SONIC SOUND TAKES MANY FORMS Austin Keyes

Tell em’ what you do, show em’ how you do it, remind em’ what you do again = IMAGE -BRANDING! Imaging is the representation or reproduction of an object's outward form; especially a visual representation. Personal imaging, real-time sharing of personal experience through images. Some people distinguish the psychological aspect of a brand from the experiential aspect. The experiential aspect consists of the sum of all points of contact with the brand and is known as the brand experience. The psychological aspect, sometimes referred to as the brand image, is a symbolic construct created within the minds of people and consists of all the information and expectations associated with a product or service. Radio’s advantage is our ability to connect on a gut level with our audience, more than any other medium. Our listeners refer to us as a friend. Our friends have a history with us; they talk to us, listen to us and share common experiences with us, right? I think so. Just like the best TV imaging (HBO-SHOWTIME), radio can present audio bits of what draws our radio friends to us. That includes the music we present and the artists that create the music. Imaging should billboard special and benchmark programming (artist spotlights, concerts), and the services we provide like weather updates during critical times, or information about social services and local events our listeners may desire to attend or desperately need. If we have a funny morning show or personalities, replay those moments throughout the day. Talk about your beaches, your lakes/rivers, the special historical buildings downtown, or shopping mall, or concert hall. Toast your police/fire departments and teachers, your veterans, local celebrities, well known barbers, waiters/waitresses etc. and the list is almost endless. Run quick little statements sonically woven with country music undertones throughout. It just takes some effort. Does radio do enough of it? Not really. But we can find our way back to being a creative and inspired medium. Repeat.. Personal imaging, real-time sharing of personal experience through images. I’d like to hear how you view what imaging is for your station and how you go about writing it and creating a sonic pathway to your listeners’ hearts and imaginations.