Radio station program directors walk a tightrope stretched between two polarized worlds: science and creativity. Creative people think market research is ruining the station yet more than a few PD’s have ended up unemployed because they ignored research that could have improved the station’s ratings dramatically.
As a recovering Program Director myself, a post by David Kirkpatrick on the Marketing Sherpa blog titled “The Data Vs Creativity Debate: Is successful marketing driven by analytics or art?,” caught my attention.
The traditional wisdom for marketers says their job is 80% creativity and 20% science. But lately some marketers think those percentages have reversed because of all the detailed analysis tools available today. Face it, when you have the ability to track marketing messages down to the individual retweet it’s possible analysis may trump creativity.
Kirkpatrick talked with Phil Fernandez, President and CEO of Marketo, a company that specializes in marketing software, the type that generates sales leads and tracks marketing campaigns down to the finest detail.
Fernandez says nothing has changed, ” The goal of effective [marketing software] needs to be to make it fast and easy to do the logistics and data-driven parts of the job and then fade into the background, so that the marketer has the time to focus on the critical process of creative development.”
He adds that Google and social media have made it tougher than ever to grab a potential customer’s attention, “If your message and/or content are not resonating with potential buyers, they will purchase from competitors who have done a better job of connecting with them in a relevant, timely and compelling way.”
As an air talent you are the creative arm of the radio station. Working within the station’s formatics, which represent the science, its your job to, as Fernandez says, connect with listeners in a relevant, timely and compelling way.
You are 80% of the equation.
Lenny
February 9, 2011
The world has sped up and technology has upped science’s percentages Mike. You have to use them to your advantage or you can get lost on the dark side of one’s grey matter. Creativity and more importantly… making that emotional connection is paramount today. A lot of the old ways still work with a new angle of localism that doesn’t get discussed enough these days. Creativity is still in the lead but I’d put it at 60/40. Long time fan, first time caller of yours. Take care.
Mike Stern
February 9, 2011
Thank you caller.
How about we meet at 70/30 because there are more people who can use the technology and less people who truly get the creative side?
Lenny
February 10, 2011
Sounds more than fair Mike.