Sing-a-long math

The power of a jingle is never more evident to me than when I’m with my 12-year-old daughter.
She hums, she taps, she whistles, she sings. She sings Fall Out Boy, Taylor Swift, Pink and Katy Perry. She also sings the Luna Flooring telephone number we heard so often in Chicago: 773-202-LUNA.

This is a child who might not come up with the result of 7x8 if her life depended on it. But she could get you new wood laminate floors in a jiffy.

Every time I hear her sing some ditty or jingle off a radio or TV spot, I am reminded that setting things to music can be a very effective tool to help consumers remember important information. Especially if it’s used consistently and frequently, as those ever-lovin’ Luna spots were.

I’m writing tunes right now for things such as her morning routine, remembering to close closet doors and turn off lights, and how to pack a nutritionally balanced lunch. I might need a full opera for the multiplication tables.

There’s sound research to support the success of jingles. Professors Graham Hitch and Alan Baddeley at Cambridge University have published extensively on music in the working memory, and language and music as cognitive systems.

There also are some fun lists of the best-worst jingles and songs, the earworms that chew incessantly at your brain, online at How Stuff Works. Do you remember “you deserve a break today” from McDonald’s? What about the baby-back ribs jingle from Chili’s? Yeah, they’re stuck now, aren’t they? Sorry about that.

What’s your favorite? Or your love-to-hate? Share the pain. And let me know if you need some new vinyl tile.

--Julianne W.

Fox Introduces the “Tweet-Peat”

Fox is teaming up with Twitter to give viewers a unique reason to watch repeats of “Glee” and “Fringe” this week. Cast and crew members of the shows will tweet commentary, offer behind-the-scenes information and answer fan questions via Twitter. These tweets will scroll at the bottom of the screen during the repeat episodes of “Fringe” at 9 p.m. Thursday and “Glee” at 9 p.m. Friday.

I am a fan of social media. Both Twitter and Facebook are viable venues for my egocentric need to express myself and my voyeuristic desire to steal a glimpse into other people’s lives. But if I wanted to get insight into a television show, I would do it online.

We have to deal with so much sensory overload on cable news networks with the scrolling news and split screens. We put up with the scrolling commentary on last season’s repeat episodes of “Lost” because, frankly, “Lost” became so convoluted with its constant twisting of time and space that without the commentary, most of us couldn’t remember what happened before the commercial break, much less determine whether what happened was in the future, past or present.

Will fans take the time to go online and tweet their questions? Will these “Tweet-peats” increase viewership, or will the tweets merely annoy viewers? I expect that true fans of these shows will enjoy the inside information coming directly from the cast, but will they care about what the executive producers have to tweet?

To join in on this Twitter/TV experience, follow the two events at: twitter.com/FRINGEonFOX and twitter.com/GLEEonFOX.

--Tessa G.

All the news that's fit to post

Be still my heart—credible, vetted, properly sourced journalism still is valued. And not just by old-school former newspaper writers/editors such as me.

An editorial by former newspaper writer/editor (and now venture-capital firm senior adviser) Larry Kramer describes plans by Yahoo and AOL to not only aggregate content, but to publish original news.

As a former new-media freelance writer, I’m curious to know whether these mega-companies will pay a fair wage vs. the $10-per-500-word-story norm that seemed to be the going rate on many, many freelance writing clearinghouses.

I also wonder how that news will be edited. Newsroom standards are strict—we called every phone number before it was published. Looked up every address. Did the math when something was reportedly 20 percent higher this year. Editing is more than dotting I’s and crossing T’s.

Nonetheless, I have hope. That passion for truth and an open, informed society that motivated so many of my now-jobless reporter/editor colleagues seems alive and well.

“The moves to original content from the former kings of aggregation is an encouraging sign that some companies may come up with the business model that can support serious journalism,” writes Kramer.

That model may differ from site to site, he explains, depending on the type of content. Some may be supported by advertising. Some may charge for access. Regardless, there is a blessed awareness that the content must be credible to build a following.

Newspapers in major metropolitan areas might take heed. Bogged down with print infrastructure costs, many have cut reporters, writers, photographers and editors—content creators—to save money. I am eager to see what happens with those who choose the reverse, who shed physical costs to invest in product.

It might save that essence of newspapers about which I’m truly passionate: the accuracy, the credibility, the thoroughness, the accountability, the quality so essential to our society.

--Julianne W.

Local Spring 2009 Arbitron Radio Ratings

Here’s a quick snapshot of the newly released spring 2009 local radio ratings, including gains/losses since the last survey period in fall 2008:

Federated Media stations top the list, with WOWO continuing to dominate in the market. It should not come as too much of a surprise that the conservative city of Fort Wayne listens to the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

Both country stations, K105 (WQHK) and WBTU, had some minor losses in shares, yet K105 remains strong in key demos. While the country format may be declining, the two hip-hop stations, Hot 107.9 (WJFX) and Wild 96.3 (WNHT), showed some gains.

WLDE 101.7 took the greatest hit with a 2.4 share loss. WFWI The Fort is also declining. Is it possible that Bob and Tom have finally run their course?

Although the Arbitron rating system is imperfect, because it depends on written diary entries, it does give us a glimpse into the trends of Fort Wayne’s radio listening habits.

--Tessa G.

But do they make me look fat?

The Gap announced recently that it’s abandoning TV for its latest product launch. Instead, its Born to Fit line of denim will be marketed online, primarily through Facebook. All other media—print, outdoor, cinema and blog ads—will drive consumers to the Facebook page.

The Gap? No TV? Isn’t that like a mall without Coke?

Actually, maybe even that analogy is a sign of the times. TV viewership is declining and growing more fragmented as entertainment and viewing choices multiply. Malls vie for traffic with online retailers, lifestyle shopping plazas and freestanding independent stores. Coke is facing challenges from energy drinks and specialty waters (and is producing a few itself).

And The Gap? If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say “The Gap just doesn’t have anything anymore,” I could buy a truckload of khakis. Is its steady decrease in same-store sales over the past two years a result of poor advertising or a poor merchandising mix?

It will be equally hard to determine whether any bump in sales with this campaign is the result of Facebook or simply a great product. Born to Fit promises a range of style choices, increasing the odds of finding a great-fitting pair of jeans. And I’d buy a pair of great-fitting jeans from the back of a truck parked down the street.

But the Facebook page already had more than 335,000 fans just a week after its launch. Many were wishing The Gap a happy 40th birthday. (And yet its distressed jeans don’t look a day over 39.)

Do you shop The Gap? Do you watch TV? Do you go to the mall? Do you Facebook? Most importantly, where do you go for great-fitting jeans?

--Julianne W.

Social Media Strong Ally in Crisis Communications

We’re all seeing the value of social media as a new set of building blocks for advertising and marketing strategies. Those who are not cultivating this value and embracing these additional venues may not survive in whatever the world of commerce shall be in full economic recovery.

Another use of social media, as a PR tool in a crisis situation, was demonstrated earlier this year by Domino’s Pizza. The analysis of Domino’s response is complete; Domino’s response to the situation was right on target for today’s communications environment. The steps the folks at Domino’s took are truly impressive.

The takeaway from the experience underscores the value of a crisis communications plan for every company. The Domino’s event demonstrates the value not only of social media, but all avenues available, and is a very good exercise in crisis communications.

An article by Amy Jacques, published in the summer issue of PRSA’s publication The Strategist and online at prsa.org, contains a full accounting of Domino’s experience, as told by Tim McIntyre, vice president, communications. I encourage you to take a look at “Domino’s delivers during crisis: The company’s step-by-step response after a vulgar video goes viral.”

--Mike B.

Ozzy + Chimps = Ad of the Day?

The latest commercial from Samsung Wireless features Ozzy Osbourne as we now know him: a sad, lost soul holding on to his fading fame with weak and predictable attempts at humor. Maybe it’s just me, but an aging rock star with a chimpanzee is not a winning combination. The commercial doesn’t make me laugh. It doesn’t shock. It doesn’t make me want to go out and buy a Samsung Solstice phone. Am I missing something?

--Tessa G.