The Morning Mess, B96, Chicago The Ugly Secret Santa

You do Secret Santa at work or in the family and you pull the name of someone you hate.  This is a great thesis for on-air content because it has built in tension that will drive engagement and memorability.  So The Morning Mess, B96, Chicago found out when producer Angie chose someone in Secret Santa at her second job she detests.  This has a very sticky hook and is perfect show content that’s story-based.  Angie stays true to herself – she wants to get this person a crappy present because she does not like them.  Lots to explore here to make the story come alive.  And then the show does the smart thing.  Instead of it becoming a phone topic where they ask the audience who at work they don’t like, they get the audience involved in Angie’s story, giving her advice to keep her on message about not liking the co-worker she has to buy a gift for.  Real life always works for content, especially if the story has layers and areas to explore.  This is all of that and more.

New Year’s Resolutions For Thee and Me

Each person on the show should write one New Year’s resolution for every other cast member on the team.  Put them each in envelopes and tape them to the walls of the studio (a good visual for social media).  Then once a morning all week, take a few off and have the person the resolution is about read it on-air and then let the fireworks begin.  This is good character development content at a time when everyone is doing resolutions.