassination a close second to 911.  
• To young people in the sample, President Obama’s election night speech was #3.
• To women, Princess Diana’s funeral was #4.  To men it was #23.

A reminder to all personalities to constantly update and freshen your demographic target relevant historical references from news talk consultant and friend of A&O Holland Cooke, who reminds me of the great line from the prophetic 2000 book "Millenials Rising:"

"One generation's headline is the next one's punch line."

Driving The Trend

The growing size of the 15-29 demo cell in the coming years, Generation Y, will have more demographic muscle than any other single 25-54 cell (their grandparents - Post War Baby Boomers - will be straddling three different cells).

Five years ago, when the Boomers were all 40-54, THAT was where all the action was.

Watch 22-34 in the next few years!

Look for some new ways to speak their language in the next year.

The country demo was easily defined just five years ago. The largest and most desirable target was comprised of a single group of listeners who shared common core music preference. In the past two years, things have started changing again and driving the new artist evolution is demography.

Next year, that trend will continue.

What has emerged is a new group of non-ethnic teens and 25 to 34 year olds who just love country music.

Just as adult contemporary is now seeing a division between old and young around the age of 39 to 42, so too goes the country audience in 2011 and beyond. It's a trend that we haven't completely felt the full impact of and it even has a counter trend/bit of a backlash in the form of some new retro sounds appealing to 45+ as well, like the new Alan Jackson and Sunny Sweeney, among others.

Is country about to fragment, with two equally-sized potential audiences, one skewing younger and newer, with the other older and more familiarity and variety-based?

Historically, it has been very possible for a market leader to prevent significant fragmentation from any new competition in markets where the mainstream leader has made the adjustment to the new rules of "today's country" and aggressively practiced relationship marketing to their traditional core and social networking with the newcomers at the same time.

Will history repeat itself?

The Transition Continues

Chuck Geiger and I obviously have been thinking the same thing this week with all of the exciting new artists as the 44th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville formally recognizes the constant changing of the guard which keeps country music and radio relevant and vital, welcoming new listeners year after year.

Country continues to be the most programmed format in American radio, on at total of 2,017 radio stations.

As alternative rock today seems to be a gold-based format and music historians increasingly describe what was once "new rock" in the past tense, how is it that country continues to bring in new fans? And, who exactly IS our target today?

Painting with a very broad brush - there have long been three distinct country markets: traditionalists, transition 30's and country converts.

Traditionalists' portion of country's pie vary regionally, but they comprise roughly one in four of today's national country audience. Age: mid-teens to late 50's. A long age continuum, but possesses narrow artist preferences. They like: Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, George Strait, Randy Travis and new artists who sound traditional. They tend to listen to country radio exclusively, watch GAC (somewhat less to CMT). Most live in central Canada, the U.S. midwest and down through the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. Not exactly audiophiles, they still buy CD's over digital music five to one. They buy less than 20% of the country music product at retail.

Transition 30's. Size: a little less than half of today's country life group. Age: early 20's to early 40's. They listen to country music as their primary entertainment. The oldest of them came to country in the early 1990's and the youngest have discovered it in the last five years. They generally grew up not liking or listening to country music and now the prefer country music over any other type of music. They like it because it has understandable lyrics and beats and because it is more in synch with their values, passage through life. They buy almost two thirds of the country music sold at retail. They strongly dislike "old" (pioneer) country music and most "twang." It reminds them of the time in their lives when they had an aversion to country. They do not buy poorly recorded product and increasingly purchase digitally three to one over CD's. They buy both new artists and traditionalists. They watch a bit of CMT and GAC, but video channels are not important to them. They get it online via social networks and You Tube. They watch country awards shows religiously. These folks divide their radio listening among three stations, two of which are country.

Country converts. Size: a little less than one-third of the total country-oriented population. Age: predominantly in their teens, 20's and 30's, but country radio users among them range in age from mid-20's to late-40's. This is the market that has expanded the country music industry to the northern and western corridors in the last two decades, the fastest-growing portion of the market (also the most fickle and least loyal). They listen to some country, but also to Lady Gaga or Daughtrey. They buy about a third of country music at retail/iTunes, but may simultaneously purchase "Speak Now" and "Come Around Sunday" or Rod Stewart. They accept country as "hip," but are loyal primarily to their "seek" and "scan" buttons. Recognize them by their white ear buds. The challenge: can we convert them to more loyal listeners? Too many commercials, music repetition and unnecessary DJ talk alienate them quickly. If country radio can grow on them as it has the "transition 30's, who were attracted to the format and were just as fickle during and after the "class of 89" and briefer "class of 2006" surges, we will be a solid leader for the next twenty years!

Now There's More Than One "Target"

Age and sex are just the beginning of the things you must know about your audience in order to compete effectively.

Today, you better know where your audience lives, brand preferences - whether its your radio station OR your client's brand, product consumption, lifestyle data, shopping habits, psychographics, use of other media - not just what other radio stations they listen to.

• What is cable penetration in your market?
• Satellite radio?
• How many have smart phones? Which ones?
• Percentage of households by age cell which no longer have land line telephone service?
• Download/streaming preferences? (music discovery priorities)
  
• What part of your survey area has more than average/less than average penetration for country and other forms of music?
• Where do your listeners use you at work?
  
• What other stations do they also use, by daypart and by listening location?
  

The more you know about ALL these things, the more 'on target' your programming and marketing can be.

At Least We're Not Dr. Scholl's (Yet)

Country music radio, in spite of Taylor Swift's amazing success, (click that link to see her artistic sensibilities in the current issue of Marie Claire!), remains largely a Boomer brand, with a big bump in our demographics 45+ (click that link to read the article and blog comments on it which prompts this post).

"No brand can ever rest easy with one target audience, but brands that have relied heavily on Boomers for their success really need to think like Mercedes and consider how they will engage the wave of Gen Y consumers that could be the key to their futures."

Cole & Weber United President/Ad Guy Mike Doherty made me think of the great run country has had for the last 25 years, thanks to the good fortune (brilliant strategy?) of bonding with the boomers back then they were 25-34 and how, now, like Saturday Night Live, CNN and National Geographic, our long heritage requires rethinking our entire approach as we seek to draw the 80-million strong "Millenial" generation, who now dominate 18-24, 25-34, thus 18-49, and within just a few years, 25-54.

"For Gen Y, formats like CNN that were once revolutionary are irrelevant. Headlines along with a touch of analysis are available everywhere. Check out this article for a good read on CNN's woes.

"For Gen Y, content can be informative and educational but must also be very entertaining in the process (à la "The Daily Show" or Huffington Post). There isn't time for both entertainment and information digestion separately. Content providers could learn from sites like www.funnyordie.com and www.break.com. For National Geographic, it seems that with a new face and new ways to distribute its content, it could be reborn as the the content source for conscientious Gen Yers passionate about environmental and cultural issues worldwide."

You can reach all three generations which straddle 25-54 today, but it requires a different mindset and actions now:

• Show that your brand cares about them by involving them in a wide variety of aspects of your business.
• Collaborate with cachet brands (thanks, Taylor!)
• Avoid hype with a simple and clean style that feels fresh, hipper
• Be an active participant in pop culture and embrace the lives of all listeners, including Gen Y. For example, SNL’s Facebook campaign to get Betty White to host is an obvious example of Gen Y's cultural force. They saw how hilarious she was in her Super Bowl spots and turned her hosting gig into a mission. This is particularly interesting as it proves that like Betty White's brand (no offense to her), you don't have to be a new brand to appeal to Gen Y.
• Tell stories. Be informative or educational, but you had better be extremely entertaining in the process.
• Other boomer brands like Tylenol, Bayer, Advil and even Band-Aid could learn how to relate to Gen Y from brands like Vitaminwater, which helped the generation care about staying hydrated.

Need an example closer to home?

Brad Paisley (among, lucky for us, many others) pulls it all off just by being himself. His authenticity, mix of sensitivity, self-deprecation and humor, yet fearlessness in singing about what he stands for may be an even more applicable role model for most of us.

Having something to say and lots of talent completes the package.

Is that you?

It better be if you hope to keep from being seen as the audio equivalent of orthopedic insoles.

Another Sign It's 1988 Or 1998 All Over Again For Country Music Radio

I voted this morning in RBR/Harker Research's latest opinion poll and realized that for many of us the best prize of 2010 hasn't been about money at all.

It's been concert tickets targeting Boomers and X'ers on one hand and Millennial girls on the other: Garth Brooks in Las Vegas for our upper demos and Taylor Swift's arena show for teens and their parents.

One demo isn't all that interested in the prize that the other one is extremely rabid about.

Hopefully, someone is working in a garage right now with a band, an amp or two, perfecting some exciting new sounds and songs that will bridge that gap for us, soon.

Blogs I Can't Top And Won't Even Try

Today, I want to send you to a pair of great blogs which make important points, worthy of your attention:

Greater Media Chairman & CEO Peter Smyth: In radio, every first quarter is a battle to prime the revenue pump, but this one stands out as the most critical Q1 in years.

Tom Kelly and Paul Kelly: In Kelly Music Research’s national telephone survey, only 4% of music station P1’s exhibit Extreme Fan behavior. 96% of those polled can be described as Normal Fans.

As in all forms of research: it is important to carefully-design the questions but also to fully understand to whom you are asking them!

Growing Your Target Audience in 2010

If celebrities are brands, and brands aspire to be celebrated by consumers, having the wrong celebrity endorse the wrong brand can be pretty detrimental.

The MBS programming staff at CHFX/Halifax does a fun, helpful exercise for the entire staff of their cluster each year at this time. They get everyone together to vote for each person's five nominations of the five to seven major country artists which they think will be driving cume growth and target demo appeal in the coming year, tab all the votes and announce the 'faces' and 'voices' from a marketing standpoint.

Of course, they also give the listener a big vote too, by ranking the number of artists with songs in recurrent and power gold, according to their local research. (pictured - outdoor for Three Eagles' KXKX/Lincoln)

Then, the magic begins when you look and listen to everything you use to promote yourself both on and off the air, realigning the visual and audio to conform to your goals!

Targeting Tip From Paragon Research

Researcher Larry Johnson makes a great point which some folks who attempt to fragment the country format really need to understand:

"There are two formats that defy the usual research approach: Country and Urban. You’re either in the Country or Urban Lifegroup or you’re not. There are some interesting research nuances to watch for within these two formats."

People of all ages constitute the Fan base of both Country and Urban formats. The age range for Country is remarkably even, depending on the market composition. In most formats we’re able to segment music styles. Not so with Country. The best stab has been to see how audiences respond to eras rather than music styles when researching Country.

The same wide age range is apparent with Urban formats. The trend to watch in Urban in 2009 is how much formatic deference to age is given.

Traditionally, Johnson blogs, Urban has targeted younger, but we’ve seen quite a bit of old library material dating back to the 1970s being played on Urban stations. Urban AC purports to deliver a smoother texture of music, but those stations must be relevant to members of the Urban Lifegroup who are growing older. It’s fascinating to watch how may—if any– and which songs from the Hip Hop genre Urban stations trying to reach an audience over 25 can employ. Although you can dance to lyrics like, “I’m going to blow you away with my A.K.,” these types of songs tend to burn out quickly. It may be difficult to bring back many Hip Hop songs as they become unpalatable to an aging Urban audience.

One difference, darn it: Arbitron does not have any "high density country areas" with higher premiums and weighted respondents, unfortunately, because of course country listeners of all ages tend to be more cooperative research participants than Urban listeners seem to be.