Dec 2, 2011
Not audio related but worth sharing since this is something related to branding.
Recently, 102.1 Kiss FM, a classic rock station in Brazil, published new images for its new outdoor campaign. Responses from the ad community are mixed, some are thrilled, and some disappointed.
Being a classic rock station, Kiss FM wants to sell this message to its target market using simple images, executed in a caption-less manner and small logo at the bottom right corner.
One ad shows a picture of a brick wall supposedly to the depict the “Brick Band”, one of the core artists of the format.
“Long shot, at least in punchline they should have mentioned somehow that visual is a metaphor for famous band, eg. Brick Band here,” says Milan Solanki.
“I really like the concept. Not everybody will be able to understand it, but only a niche market of rockers, who are the ones this radio station is interested in attracting. So, it works,” says ReRe from Ads Of The World.
After seeing these photos for the first time, the first impression was “what is the connection?” The brick wall, the cars on traffic jam, the red chilies, the chess pieces, and the doors did not seem to make sense. There were no captions to explain them, just a logo. So an ordinary person who sees the ad only notice simple photo.
To its target audience, the station hits the message home. All images represent its core artists; the Brick Band, Red Hot Chili Pepper, The Doors, The Cars, and Queen.
In the absence of captions, the element of association was the main ingredient of the campaign. Image of common objects were used here such as doors, and cars in a traffic jam, so when a person sees such common objects, they would remember the band and eventually the station that plays their music.
This kind of approach can be used in radio imaging. Ordinary situations, common things can be used to sell an idea, a promo, or a new radio show.
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Like most things on Kiss it’s an interesting idea executed badly. With the exception of the RHCP one (which it would be quite difficult to screw up!) they are all a bit sloppy.
The Cars one doesn’t say ‘cars’ so much as ‘traffic’. It could be an ad for the local rolling traffic station Sulamerica Transito. You might also say showing a photo of a traffic jam to people sitting in traffic jams in Sao Paulo is hardly a positive image.
The Doors one looks quite obscure in its real billboard size and draws your attention to the metal across the frame. The brick wall probably says Pink Floyd if anything.
I’m not sure the chess one works at all – especially with three pieces in view. Why not just that single piece?
When I first heard their on air sound a few years ago they were using a US jingle package made for for 102.7 KIIS FM in 1990, but with the “.7″ edited out in a most unmusical way (ie. by cutting the whole track – changing the timing) so this didn’t really surprise me!