Brands On Fire Can Become Out Of Control

We all love a good fire, especially this time of year. It keeps us warm. It adds ambience and promotes closeness. Yet, if it gets beyond the hearth, it’s out of control and does a whole lot of damage, including burning down the house.

Word of mouth advertising is exactly like that. It remains the best form of promotion.

Yet, the promoter and brand manager have no control.

When a brand goes viral –or in this case, spreads like wildfire, it can quickly turn into damage control.

In today’s connected world, countless brand managers have seen the effects of user reviews, both good and bad. They love the endorsements and five-star ratings. Yet, they’re vulnerable to the whims of those who are having a bad day or just feel mean enough to rip the product or service to shreds for their own amusement. That spreads quickly, as well.

How can one navigate this?

Answer: an effective radio campaign.

You may have noticed an increase in the use of endorsements. Hopefully, this will be a growing trend. Media buyers and agency creative directors see the air talent as the radio version of an influencer. By doing so, the brand can enjoy a positive message from a real user, without being vulnerable to an attack by an outside influence.

Yet, the listener may have some degree of skepticism as they know that this is a paid endorsement.  

That’s where real, unscripted users can help. Again, the key words are real and unscripted.  

Combine the station personality’s endorsement with real users.

“Hey, it’s KZ 101’s Greg St. John. A few months back, my doctor told me my cholesterol and blood pressure were getting way out of hand. One of the remedies was to get active. So, I joined Express Fitness. What’s helped me most is the inspiration I get from people just like you and I. Here’s Terry. He lost 65 pounds in the last 8 months.

“I didn’t realize how bad I felt till I started working out. But, in just a month, I saw the weight dropping and I started feeling great. My wife noticed it first. That kept me in motion……’

Greg probably endorses other products. The listener knows that. But because Greg also included an everyday-Joe that’s not paid to endorse the brand, it adds a degree of credibility to the targeted user. As an add-on benefit, that unscripted user then spreads his experience

It’s an added degree of work, no doubt. However, our clients are more apt to remain in control of their brands than with on-line reviews alone.

If there’s anything I can do to be of service to you, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m always here for you.

 

Sincerely,

Mike -The reel Architect.