Christmas Music Frenzy
by Bob Lawrence - President/CEO

I have to admit I was one of the skeptics several years ago when dozens of stations began playing all Christmas Music for up to six weeks! I believed it violated some of the most basic branding and marketing rules. After all, I read Ries and Trout's "22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" and was a staunch advocate of staying true to your brand.

Let's face it - playing all "Christmas" music doesn't stay true to your brand, doesn't deliver upon consumer expectations, and also creates dangerous brand extensions that risk becoming the one thing for which you are most known.

While all of that is certainly true, it is difficult to deny the obvious results of stronger than normal November and December numbers. Most convincing to me were the increases in cume. This became the most compelling reason to jump the proverbial ship of denial and even recommend that many go the same route. It isn't so much the bump in the numbers that were important but rather the fact that the station is exposed to people who normally fall into the category of "resisters" or "rejecters" and whom now know your station for something other than what they knew to be true.

There is one caveat however, with which few stations bother. It is important to promote regular programming while playing Christmas Music so those new listeners are exposed to what you normally do; eliminating any preconceived notions of who you are. That said, go ahead - play Christmas music - play it until you can take it no more...in fact, play it early! If you are going to go on the ledge then take the position and own the category. In some markets it's become almost comical how two stations sit like soldiers on a fence line in Guantanamo Bay Cuba, waiting for the other to pull the trigger first and an hour later they're both doing it.

If "first in wins", then be first. In some battles though, that may not be enough when only hours separate first and second. So how do you truly own the Christmas position? Hang on…. Play Christmas Music in July! Before you call me crazy just humor me for a moment. I am simply suggesting you maximize the potential owning the position brings you by reinforcing it when no one expects it. That means play Christmas on July 25th. Turn it into a charitable event, giveaway a trip to the North Pole, blow snow onto someone's house, get the mayor to read a proclamation on air declaring you as your city's official Christmas station. Make it big and you will then own the position.

Oh by the way... do the same thing for everything else for which you want to be known, as well. Do everything you do with the same determination, vigor, and tenacity. Cut through the clutter of everyday life and take ownership of what is rightfully yours...because nowadays, just "doing" anything simply isn't enough.

Merry Christmas from all of us at

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