Don’t Just Analyse-Synthesise & Conceptualise!

Co-Founder and Insights Director

What happens when any kind of listener research or feedback comes in the door? We analyse it of course.

But that's not enough!

Why do we also need to "Synthesise & Conceptualise"?

Innovate or Die

Goes with "content is king", as the mantra for all media brands.

Radio is an especially hungry, insatiable beast for innovative live content and promotional activity, 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Information Drives Innovation

The key is to take all your information sources whether hard numbers, focus group/LAB/open-ended question comments, lifestyle trends, or even just your own social observations, and look for ways of connecting, at first unrelated, facts and fragments.

Ideal for team brainstorming – stick all the info bites on the wall, and hunt for creative connections – like TV crime procedurals!

"Synthesise" the bites into a new way of looking at your listener's world … make a bold, risky leap of imagination and "Conceptualise" new & different content/promotions that cut-through the same old.

Risk Brings Rewards

Not every idea will be a home run, but that's the creative process!

If something works, great – if not move on. At least you've done something different.

Some ideas will be totally out there, but the big, landmark ideas have always been weird or scary at first.

Don't Be Beige – Embrace Diversity

The "typical listener" profile where you have a portrait of your target, with a median age, thumbnail of their lifestyle etc, can be useful as a quick content, marketing and sales reference.

But it can also limit you from straying into new creative territory, and result in a beige, predictable calendar of content and marketing activity.

There's really no such thing as a typical listener. Their world is full of diversity and options – culture, ethnic, occupation, income, technology, education, lifestyle, recreation, entertainment. Your challenge is to make connections within the diversity for content/promotional opportunity.

I'm a fan of WTF moments like imaging in the main languages in the market. Uncovering what's special and quirky about your region, not just your narrow target. Even when networked, that's still a creative tension for exploitation. Caravans anyone?

Speaking of Language …

Pardon the intended pun, but for a creative business, our working language can unconsciously be very "Left Brain". OK in a financial and operational sense, but if innovative content is king, words can be a roadblock.

Here are just some examples of moving tone & language from Left to Right-Brain.

Change Your Language – Change Your Business

BTW

My favourite books on "Synthesise & Conceptualise" …

A Whole New Mind (Why Right Brainers Will Rule The Future) – Daniel H. Pink
Presentation Zen – Garr Reynolds 

 

Eriks Celmins is Managing Director of Third Wave Media and InsiderFocus, consultant for research, strategy and content. Find out more here.
 

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