What Brand Emotion Do You Own?
Jimmy Fallon says he spent years chasing a dream that wasn’t his.
After his first stint at SNL, his goal was to become a movie star. He made two movies that bombed. Then he had a realization. “I think my why is, ‘Can I make people happy?’” Notice how Jimmy applies “happy” to every bit, joke, and guest.
For years, United Airlines has been at the bottom of the list of airlines with positive perceptions. Now, the company focuses on winning one important airline image: trust.
Trust is also a powerful brand image for radio and podcast personalities. The essence of a personality brand is creating a trust relationship with listeners. Personalities build trust and loyalty through authenticity, vulnerability, and sharing personal experiences and stories.
Successful radio stations win in competitive formats because they own a primary one-word or one-phrase positive image in listeners’ minds. Take a tip from Jimmy Fallon’s success and answer why people listen to your station.
Let’s look at positive brand emotions that apply to popular radio formats.
Classic Hits, Classic Rock, Classic Country: Nostalgia
The goal for winning with these formats is to make the station feel like a comforting presence that’s been a constant soundtrack to listeners’ lives. This creates a strong emotional connection and sense of shared experience that keeps people tuning in.
Country: Longing
Longing is the central emotion of Country Music fans. They long for storytelling about everyday life, relationships, work, and family. Country listeners also long for traditions, patriotism, and community. Country radio, artists, and listeners have a deep symbiotic connection.
CHR/Hot AC: Exciting Entertainment
Entertaining, funny, fun personalities, contests and promotions have always been synonymous with CHR and Hot AC. This format reflects the mainstream audience’s current trends, topics, and musical tastes, helping listeners feel connected to the broader cultural landscape.
Urban Contemporary: Cultural Empowerment
Urban radio listeners feel a sense of community and empowerment through the music and the personalities. There’s a sense of collectively celebrating personal and cultural identity and overcoming adversity. There is also a strong relationship between the talent, the artist, and the audience.
Talk: Validation/Connection/Tribal Belonging
The emotional why is different since Talk Radio takes the form of politics, sports, and lifestyle. Political Talk is more about validating the audience’s views. Sports Talk is fosters tribal belonging, and Lifestyle Talk focuses on connecting and personal growth.
News: Connected
News radio listeners want to feel connected and “in the know.” There’s a comforting sense of being plugged into the world’s pulse, like you’re not missing anything critical that everyone else might be talking about. There’s also an emotional security from feeling informed and prepared.
Contemporary Christian: Hope
Hope often manifests as spiritual comfort during challenging times. Christian radio provides reassurance to listeners about divine purpose and guidance. This format emotionally uplifts the audience through positive, faith-affirming music, messages and life-changing stories from listeners.
Rock, Alternative Rock: Rebellion
Rock radio stations are typically characterized by an emotional core of defiance, nonconformity, and rebelling against the mainstream. This rebellious spirit manifests a sense of empowerment with listeners through the music and edgy personalities.
AC and Urban AC: Comfort
Adult Contemporary stations thrive on the comfort of familiarity and safety. They position themselves as reliable, stabilizing forces—a “safe harbor” where listeners can tune in and find refuge from the stresses and uncertainties of the outside world. They also provide safety for parents with children listening in autos.
Challenge Me
If you feel I’ve misrepresented the emotional why of your format, please contact me at randy@randylane.com. I’d happily post your viewpoint in next week’s Content Ideas.
