Brand Ambassadors - Welcome Idea!

So Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have become brand ambassadors of Radio One!
And I know I am late, but this article has been pending for too long..half written, sitting in 'drafts' - but ready now...

To an average listener this idea (of brand ambassadors)might not make a difference, but then it does change the idea of 'celeb quotient' on radio.

When the concept was launched, frankly it sounded like they were unprepared. The sound bytes were vella and it did not come across as a complete, well thought out concept. May be it is a difficult concept to present on radio, which is what got me thinking.

I was wondering if radio as a medium lends itself to this concept at all. When anything is given 'air-space' on radio, the medium ends up promoting that product, or that event, or content. In a way, its like a one-way medium.

When Abhishek Bachhan was all over the city as a Big FM model, one could understand that a celeb is being used to promote something new. Then, Sonu Nigam was used too. Big FM again. But in both cases, the on-air was hardly used. It was more on-ground, events and outdoor hoardings. So it was more like a brand endorser, rather then an ambassador. The visual medium was used to attract attention to the product. But here, entire on-air space is being used to promote SEL - so that they can promote Radio One!

I still maintain that the idea is interesting and we should wait and see what it gets for Radio One... but may be the concept requires much more attention to detail. What is a Brand Ambassador to do - and more importantly, do On-Air, in an audio medium? Its kind of weird to hear them say 'paise jeeto!' Also, when SEL tell me One is where you get maximum music, what makes it different or more believable than when a jock says it? Or any other celeb for that matter (when we ask them to record an endorsement for us?)

Just a Little Something..

After a long time, I heard something fresh - in terms of music. Something that is safe, yet experimental. And generally, I do find such pleasant surprises only on Mirchi.
So this time round, it was a song from Road, Movie. This entire album is a compilation of songs from all over. Good ones.. but nothing original. Except this one song 'Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye' - sung in a firangi style. Its a very different version and hats off to Mirchi to dare to play it. I mean, there is a very thin line between whats safe and whats not when it comes to new music. And then there are the challenges of presenting something fresh to your regular listeners.
These are the kind of songs you look for and grab then.. and of course - do not put them in your high rotation. But flavouring is important. Anyway, now its sounding like a lecture.
So besides this, this week I generally have been disappointed. So shall say no more.

Awesome Mausam - Where were you?

When I tuned in today - it just felt like I was in another city.. and the radio stations belonged somewhere else!

It's Mumbai guys - the monsoons are our biggest event of the year - in a good way AND a bad way. And though 'pre-monsoon' showers have been around - today, it was just one of those first 'rainy' days :) Traffic was bad - time to reach office doubled - people carried umbrellas and wore raincoats - preferred bus to train etc.. and what were you guys talking about?
City - Raavan - Abhishek Bachhan telling us how he is not scared of his wife.
Red - FIFA - aapne football season ke liye kya tayyari ki hai? REALLY?!?! Football season? where are you? Kolkatta or Manchester? Could I please re-phrase it? It should have been MOnsoon ke liye kya tayyari ki hai yaar!! Ghar ki chhat pe daambar karvaya ki nahi? roadside ki chhatri khareedi? - available in polka dots this season (outside stations and traffic signals)
But since the showplan must have been decided a day prior - or there was some client commitment, you will not even look out of the window and smile. Smile with me. Today is the day I didnt sweat and reach office coz it rained! After 3 months of excruciating summer. Celebrate it with me. I am not interested in your FIFA!

Anwyay, content is debatable and I better not get into that debate when I could not even get the music I wanted! Are you guys blind or sleeping? Its raining outside - get the rain-songs out!! I know Dhanno is your high-rotation song. But not this morning! And if the Music Managers cant even do this for the listener.. I mean.. come on guys! This is not TV.. its radio. Its about NOW!
Tip for the teams...Move away from the computer screen, take a cup of tea and look outside the window.

Smiles in our Sumo :)

It's a regular evening - moving out of office, I noticed that the company car that drops people to the station is still around and I hop in to save Rs.13 and some walking and waiting. The driver generally just tunes in any station and we listen to songs on our way to the station, but today was a moment of radio magic :)

World No-Tobacco Day and Mantra has a few people calling him and give their opinion on the theme for this year's No Tobacco Day, which was reducing smoking habit in women. (talk about gender bias!!) - in any case, the interesting part for me so far was that the channel had not been switched. And then of course everyone was quite and actually 'tuned into' what *Mantra was saying.. and more importantly, what the people were saying about this idea. (We love giving and listening to opinions, don't we?)Then there was the punch - which was provided by none other than a listener who said he wanted his mom to stop chewing tobacco! And however hard I try, I cannot express the innocence with which he shared his concern and the humour element that the moment carried. Mantra made it funnier with his reaction to this statement, and suddenly there was the 'radio magic moment' - right there! A Sumo full of women - was full of smiles and giggles. Everyone connected, though no one knew anyone!

Here, what was being discussed on-air was: Tobacco (which none of the women in the car connected to) Here, the link was pretty long. (yet not switched off) Here, there was rapt attention. Here, it was not about what the jock said or how smart he was or what his 'punch' was. He was just available. Yet, here, is where the magic was.

Besides proving an age-old fact in radio, that the listeners are the biggest source of content, it made me write about this for one more reason. I just knew all over again, Radio can do wonders. Just let it be. Keep it simple.

*Mantra (Red FM drive-time host) is one of the most popular jocks in Mumbai.