Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

What’s it like when you tell your five-year old son to “man up” and take control of Mother’s Day? That’s what Sean Henry, host of Sean and Michelle, B103, Rockford, IL, did with his son, Declan.  Seems like Sean wanted to teach his kid how to start making big decisions about what he’d get his mom for the holiday.  So, he charged Declan with coming up with one new thing to get his mother each day during the week.  This break is strategic because it’s very real, plays off a current topic, is highly personal, and I leave getting a true sense of Sean as a father.  There is not a mom in the audience who isn’t stopping and listening to this break loving how this relationship is playing out on the air.

What is the purpose of a strategic promo aired outside of the show?  There are two to choose from:  promote the signature feature of the show so you get known for doing it.  Signature, unique, fun benchmarks are critical to defining a show’s brand – they are always payoffs so pushing audience there helps you.  The other purpose is to prove how in the moment and fun you are.  This promo for The Big Dave Show, B105, Cincinnati proves the latter.  All weekend, those who hear it know the show is about Mother’s Day during the weekend we celebrate it and fun.  Many promos push audience to the next show by telling them what is coming up – these are way less effective because you can’t feel those promos.  But those which have clips of features or breaks that land on a punchline you can feel, thus defining the show to the audience.