Ads: replace hype with authentic grabbers

If you're in retail business, don't make the mistake of thinking you're in the entertainment business in your marketing. Awards don't sell snow blowers.

Be cautious not to use cute ideas for cute-sake. Grab attention in an unfamiliar, attention-getting way, but remember to bridge your opening line in a believable way, and support the opening and bridge in your copy.

Opening example: "Now would be a horrible time for a flat tire!"

If you've placed this ad during morning drive, at the height of morning rush hour, you now have seized the attention of every driver on the road at that moment, and each are now imagining what a flat tire would do to their day.

The ad doesn't have to be about tires or tire repair. In fact, that would be too obvious an opening even for a towing service. But now that you have their attention, carefully craft your bridge to bring people into your story.

Bridge example: "You don't have any spare time today and there are probably a pretty good number new tasks waiting for you when you hit the office."

See, a flat tire would be inconvenient because your customers are time-starved like the rest of the free world. This ad now can take any direction it needs to.

Body example: "Since the odds are squarely against your actually getting a flat, you now have a few more seconds to stop at the Barry's Good Java drive-thru to pick up an exotic coffee reward. And when we hand you the cup, we'll also give you a card good for another cup tomorrow -- on us -- as a thank you for trying us out. Barry's Good Java. A few more extras; no nickels & dimes."

Notice how we got attention without hype? Then we bridged into our story. Then we told the story, and made a suggestion that offered a benefit to the morning commuter along the way. Nothing terribly devious, just good clean attention-getting.

PLACEMENT
Now we wouldn't have been terribly selective about which radio station we used to placed the commercial; we're interested in reaching as many people as we can afford to reach. That simple. For this we pay attention to CUME (total weekly station audience) or AQH (total simultaneous listeners within a day part) during the 5a-10a (AMD) day part. Our major focus is on placing one commercial an hour M-F on the station you can afford.

Ads: A clever attempt that fails is not clever

I recently saw part of a silent television commercial for a local car dealer, and I'm frankly surprised I even noticed it. I missed at least the first half of it because I was enthralled by a piece of lint that was hovering in the air at that fleeting moment. Then my advertising brain took note of the spectacle before me.

As a broadcaster for more than twenty-five years, I've learned the power of sounds in advertising. I'm a huge believer that the right sounds are capable of longer life in the mind than a visual. I'd never let a client of mine waste that moment. It was reminiscent of that cable TV channel that's dedicated to placard advertising with some generic music in the background.

Back to the car ad. It was clearly trying to be clever in its silence, but failed miserably in the message, which unsurprisingly I cannot relay to you.

A silent television ad may as well go into a newspaper or on a web site. Use clever audio to get attention if you think it's right, but silence is anything but clever -- unless it's a well-placed pause -- and always a wasted opportunity.

Billy McGuigan on KXnO

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Billy McGuigan is as comfortable playing Beatles or Buddy Holly music and he demonstrates the ease as he sat down with Larry Cotlar on Cotlar & Company on KXnO.  Billy's next stage progect involves Beatles music, which you can see him play here.

Michael Gartne on Van & Bonnie

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HTML clipboardMichael Gartner was the "Designated Bonnie" Monday, September 29 with Van Harden on WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa.  Michael is a past president of the Iowa Board of Regents; was a sports reporter and eventual president of the Des Moines Register, executive of Gannett and USA Today; writer for the Wall Street Journal and USA Today is currently Chairman of Racoon Baseball, owner of the Iowa Cubs.

Erin Kiernan on Van & Bonnie

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Erin Kiernan guest-hosted the WHO Radio morning show along with Van Harden as "Designated Bonnie".  Erin is the co-anchor for Channel 13 News at 5, 6, & 10 -- and is married to Des Moines City Council Member Michael Kiernan.

Stacy Keach interview

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Stacy Keach in Des Moines for his part in the theatrical production Frost Nixon at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines through October 5, 2008.  He visited the WHO Radio studios and talked with morning show host Van Harden about the performance, golf, favorite leading ladies and recent project.

Principal confirms firearm found on campus

A paper note was issued to students today referencing the firearm incident:

Dear East High Community,

I want to make sure you are aware of an incident which occurred at school on Monday September 29th, 2008.

While conducting a routine investigation into another matter, it was discovered that a student had inadvertently left a small caliber target rifle in their vehicle. The weapon was not loaded and was cased. There was no ammunition found. There was no evidence of any sort of threat against a student or staff member.

However, we take any incident involving the possession of a weapon on school grounds very seriously, and students who violate the school district's weapons policy are subject to disciplinary action, which may include expulsion.

I am thankful to our staff at East High School who worked on this situation, and I want to make sure that you heard from us first hand about what happened. The safety of our students is always a top priority. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely
(Signed)
Mike Zelenovich, Principal

Brandon McHose - Token

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Brandon McHose performed the title song from his new CD Token on KXnO's Cotlar & Company, Des Moines, Iowa.

State school network

You've probably heard of the web sites that let you logon and see how your kid's doing in school. Not in Des Moines's district, but in many progressive communities. Sure, we get a notification in the evening (when it's too late to call and find out why) that your student missed a class, but you can't reply & hope for any further details.

In 2008, I'm floored that our school's in the dark ages when it comes to useful technology. There's a lot that should be going on that isn't, as I eluded to in a a recent business discussion group.

I would propose a state-wide network that connects all able students via connected computers. They logon to the school server every morning when school commences and their entire day is managed within their account. Exercises and assignments, including tests and reports are done through their accounts. School administrators, teachers and parents can watch, in real time, student activity and progress.

Statewide standards can be implemented by massaging the core curriculum components from year to year; teacher performance can be measured and overall accountability is enhanced.

An an excellent example of the benefits of getting our schools on the same page with state and national education standards, all 7th-grade English classes follow the same curriculum and performance standards.

Snow days are no longer non-productive because students are online from home. Teacher in-service days are eliminated. Parent-teacher interaction is maximized, engaging parents, so conferences are nearly eliminated. Teachers spend far less time grading papers. Roll call is automated. School supply costs are dramatically decreased. Layers of administration could be eliminated, and that would undoubtedly save millions.

In our schools, we're so far behind the tech curve and it makes you wonder why.

Scared of surveillance?

I'm a nut for the Fourth Amendment and I think privacy is an important right that can't be taken lightly. So it's from this basis that I'm inspired to comment on the growing level of general video surveillance by US governments, locally and nationally.

Europeans have installed millions of surveillance cameras they call CCD, a name derived from ‘charge-coupled device’, the actual electronic retina of a video camera.

The US is playing catch-up in major metropolitan areas, implementing their own camera programs. It’s all in the name of security, but some wonder if Uncle Sam is becoming Big Brother and challenging our rights to privacy.

In assessing whether government surveillance of ordinary citizens in public view goes too far, we have to analyze whether citizens should have a reasonable expectation of privacy in any give area or circumstance. The constitution provides for the right to privacy, but that doesn’t apply in open areas where you or your personal affects are on display for public viewing, or in plain sight.

The technology is fascinating.

State-of-the-art surveillance units
If you believe that bad things happen in the dark, that a fully transparent government would be a good thing, then 360º full motion video surveillance cameras equipped with bio-chemical sensors, gunshot detectors and infrared & laser imaging have the ability to lift the vale of secrecy, which is only somewhat incompatible with crime -- but a significant deterrent.

But to prevent the abuse of this technology, we have to be watching the watchers too. That has to be a critical element in any blanket surveillance program.

Painting a picture of a crime scene
Imagine three such surveillance units setup in a town square where a theft has occurred. This gives me three camera angles of every square inch of that space, in which the x-y coordinates of every object are stored every 30th of a second. This creates a photo-perfect SecondLife-like virtual space that can be monitored, not only in real time, but generates a recording of the events, in movie-like form, that can be carefully analyzed to get to the actual facts of even the most minor infractions. Having such an accurate record not only identifies the theif, but provides documented proof of innocence for the rest of us.

Also imagine, as a police officer, you type a license plate number or name into the computer system and the system can then begin searching for recent records in its recognition results. It can also monitor in real time and alert the cop if a camera spots the subject in question. Incredibly useful stuff! (But easy to abuse!)

While you’re walking along a sidewalk, you’re out in public view. Anyone that cares to glance can see you. Passersby can possibly hear what you might be saying for the brief moments they’re within hearing range. Knowing this, people generally tend to behave themselves.

There’s no difference between this scenario and the one in which surveillance units are placed. You’re provided no more or less privacy in these public spaces – until a crime is committed. When that happens, the public has a pretty solid record from which to gather evidence to identify the crime, the victim and the perpetrator.

If the aim of surveillance is limited to those elements, and public interest is key with respect to the use and management of the surveillance program, then big brother objections are muted.

On the downside, these kinds of high-tech surveillance eyes and ears can and will be abused. For instance, images of the insides of people’s homes will be captured and recorded. Privileged conversations will be made public. The private lives of citizens will undoubtedly be exposed to a greater extent. There is no question that privacy at times will be compromised as a direct result of general surveillance programs.

The public will want to take greater care in guarding their privacy. The public will also take steps to safeguard surveillance records and prevent abuse.

All in all, general high-tech surveillance programs will keep everyone a little more honest. On balance, I see it as good thing.

And remember that while we, members of the general public, are being watched more carefully, so are public officials. If there's balance like this, and the demarcation between public and private is vigorously guarded, I have very few concerns about pervasive video surveillance in public spaces.

Olive Court now closed to Hawkeye Tailgaters

For years, football fans have parked at Iowa City's Olive Court and passed a ball, grilled brats and enjoyed a beverage. But the former owners say they're tired of cleaning up the mess.

Sheryl Neuzil is quoted on KGAN's web site as saying they parked 700 cars every home game for a fee of $25 per car. That comes to $17,500 per home game. At that rate, six home games per year generates $105,000.

Were they really tired of it or did they see much higher dollar signs by selling it off to a developer? KGAN: "Neuzil signed a deal Wednesday and 31 condos will be here next fall."

She said she was sorry it happened, but "...that's the way it goes."

The "it" being business, I imagine.