It's Time to Upgrade. You First.
According to this morning's InsideRadio, the HD Radio Alliance has shifted its message focus...
"Armed with research showing 77% consumer awareness, the HD Digital Radio Alliance is moving into the next stage of its marketing effort focusing on selling receivers. Starting today the alliance launches a 13-week advertising campaign on more than 700 stations, featuring the tagline: 'It's Time To Upgrade.'"
A couple comments...
1. Seems like the pitch's message is more targeted to the last of the Broadcasting hold-outs who have had the good sense to avoid the million+ dollar investment to 'upgrade' their signal in order to reach an all but non-existant HD audience.
2. With a "time to upgrade" message like that, the Alliance should be more concerned with the radio audience actually listening to them -- and upgrading to a technology that offers more choice, customization, and access. Like WiFi Radio.
3. ...And if Radio is going to point their finger and suggest that listeners upgrade -- I would argue that that audience should rise up, point right back and say "You go first." The dictionary defines "upgrade" as "an increase or improvement" and Radio listenership, revenue, and content quality has been doing anything but that in the last few years.
Yes, HD Radio Alliance -- it IS time to upgrade -- but I'd suggest that you look to your own industry and improve performance and quality from within before asking the most active portion of your audience to shell out a couple hundred bucks in order to hear the high-definition demise of your media.
"Armed with research showing 77% consumer awareness, the HD Digital Radio Alliance is moving into the next stage of its marketing effort focusing on selling receivers. Starting today the alliance launches a 13-week advertising campaign on more than 700 stations, featuring the tagline: 'It's Time To Upgrade.'"
A couple comments...
1. Seems like the pitch's message is more targeted to the last of the Broadcasting hold-outs who have had the good sense to avoid the million+ dollar investment to 'upgrade' their signal in order to reach an all but non-existant HD audience.
2. With a "time to upgrade" message like that, the Alliance should be more concerned with the radio audience actually listening to them -- and upgrading to a technology that offers more choice, customization, and access. Like WiFi Radio.
3. ...And if Radio is going to point their finger and suggest that listeners upgrade -- I would argue that that audience should rise up, point right back and say "You go first." The dictionary defines "upgrade" as "an increase or improvement" and Radio listenership, revenue, and content quality has been doing anything but that in the last few years.
Yes, HD Radio Alliance -- it IS time to upgrade -- but I'd suggest that you look to your own industry and improve performance and quality from within before asking the most active portion of your audience to shell out a couple hundred bucks in order to hear the high-definition demise of your media.
