30 June 2008

2CA's little viral stunt!

| AngryHenry
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I couldn’t resist turning this into a post after I saw all the people bitching about Canberra radio following the story “Help! My Mum now listens to 2CA“. I hope the guys from the network gave SimpleShane77 a nice performance bonus for his little peice of marketing… I think he really ‘touched the people’ with this one.

Have you heard of viral marketing? The guys at 2CA obviously think they have and this is a lame attempt at just that.

I think Miss Jill and co. should have a crack at radio personally. I found their posts more entertaining than the people whingeing like the radio was was a shoddy dj contracted to play the tunes at their 21st and didn’t have what they requested.

The commmercial radio stations are trying to do one thing and one thing only. Win you over. Through prizes, interviews, stunts, music, charity or whatever depravity they can use to suck you in. And once they’ve won you over their next task is to keep you listening through the commercial breaks and the songs. If someone sticks around for fifteen minutes, they get a rating point.

Here’s an example of how they do it…

Why do you think the radio always does things for kids with cancer? Because adults with cancer don’t have the massappeal, kids do. Adults don’t ‘test’ that well with the audience. We’re all suckers for sick/dying children.

Radio in Canberra has degenerated into nothing but a cost-saving excercise for the commercial stations and half the problem with the commercial stations is that they are stuck in a very small pond and are trying to be way bigger fish than the pond could possibly sustain. 2CA now resides in an upstairs office in Mitchell, 104 and 106 are based in an old building that resembles a demountable in Crace. Yet the boards and general mangers of these stations are so caught up in their almighty bottom-line that they can’t see the problem, they’re saving cash and it’s still rolling in so no worries.

The average commercial DJ in Canberra would earn about 40 to 45 grand a year, breakfast would earn a bit more (around $55 – $60), the average salary in Canberra for 2007 was about $66 grand. It speaks volumes about getting what you pay for.

And then there’s the music programming done by guys who look at pie-charts, graphs and statistics to see what’s ‘testing’ well. Whatever happened to a ‘good song’?

But let’s not get into music, that’s like talking about religion…

My two cents about commercial radio, you might not like them, I actually hate the station they work for but Scotty and Nige are the real deal as people. Nige is actually FROM Canberra. And both of them are the same guys on air as they are off. I’ve never heard jocks on air be more honest about the industry they are in and get away with it and that’s a good thing. But once they’re off the air or having a bad day, it’s back to the cd for me.
We’re all going to hell and your favourite band sucks.

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2CA Programming said :

Sorry to disappoint AngryHenry and others, but none of us at 2CA have contributed to the last couple of posts, allthough they were quite entertaining to read. 🙂

Once again, thanks for the free publicity.

Cheers,

Leighton
2CA Programming

Hmmm, that is dissappointing Leighton… I guess it’s good to have loyal listeners buddy… And no worries about the free publicity.

I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on the whole creativity vs bottom line theory though or even how you guys decide what is best for the listeners.

Just to clarify… I don’t work for any rivals of 2CA. I used to but don’t anymore and I certainly don’t care as to how popular one is against the other.

I think you kind of missed the point here people…

Which is this;

The quality of radio has declined in Canberra because of industry cut-backs and top-level greed that sees the creative people who work in the industry getting ripped off by bean-counters who really have no idea what appeals to the everyday person because they are BEANCOUNTERS, entertainment means nothing to them, the bottom line does! You think you lose out as the listener… Try having to create something entertaining in an environment like that.

Oh and Pirate, not everything needs to be a platform for gay rights… This post has NOTHING to do with that!

Hhm. How can I keep this clean. I know!

Are you calling me fat Pandy? 😉

Missjill: Why lamb when you can pork?

“It’s AM…” No, it’s AM Stereo! (And they got me back when they dumped the weekend AFL!)

Pandy said :

C’mon people, rack your brains

Mmmmmm raaaack

Mmmmmm rack of lamb tonight.

C’mon people, rack your brains

Mmmmmm raaaack

what’s wrong with a bit (or even a lot) of ska, vb?

byron lee and bob marley were key ska instagators – or is that ‘inskagators’! – and i&i rekkun day ok, y’know. is irie, m’mon, so chill and groove wif da beat. hep to da heptones or get down with some smooth australian groove like da strange tenants. heck, even canberra had naughty rythyms – hey!

s’pose you are an andre rieu acolyte? 😉

Thank you Jazz.

So far, only two emails have come my way. One which offers 2CA memorabilia for a “song” (very amusing and promising), and another from a guy who probably reads Zoo Magazines during his lunch break.

There are so many worthy charities, many of which have helped my greater family in some way over the years, so it’s difficult to choose one.

I’ll see how I go with the emails first, and I may even place a small advert in the Tuesday Canberra Times (freebies under $100), asking for 2CA memorabilia. Missed it this week, so I’ll do it for next Tuesday.

I’ll see how many responses I receive, and then take it from there. Could I be the only one with an original 2CA t-shirt from the late 70’s? I doubt it. C’mon people, rack your brains. Do you have any 2CA memorabilia from decades ago? Preferably t-shirts, but I’ll take anything. Email me at missjillloves2CA@gmail.com. Thank you.

Note: To the conspiracy theorists, I have no affiliation to 2CA, just a long history in Canberra and many memories of growing up with 2CA, I guess that’s why I could never throw the t-shirt out. Selling it for charity though? That I would do.

Freaky. I’ve been going to my current doctors’ surgery for about seven years now and from memory they’ve been dedicated ABC FM listeners in the waiting room/reception. Just now? Yep, they’re on 1053 2CA. (I was going to make some devastatingly hilarious reference to the surgery and ‘viral’ campaigns, but even I’m sick of bad puns today.)

missjill said :

Calling all owners of 1970s original 2CA t-shirts. Would love to buy it if you have one? Might even auction them off for charity at some point.

Email me: missjillloves2CA@gmail.com

Happy to help with the auction missjill. I think that would be great – care to nominate a charity?

Hey Leighton, you reckon you could arrange a few of those mad retro 2CA tshirts so expertly modelled on that other thread? I can organise my own DDs.

-Duke

Everyone I know listens to 2CC (talkback) because it’s real, local, entertaining and informative.

I tried the ABC but it was dull and patronising.

Hey Leighton – any chance of getting your marketing team to knock up a 2CA branded swimsuit or underwear range?! We’ve got the model if you have the gear…

Growling Ferret8:54 am 01 Jul 08

2CA lost me when they stopped broadcasting AFL on weekends…

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy8:41 am 01 Jul 08

2CA – it seems you’ve done well out of all this! Personally I like your station, and occasionally surf over to the AM band for a listen, just for a change.

2CA Programming6:56 am 01 Jul 08

Sorry to disappoint AngryHenry and others, but none of us at 2CA have contributed to the last couple of posts, allthough they were quite entertaining to read. 🙂

Once again, thanks for the free publicity.

Cheers,

Leighton
2CA Programming

Pirate – Huh? I think you might need some help there mate. You managed to turn a rant about advertising (please note the ‘s’) and bring up discrimination at an AM radio station that has a loyal but small following? Huh? Who cares about the orientatation of the DJ? Is it relevant to anything?

I cant stand 104, especially scotty and nige, one morning i had the misfortune of listening to their show and felt the urge to smash my head against a wall to get the feeling back in my brain. The station seems to have 4 or 5 songs they play continually.

Then again, the other stations aren’t much better. Canberra radio really needs a kick up the you know-what.

This from http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/384/industry.shtml:

Michael Tunn, who parted acrimoniously with Triple M Adelaide, has launched a bloggers site http://www.radiohelper.blogspot.com. The idea is for Tunn, who was one of Australia’s youngest radio presenters when he joined Triple J, to give free advice to young radio jocks. He can be contacted at tunnster@gmail.com

Hahahahaha… how absurd! PR battle of the AM radio stations!!! lmao

Yeah, what happened to Michael Tunn?

PS I too enjoyed the soft porn… 😉

@pirate – Having your own go at viral marketing? Or should I go re-read the original 2CA thread?

Pesty said :

Scotty and Nige are on 104.7 weekday mornings, I dislike the radio station in general It’s mainly for youngsters, but these guys are hilarious! Real comedians.

Yep, I agree. The music’s a bit ordinary (prefer Triple J actually) but these two are as funny as hell, and intelligent, too. I really enjoy their show in the morning.

when you bash 2ca i feel like your bashing US. like when i usd to be called “poof” and “fag” at school, wil it never end?

not long ago 2ca was changed to serve us, and we LOVE our gay radio station!!!!

my mates brother was the partner of the bloke in charge at 2ca and they were going to make a huge song and dance about there new gay frendly station.

they gave jobs to a whole swag of gay djs, but at the last minute some marketing killjoy got in on the act and pulled the plug on the big anouncment because he rekoned it would affect advertizing. imagine that! are we such second class citizens that we effect advertizing. this kind of descrimmination makes my blood boil!!

anyway, they launched a gay 2ca quietly, except one of the djs got his gear off in a gay nightclub and he looked hot!!! ive seen it on u-tube.

don’t bash 2CA, the only virus you need to worry about is HIV.

and help us make gay mariage legal in the ACT like in california. visit: http://www.actnow.com.au/Issues/Samesex_marriage.aspx

three cheers, horray, horray, horray, for 2CA, you make me proud to be gay!

the pirate

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:00 pm 30 Jun 08

Neither station plays enough Led Zeppelin or Ska for my tastes.

I can’t believe you used the terms ‘ska’ and ‘taste’ in the same sentence.

I was once told that I have the face for radio, but dont work in Radio.. Wasted, yes probably

sexynotsmart8:36 pm 30 Jun 08

Jeepers, four eps into ‘The Gruen Transfer’ and everyone’s an advertising expert.

Let it go, Henry. Scotty and Nige are funny, but they are NOTHING compared to the silky smooth tones of the sensual Anne Fulwood, afternoons on Radio National.

I mean GOODNESS GRACIOUS she sounds so damn good you want a mass murder or Gulf War 3 just so she can pre-empt the sports report.

I get the same dangerously warm feelings when she speaks as I used to when a young Catriona Rowntree did ‘The Request Fest’ evenings on TripleJ. Speaking of which, does anyone know what happened to Tunny?

missjill said :

Not since last weekends episode of Benny Hill have I been in such hysterics.

Just incase this thought crossed your mind Henry, I have absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with 2CA, or any other radio station in Canberra, Australia or the Universe, nor do I have aspirations to work in radio, but thanks for the compliment.

One final thing. Err, uhm, who are Scotty and Nige? Anyone know?

Calling all owners of 1970s original 2CA t-shirts. Would love to buy it if you have one? Might even auction them off for charity at some point.

Email me: missjillloves2CA@gmail.com

Scotty & Nige are on 104.7 weekday mornings, I dislike the radio station in general It’s mainly for youngsters, but these guys are hilarious! Real comedians.

Can we start guessing who’s in the industry and who’s not from the previous thread? This could be fun…

P.S. to my last post: Enough people last month were complaining about the lack of stories to warrant soft-porn (thanks jill) and laksa. Go find a computer game forum if you are still unhappy and bitch about how ubergamex is still crappy compared to Diablo even though its a FPS and not in the same genre.

@fhakk – I’m a pube. I can also count the amount of time I’ve listened to either station on a 1hour stopwatch. Neither station plays enough Led Zeppelin or Ska for my tastes.

This is getting ridiculous.
Could we have a little transparency here? Anyone brave enough to admit they’re currently working for 2CA or 104?

As I stated on the other thread:

There’s already more incentive on this site to listen to 2CA than I’ve ever had from any other station, so without even intending it, I’m sure missjill has confounded every advertising exec on radically high salaries this side of the black stump.

I’d be interested in finding out the relevant patronage levels in coming months.

So, Mr Radically high salary – what you got up your sleeve ? More black thunder ?

Not since last weekends episode of Benny Hill have I been in such hysterics.

Just incase this thought crossed your mind Henry, I have absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with 2CA, or any other radio station in Canberra, Australia or the Universe, nor do I have aspirations to work in radio, but thanks for the compliment.

One final thing. Err, uhm, who are Scotty and Nige? Anyone know?

Calling all owners of 1970s original 2CA t-shirts. Would love to buy it if you have one? Might even auction them off for charity at some point.

Email me: missjillloves2CA@gmail.com

“Have you heard of viral marketing? The guys at 2CA obviously think they have and this is a lame attempt at just that.”

Any chance of you backing that claim up with any proof, or should I assume you work for a 2CA rival and this is your own attempt at viral marketing/slander? Me thinks the latter.

Rock On

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