5/4/2012
"The Avengers." "The Hunger Games." "Twilight." Local teams in the playoffs. The Olympics. A major concert announcement. On days when there's nothing going on, it's a challenge to be topical. On other days, it's a crime not to be.
For example, "The Avengers" is opening domestically this Friday and there is speculation based on overseas draws that it might be the biggest movie opening weekend ever. What's your plan?
Here's an easy checklist you can use for "The Avengers" or for the next event that you want to own:
1. Participate first-hand. At least one player on your show should have first-hand knowledge of the topic. See the movie, watch the game, go to the concert. Send the biggest fan, or send the person least interested. If you watch, pay attention and notice things, especially emotional reactions.
2. Create a contest. It can be as simple as Truth or Trash trivia about the topic, or a tongue-in-cheek spelling bee. Make it bigger by giving away something money can't buy - exclusive tickets, etc.
3. Add production values. Add dynamism with audio clips. For movies, use clips from movie trailers for entertainment reports, or even produced show elements. For sporting events, use some exciting play-by-play or a clip from an emotional post-game interview.
4. Connect to your audience with personal stories: What was the one movie/game/concert that you were most excited about when you were a kid? Are there stories worth sharing?
5. Include a street presence. Send someone out to talk to people in line. What were the highlights? Any disappointments? How did it track with the book? Or talk to people leaving the game or concert to capture their emotional reaction.
6. Add peripheral characters. Have a character do a movie review for you. A 10-year-old boy, an older relative of a show player, Jorge the cleaning guy.
7. Make connections between unrelated stories. E.g. Which is better, "The Hunger Games" or "The Avengers"?
8. Tie in callers:
a. Create a debate. Who's hotter: Edward or Jacob? Who's more capable of saving the world: Captain America or Iron Man?
b. Look for a lightning rod opinion to spark a debate. For "The Avengers" movie in particular, someone might say that no one over 14 should ever go to comic book movies.
c. Go on a quest. Find the person who saw the movie the most times by Monday morning. You can start it as a challenge from one show player: "I bet there's some crazy fan who has already seen that movie three times."
d. Create a Top 5 list. For April 20, The Gonzo Show at CKQB (The Bear 106.9)/Ottawa debated the best stoner movies of all time. Is Katniss Everdeen from "The Hunger Games" the most kick-ass heroine of all time? Who else would join her in a Top 5 list? Increase engagement by debating who should snag the No. 1 spot.
e. Broaden the topic to something bigger. For "Twilight," Adam, Danaye, and Fuzzy at CIBK (Virgin Radio 98.5)/Calgary asked: "Would you rather be a vampire or a werewolf?"
f. Have listeners write a six-word movie review.
9. Don't overthink your "demo." How many women's lives are affected by the playoffs? How many guys had to see "The Hunger Games"? Look for ways that the major event affects your audience. Give away One Direction tickets (an out-of-format band your listeners' kids love) with ear plugs and beer money. Be topical and talk to your audience.
10. And finally, create a story about the story that might get coverage, or go viral, by brainstorming your own event or spectacle. A few examples:
a. Seize the moment with a parody billboard. Several shows did this with that iconic "Twilight" billboard artwork.
b. Ace Burpee at CKMM (Hot 103)/Winnipeg produced an anthem when Winnipeg finally got an NHL hockey team this year.
c. Tie in a local charity that makes sense.
d. Get in trouble. Paul and Young Ron at WBGG (Big 105.9)/Miami challenged the NFL's policy of no tailgating at the Super Bowl by staging "The World's Largest Illegal Tailgate Party" in a field adjacent to Dolphins Stadium. The NFL and the city of Miami shut it down, so hundreds of tailgaters partied in the radio station parking lot for four hours.
e. Hold a look-alike contest. When the cast of "Friends" threatened to go on strike, we at KYSR (Star 98.7)/Los Angeles had a morning show remote to find a replacement cast; one of The Rembrandts, who sang the theme song, was a judge. Hundreds of people showed up and it made the evening news.
f. Get silly. We're not saving lives here. For "The Avengers," do the show dressed as superheroes or have someone watch every showing for an entire day. For wedding season, hold a mass dog wedding. For the Masters, hold a peewee golf tourney in your station parking lot.
Angela Perelli is an SVP at the The Randy Lane Company (http://www.randylane.net/).
She can be reached at angela@randylane.net
www.facebook.com/TheRandyLaneCompany
www.twitter.com/TheRandyLaneCo
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